The Philosophical Evidence for Heaven

[YosefYosep]

Is there any philosophical evidence for an afterlife? I know providing philosophical proof for the existence of God can be done quite easily, but what about proving the existence of heaven? Is there anyway we can know if an afterlife exists?

 

[mikekle]

Well, I do know there are scientists and experts working on trying to figure out how to open a sort of ‘window’ into other dimensions, (if they are shown to actually exist that is) so we can take a peek at what it is like, so it is possible EVENTUALLY, mankind MAY have the technology to actually see heaven and/or hell.

It is said God exists on a different dimension or plane than we do, it is also said these other dimensions are all around us, but we cannot see them. I am confident one day experts will be able to open up windows or doors to these other dimensions, and if this happens, then it is possible they could find the one that God resides in.

However whether God would allow this to happen is another question, so far though, he has not intervened in any of the crazy things mankind experiments with.

 

[Perplexity]

Let’s suppose that God exists. It follows that he’s created us persons, in some sense. As many philosophers have noted, there’s really only one reason why someone who is utterly perfect, in need of nothing whatsoever, would create persons: for their own good. But, then it seems God’s having created persons actually counts as evidence of an afterlife. Why create us for our own good, only to let us live for ~100 years? Some of us die before birth, and others after only a couple of years. Surely, God wouldn’t bring us into existence for such frivolous durations. I don’t know if this makes an endless afterlife plausible, but we shouldn’t expect God to create us just for a blink of the eye.

 

[Linusthe2nd]

Is there any philosophical evidence for an afterlife? I know providing philosophical proof for the existence of God can be done quite easily, but what about proving the existence of heaven? Is there anyway we can know if an afterlife exists?

This is from the Catholic Encyclopedia: " •God, in his infinite justice and holiness, must give virtue its due reward. But, as experience teaches, the virtuous do not obtain a sufficient reward here; hence they will be recompensed hereafter, and the reward must be everlasting, since the soul is immortal. Nor can it be supposed that the soul in the next life must merit her continuance in happiness by a continued series of combats; for this would be repugnant to all the tendencies and desires of human nature.
•God, in His wisdom, must set on the moral law a sanction, sufficiently appropriate and efficacious. But, unless each man is rewarded according to the measure of his good works, such a sanction could not be said to exist. Mere infliction of punishment for sin would be insufficient. In any case, reward for good deeds is the best means of inspiring zeal for virtue. Nature itself teaches us to reward virtue in others whenever we can, and to hope for a reward of our own good actions from the Supreme Ruler of the universe. That reward, not being given here, will be given hereafter.
•God has implanted in the heart of man a love of virtue and a love of happiness; consequently, God, because of His wisdom, must by rewarding virtue establish perfect harmony between these two tendencies. But such a harmony is not established in this life; therefore it will be brought about in the next.
•Every man has an innate desire for perfect beatitude. Experience proves this. The sight of the imperfect goods of earth naturally leads us to form the conception of a happiness so perfect as to satisfy all the desires of our heart. But we cannot conceive such a state without desiring it. Therefore we are destined for a happiness that is perfect and, for that very reason, eternal; and it will be ours, unless we forfeit it by sin. A natural tendency without an object is incompatible both with nature and with the Creator’s goodness. The arguments thus far advanced prove the existence of heaven as a state of perfect happiness.
•We are born for higher things, for the possession of God. This earth can satisfy no man, least of all the wise. “Vanity of vanities”, says the Scripture (Ecclesiastes 1:1); and St. Augustine exclaimed: “Thou hast made us for Thyself (O God) and our heart is troubled till it rests in Thee.”
•We are created for wisdom, for a possession of truth perfect in its kind. Our mental faculties and the aspirations of our nature give proof of this. But the scanty knowledge, that we can acquire on earth stands in no proportion to the capabilities of our soul. We shall possess truth in higher perfection hereafter.
•God made us for holiness, for a complete and final triumph over passion and for the perfect and secure possession of virtue. Our natural aptitudes and desires bear witness to this. But this happy goal is not reached on earth, but in the next life.
•We are created for love and friendship, for indissoluble union with our friends. At the grave of those we love our heart longs for a future reunion. This cry of nature is no delusion. A joyful and everlasting reunion awaits the just man beyond the grave.
•It is the conviction of all peoples that there is a heaven in which the just will rejoice in the next life. But, in the fundamental questions of our being and our destiny, a conviction, so unanimous and universal, cannot be erroneous. Otherwise this world and the order of this world would remain an utter enigma to intelligent creatures, who ought to know at least the necessary means for reaching their appointed end.
•Very few deny the existence of heaven; and these few are practically all atheists…"

This sound pretty philosophical to me. Though I could not find where Thomas Aquinas addresses this.

Linus2nd

 

[polytropos]

Let’s suppose that God exists. It follows that he’s created us persons, in some sense. As many philosophers have noted, there’s really only one reason why someone who is utterly perfect, in need of nothing whatsoever, would create persons: for their own good. But, then it seems God’s having created persons actually counts as evidence of an afterlife. Why create us for our own good, only to let us live for ~100 years? Some of us die before birth, and others after only a couple of years. Surely, God wouldn’t bring us into existence for such frivolous durations. I don’t know if this makes an endless afterlife plausible, but we shouldn’t expect God to create us just for a blink of the eye.

My main issue with this is that it does seem to be what God does for all of non-human creation (barring other forms of intelligent life, which would arguably be “human” in the metaphysical sense).

Thomistic arguments for the eternal soul are based on man’s rationality being a fundamentally immaterial part of man’s substantial form. On that basis, when man’s physical body dies, the substantial form still exists (though in a diminished state, since man relies on his animal aspect substantially). This gives us some insight into what might be an afterlife, but I think much (like the nature of heaven) would not be known without recourse to revelation.

 

[chimo]

Is there any philosophical evidence for an afterlife? I know providing philosophical proof for the existence of God can be done quite easily, but what about proving the existence of heaven? Is there anyway we can know if an afterlife exists?

Nothing that comes into existence is ever taken away. All of the Universe exists on this principal that nothing is ever wasted. It will always exist in either one form or another. If it is not the same form as it was in the beginning like a star it eventually changes into another form. Nothing just goes out like a whimper. The star would always have the same properties but it is changed into something else. It is always changing but never taken away.

 

[tonyrey]

Let’s suppose that God exists. It follows that he’s created us persons, in some sense. As many philosophers have noted, there’s really only one reason why someone who is utterly perfect, in need of nothing whatsoever, would create persons: for their own good. But, then it seems God’s having created persons actually counts as evidence of an afterlife. Why create us for our own good, only to let us live for ~100 years? Some of us die before birth, and others after only a couple of years. Surely, God wouldn’t bring us into existence for such frivolous durations. I don’t know if this makes an endless afterlife plausible, but we shouldn’t expect God to create us just for a blink of the eye.

Irrefutable!

It is almost as primitive as the view:

Gloucester: “As flies to wanton boys are we to th’ gods.They kill us for their sport.” - King Lear

 

[andyklein]

Sorry to divert this thread, but I’ve got to address something I’m seeing. Most Catholic philosophy is based on and advocates empiricism. The kind of arguments that that try to explain topics like heaven and hell clearly are based on Platonist ideals of the separation between our existence as we see it and the truth behind our existence in other forms. If we respond to topics, topics that place so much weight on who we and what we believe as Catholics, such as this with rationalist assumptions, why trust empiricism? Isn’t rationalism the way to go?

 

[tonyrey]

Sorry to divert this thread, but I’ve got to address something I’m seeing. Most Catholic philosophy is based on and advocates empiricism. The kind of arguments that that try to explain topics like heaven and hell clearly are based on Platonist ideals of the separation between our existence as we see it and the truth behind our existence in other forms. If we respond to topics, topics that place so much weight on who we and what we believe as Catholics, such as this with rationalist assumptions, why trust empiricism? Isn’t rationalism the way to go?

The belief that God is the Creator of heaven and earth implies that both aspects of reality are significant.

 

[SentinelofTruth]

YosefYosep:

Is there any philosophical evidence for an afterlife? I know providing philosophical proof for the existence of God can be done quite easily, but what about proving the existence of heaven? Is there anyway we can know if an afterlife exists?

I would say that since God created us for the purpose of having other benevolent souls around, it would make sense for God to take us into heaven if we choose the path of virtue.