I agree with Stephen. In the 1893 piece, Peirce says nothing about the immortality *of the soul*, where "soul" would mean the spiritual consciousness *of an individual* person. The very idea of a completely *separate* spiritual identity is "the metaphysics of wickedness", an illusion which vanishes at death, when "we shall at once perceive that we have had all along a lively spiritual consciousness which we have been confusing with something different" -- emphasis on the "we" (not as plurality but as the "continuity of being").
Gary F. -----Original Message----- From: C S Peirce discussion list [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Steven Ericsson-Zenith Sent: August-10-11 1:46 AM Not wishing to be contrarian Ben, but it seems to me that in the early passages you cite Peirce holds a view not dissimilar from his later view. In the whole of his "Science and Immortality" piece of 1887 he is as skeptical as he is later. Only on a superficial reading could one conclude otherwise. What he alludes to I believe is his belief in a necessary universal basis of mind and the "spiritual consciousness" to which he refers is the non-carnal embodied state in which the universal is manifest. With respect, Steven On Aug 9, 2011, at 8:10 PM, Benjamin Udell wrote: > Gary F., Stephen, Steven, > > In "Immortality in the Light of Synechism" (1893, retitled "Immortality and > Synechism" by the CP editors), Peirce says. > CP 7.576. Nor is this, by any means, all. A man is capable of a spiritual > consciousness, which constitutes him one of the eternal verities, which is > embodied in the universe as a whole. This as an archetypal idea can never > fail; and in the world to come is destined to a special spiritual embodiment. > > CP 7.577 [....] In the same manner, when the carnal consciousness passes away > in death, we shall at once perceive that we have had all along a lively > spiritual consciousness which we have been confusing with something different. > But it's clear as all of you point out, that in 1906 (in CP 6.520-21), Peirce > was much less sure about immortality. > > 1887 - contributes a chapter > http://books.google.com/books?id=V9wPAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA69 to a symposium on > "Science and Immortality". Doubtful about immortality. CP 6.548-56. > 1893 - "Immortality in the Light of Synechism," immortality & survival after > carnal death. CP 7.565-78, EP 2:1-3 > 1906 - "Immortality" (in "Answers to Questions concerning My Belief in God") > - Not sure about immortality or life after death "content to be in God's > hands" CP 6.519-21. > > Best, Ben > > --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You are receiving this message because you are subscribed to the PEIRCE-L listserv. To remove yourself from this list, send a message to [email protected] with the line "SIGNOFF PEIRCE-L" in the body of the message. To post a message to the list, send it to [email protected]
