Using Logic
The
arguments we have studied so far used rather stilted language, but
Hurley did
that so that it would be easier for you to identify premises,
conclusion, and
the argument’s logical form. Arguments
which you will come across, however, won’t be so carefully constructed. In fact, they will often be confusing or
repetitive, and they will sometimes be missing crucial premises. Remember, the symbolic language we’ve learned
will only be helpful on deductive arguments, and in many cases it will
not
completely capture all of the information in the argument.
Often, however, we can capture the gist of
the argument, and we don’t lose too much of the meaning.
In the arguments below, attempt reformulate
them using symbolic logic alone.
First Argument
|
I want to show that not only do ghosts or apparitions do not exist, but that it is impossible for them to exist. That will show that everyone who believes in them is a kook or a weirdo. First, it is a fact that for a person to exist after their body dies, it is necessary for them to have the potential for consciousness. Next, the fact that someone has the potential for consciousness implies that they have a brain. Having a brain is a necessary condition for having consciousness. But, when people die, their brains disintegrate. So, after a person’s body dies, they do not, and cannot, exist. |
Second Argument
|
People can exist apart from their bodies after they die, and the evidence is conclusive. First, there are numerous reports of people who have spoken to people after they die. Some of them have provided information that they could not have known except from the dead person, which implies that they can’t all be lying. If they can’t all be lying, then at least some of them are telling the truth. Of course, if people have spoken to people who are dead, then it must be possible for them to exist. Next, people throughout time have reported seeing and hearing apparitions who look like their loved ones who had died. This fact is sufficient to show that some people have existed after they died. Finally, people who have been near death have reported seeing things in remote places. They could only have seen these things if their spirits had separated from their bodies. If this can occur before a person dies, then that proves that it can happen to people after they die. |