Infinite Flesh
An Argument for Life after Death
Infinite Flesh
From the Eternal Return to the Resurrection
ABSTRACT: The old theory of the eternal return says that your life is repeated over and over again in one cosmic epoch after another. Your future recurrence counterparts exactly live out your life. But why settle for pointless repetition? A more interesting theory says that each of your future counterparts lives a better version of your life. This is linear revision. Linear revision is a resurrection theory. Yet even this is not the whole story. There are many ways your life can be improved. We can change linear revision into branching revision: for every way your life can be improved, you have some future resurrection counterpart whose life is improved in that way. You are the root of a branching tree of ever-better resurrection counterparts.
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Stage Theory and Resurrection Replicas
ABSTRACT: According to John Hick, resurrection is replication. If Fallen is resurrected as Risen, then Risen is a replica of Fallen at the last stage of Fallen's earthly life. But replication is not identity. An endurantist says that diachronic sameness entails identity. So on endurantism, Risen cannot be the same person as Fallen. A worm theorist says that diachronic sameness is co-membership in the same 4D space-time worm. But there is no 4D worm that contains both Risen and Fallen. So on worm theory, Risen cannot be the same person as Fallen. A stage theorist says diachronic sameness is a temporal counterpart relation. If stage theory is right, then Hick can defend the view that Risen is the same person as Fallen. We show how stage theory helps Hick's resurrection theory.Download Stage Theory and Resurrection Replicas
Some Resurrection Theories
ABSTRACT: We present several resurrection theories. We group them into four categories: (1) revival theories; (2) reassembly theories; (3) replication theories; and (4) rebirth theories. Within each group, there are several versions of the theory. We thus consider: (1a) the Biblical revival theory; (1b) van Inwagen's body-snatching theory; (1c) Zimmerman's particle-fission theory; (2a) the Biblical reassembly theory; (2b) reassembly by God; (2c) reassembly by the soul; (3a) material replication in this universe; (3b) replication by simulation in a computer; (3c) material replication in another universe; (4a) rebirth in this universe; and finally (4b) rebirth in another universe.
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Science and the General Resurrection
ABSTRACT: One good way to demonstrate the compatibility of resurrection with science is by working through a series of resurrection theories that are increasingly naturalistic. We review resurrection by revival, by reassembly, by replication, and by regeneration. These theories are not compatible with science. We then turn to a theory of resurrection involving rebirth and recreation of the body. We develop a theory of resurrection by revision. Resurrection entails the revision of an entire life. Resurrection by revision is compatible with science and is supported by theological arguments.