a dialogue on personal identity and immortality.docx

a dialogue on personal identity and immortality.docx

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ADialogueonPersonalIdentityandImmortality

ThisisarecordofconversationsofGretchenWeirob,ateacherofphilosophyatasmallMidwesterncollege,andtwoofherfriends.TheconversationstookplaceinherhospitalroomonthethreenightsbeforeshediedfrominjuriessustainedinamotorcycleaccidentSamMillerisachaplainandalongtimefriendofWeirob’s;DaveCohenisaformerstudentofhers.

TheFirstNight

COHEN:

Icanhardlybelievewhatyousay,Gretchen.Youarelucidanddonotappeartobeingreatpain.Andyetyousaythingsarehopeless?

WEIROB:

ThesedevicescankeepmealiveforanotherdayortwoatmostSomeofmyvitalorganshavebeeninjuredbeyondanythingthedoctorsknowhowtorepair,apartfromcertainratherradicalmeasuresIhaverejected.Iamnotinmuchpain.ButasIunderstanditthatisnotaparticularlygoodsign.MybrainwasuninjuredandIguessthat’swhyIamaslucidasIeveram.Thewholesituationisabitdepressing,Ifear.Buthere’sSamMiller.Perhapshewillknowhowtocheermeup.

MILLER:

Goodevening,Gretchen.Hello,Dave.Iguessthere’snotmuchpointinbeatingaroundthebush,Gretchen;themedicstellmeyou’reagoner.IsthereanythingIcandotohelp?

WEIROB:

Crimenetley,Sam!

Youdealwiththedyingeveryday.Don’tyouhaveanythingmorecomfortingtosaythan“Sorrytohearyou’reagoner”?

MILLER:

Well,totellyouthetruth,I’malittleatalossforwhattosaytoyou.MostpeopleIdealwitharebelieverslikeIam.Wetalkoftheprospectsforsurvival.IgiveassurancethatGod,whoisjustandmerciful,wouldnotpermitsuchatravestyasthatourshortlifeonthisearthshouldbetheendofthings.ButyouandIhavetalkedaboutreligiousandphilosophicalissuesforyears.IhaveneverbeenabletofindinyoutheleastinclinationtobelieveinGod;indeed,it’sararedaywhenyouaresurethatyourfriendshaveminds,orthatyoucanseeyourownhandinfrontofyourface,orthatthereisanyreasontobelievethatthesunwillrisetomorrow.HowcanIhopetocomfortyouwiththeprospectoflifeafterdeath,whenIknowyouwillregarditashavingnoprobabilitywhatsoever?

WEIROB:

Iwouldnotrequiresomuchtobecomforted,Sam.Eventhepossibilityofsomethingquiteimprobablecanbecomforting,incertainsituations.Whenweusedtoplaytennis,Ibeatyounomorethanonetimeintwenty.Butthiswasenoughtoestablishthepossibilityofbeatingyouonanygivenoccasion,andbyfocusingmerelyonthepossibilityIremainedeagertoplay.Entombedinasecureprison,thinkingoursituationquitehopeless,wemayfindunutterablejoyintheinformationthatthereis,afterall,theslimmestpossibilityofescape.Hopeprovidescomfort,andhopedoesnotalwaysrequireprobability.Butwemustbelievethatwhatwehopeforisatleastpossible.SoIwillsetaneasiertaskforyou.Simplypersuademethatmysurvivalafterthedeathofthisbodyispossible,andIpromisetobecomforted.Whetheryousucceedornot,yourattemptswillbeadiversion,foryouknowIliketotalkphilosophymorethananythingelse.

MILLER:

Butwhatispossibility,ifnotreasonableprobability?

WEIROB:

Idonotmeanpossibleinthesenseoflikely,oreveninthesenseofconformingtotheknownlawsofphysicsorbiology.Imeanpossibleonlyintheweakestsense—ofbeingconceivable,giventheunavoidablefacts.Withinthenextcoupleofdays,thisbodywilldie.Itwillbeburiedanditwillrotaway.Iaskthat,giventhesefacts,youexplaintomehowitevenmakessensetotalkofmecontinuingtoexistJustexplaintomewhatitisIamtoimagine,whenIimaginesurviving,thatisconsistentwiththesefacts,andIshallbecomforted.

MILLER:

Butthenwhatistheretodo?

Therearemanyconceptionsofimmortality,ofsurvivalpastthegrave,whichallseemtomakegoodsense.Surelynotthepossibility,butonlytheprobability,canbedoubted.Takeyourchoice!

Christiansbelieveinlife,withabody,insomehereafter—thedetailsvary,ofcourse,fromsecttosectThereistheGreekideaofthebodyasaprison,fromwhichweescapeatdeath—sothatwehavecontinuedlifewithoutabody.Thenthereareconceptionsinwhich,sotospeak,wemergewiththeflowofbeing—

WEIROB:

Imustcutshortyourlessonincomparativereligion.Survivalmeanssurviving,nomore,noless.IhavenodoubtsthatIshallmergewithbeing;plantswilltakerootinmyremains,andthechemicalsthatIamwillcontinuetomaketheircontributiontolife.Iamenoughofanecologisttobecomforted.Butsurvival,ifitisanything,mustoffercomfortsofadifferentsort,thecomfortsofanticipation.Survivalmeansthattomorrow,orsometimeinthefuture,therewillbesomeonewhowillexperience,whowillseeandtouchandsmell—orattheveryleast,thinkandreasonandremember.Andthispersonwillbeme.Thispe