How the movie ‘Ship of Theseus’ can challenge your religious views?
I tried stopping myself numerous times but could not put a stop at my nerves. This is about a Devastating Thought that originated inside me after watching a movie ‘Ship of Theseus’ directed by Anand Gandhi.
Let me start initially by what is this concept of ship of Theseus? As per metaphysics, ship of thesis is a concept of experiment which raise questions about the identity of the object when it is replaced by all its components by new components.
In western philosophy, same has been discussed by Plato and Heraclitus.
Its thought of experiment says that, it was supposed that the Theseus owned a ship which was kept at a harbor as a museum piece. Several years later its wooden part began to rot and were replaced by new ones. Then after century every part of it got replaced.
Then the question here is that “is the ‘restored’ ship same as the original one”? And if it is then imagining after the advent of technology all the rotten pieces got fine and a ship is constructed using all the same pieces, then will this new constructed ship is the original ship?
Or the restored ship is the original ship? or the ship which was present before restoration is the original ‘Ship of Theseus’ which is not even in existence now?
The story evolves from the same concept but dedicated to human body. A person got died somehow and his body organ were donated to 8 different people. Straight away pointing the same questions of identity. But what fascinates are the thoughts that move story. They have a lot to say.
First, a blind women photographer. It was a challenging thought to strike our own preconceived limits. We all know a photo is a visual leisure. A person can enjoy it with eyes only. And making it a profession is unimaginable with visual impairment. But she challenged this thought. Her aid became her ears in her photography career. She clicked where she could listen and imagine sounds. Later her boyfriend or husband used to narrate the photo to elaborate her imagination and decide its goodness. It was like seeing a normal artist debating upon selection of its work.
After implant of her eyes, she also got a joy of a normal human for getting a missed-out thing in her life. Which in actual never seemed a missing part. As she was extremely good at her task.
Then story moves to, a monk. Which is where I found myself in a state of devastation and bafflement. A new concept raised killing all other beliefs. This was what made me write this essay.
We all (averagely relating to Indians) have been made to know from Gita (Holy Book of Hinduism) or may be by most of the Indian continent religions. That, every creature has a soul to it. Body of the creature is just like the clothes it is wearing, including humans. A body dying is like changing its clothes. A soul is not born and died. It remains as it is. Just changing bodies timely.
It also changes itself inter species as well. Like sometimes it is wearing the body of an insect other times an animal. Microbes, rodents, animals, birds, etc. all are just different bodies. Even the smallest amoeba, algae, or smallest known living cell. They all have souls.
Now what hit hard my thinking is that We all have been so loaded with the philosophy of dying human body that we almost forgot that our own body is full of millions or trillions of small living cells. And every living cell should have its own soul. So, as per this concept or belief, or whatsoever it is, we do NOT have a single soul to change body but millions or trillions of small souls to change their bodies.
When we die many of our organs Never die like nails or hairs. Or they may but take many years to die. So, in that respect, our soul never changes our body. It remained there in nails and hairs. Or did it?
Some people may debate that hair and nails are lower level of cells, but what about the living organs that gets transplanted into different bodies and that too of extreme importance like eyes, heart, kidneys, liver, etc. There cells are still living and so their souls but in different bodies. So, in this case, body is also alive. The only difference is it is now in some other ecosystem.
This is what crashed all my learnt beliefs from religious talks or books. No one ever talked about this concept. Never did I hear of it. Did not even think before watching this movie. All my learning about life and religion are scattered now. Hope I may find satisfactory answer to this life changing question one day.
And the movie moved with other thoughts about life as well which did interest me, but this religious theory blaster was of most interest to me. I have attached the link to movie below, have a watch and enjoy it. You may find something for you as well.
Movie link on YouTube channel of Kunal Kamra : ‘Ship of Theseus’
© Mani Sidhu
Book “You” and “Yellow Butterfly” available on amazon
Collection available on “My Shop”
