Critical Analysis of Motahari's Two Arguments for the Immortality of Human Beings

Abstract

The problem of death is a much debated and longstanding issue in the history of human thought. The transition from the realm of tradition to modernity and post-modernity, has increased focus on this issue once again. One of the scholars who comprehended the modern world and its needs, was Morteza Motahari. This article both presents and critically analyzes two arguments he has put forth for the immortality of human beings. Divine justice and divine wisdom are two theological foundations used to prove resurrection by Motahari. In the first argument discussed in this paper, he proves resurrection by an argument based on divine justice and identity of acts and punishments. The other argument is based on divine wisdom by using the example of embryo. In this paper, these two foundations and motahari’s arguments are explained and then examined. These doctrines and arguments are criticized for presupposing God’s attributes, unused limbs in the human body and necessary actualization of all human potential capacities.

Keywords

• death
• hereafter
• divine justice
• divine wisdom