John Hick 1922 1912 Birmingham Christian Philosopher Hicks

John Hick 1922 – 1912, Birmingham, Christian Philosopher

Hick’s rejection of substance dualism • Christian theologian John Hick (Born in Yorkshire 1922) rejects the traditional belief in body-soul dualism by essentially adopting a materialist position and arguing that this does not weaken the possibility of life after death!

Double trouble … QUESTIONS: • How would you feel if you had a double? • If it was possible for you to die, and to then create an exact replica of yourself, would that person still be you?

Hick’s replica theory Hello, my name is John Smith Meet John Smith Create your own Cartoon Story Board of Hick’s Replica Theory 4

Replica theory and life after death • In Death and Eternal Life, Hick argues that God can recreate the whole person in another realm after death. • ‘The concept of mind or soul is thus not that of a ‘ghost’ in a machine but of the more flexible and sophisticated ways in which human beings behave and have it in them to behave’

Replica theory and life after death • In Death and Eternal Life, Hick argues that God can recreate the whole person in another realm after death. • ‘I wish to suggest that we can think of it as the divine creation in another space of an exact psycho-physical ‘replica’ of the deceased person’.

Discuss • What questions does Hick’s replica theory give us? • Read through the information sheet on Hick. • Stop and answer the questions. • Discuss strengths and weaknesses

Plenary • Write down three things you know that you didn’t know at the beginning of the lesson