Through Descartes and the traditional ‘evangelical’ understanding of the soul, we have discussed in class a “dualist” account of being human. What is the traditional dualist understanding of the soul, its purposes, and activities?

In this response you will summarize and explain the views of humanity discussed in class so far. In doing so, be sure to address all of the following issues (it is recommended that you divide your paper into five sections, clearly corresponding to the five issues below):
1) Explain Plato’s view/understanding of the soul.
Your goal in writing this section should be to explain—as clearly and succinctly as you can—Plato’s view of the soul as it relates to the body, and as it relates to (the parts of) itself. What are the three parts of the soul and what activities/functions correspond to them? This portion of your paper should take no more than ½ of a page (all suggested lengths are double-spaced, 12 point font).

2) You have read Richard Dawkins’s materialist view of what it means to be human. What is the materialist understanding of the “soul”?
Your goal in writing this section should be to explain—as clearly and succinctly as you can—what the materialist account of the soul is and how it accounts for the drives, desires, and other activities/functions that Plato would ascribe to the soul. This portion of your paper should take no more than ½ of a page.
3) Through Descartes and the traditional ‘evangelical’ understanding of the soul, we have discussed in class a “dualist” account of being human. What is the traditional “dualist” understanding of the soul, its purposes, and activities?

Your goal in writing this section should be to explain—as clearly and succinctly as you can—the dualist view of what the soul is, its relationship to the body, and how it accounts for the activities/functions that Plato ascribes to the soul. This portion of your paper should take no more than ½ of a page.
4) How do each of these perspectives differ from one another?

Your goal in writing this section should be to explain—ideally in 1-2 sentences each—the differences and similarities between Plato’s view and the materialist view, Plato’s view and the dualist view, and the materialist view and the dualist view. In each case you must demonstrate that you clearly understand each of the views and how they relate. This portion should be no more than ¾ of a page long.
5) Now, select one view and explain how it aligns with the Biblical discussions of the soul that we had in class.

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