Revisiting the Challenge of Empirical Sciences to Philosophy in Demonstrating the Soul's Immateriality

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Associate Professor, Department of Islamic Philosophy and Theology, Faculty of Theology and Islamic Studies, University of Qom, Qom, Iran.

2 Ph.D. Student in Islamic Philosophy and Theology, Department of Islamic Philosophy and Theology, Faculty of Theology and Islamic Studies, University of Qom, Qom, Iran University of Qom, Qom, Iran m.shafiei@stu.qom.ac.ir

Abstract

The incorporeality (or immateriality) of the soul is one of the most fundamental issues in Islamic philosophy, for which multiple proofs have been advanced. One such proof is the argument based on the stability of memory. According to its two formulations, memory images cannot be considered material because of their stability in essence or their representational consistency over several stages of recollection. Adopting an interdisciplinary approach and an analytical method, this paper re-examines both senses of stability in light of findings from neuroscience and cognitive psychology. The empirical findings, at both the neurological and psychological levels, present a dynamic and fluid picture of memory that poses a serious challenge to both senses of the stability of memory images. However, contrary to the conclusions of previous research, the paper shows that due to a fundamental methodological difference between philosophy (which relies on knowledge by presence) and empirical sciences (which rely on external observation), the empirical explanations offered cannot bring about any change in the philosophical conception of the stability of memories.

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References

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