The Philosophic Argument  | Spirit Communications |  Scientific Investigations

Back to Proven Theory Main Page

The philosophic arguments for reincarnation stem greatly from the ability of a philosophy of reincarnation to explain 1) much of what we witness and experience in life here on Earth, specifically the infinite inequalities found among human beings :  physical and and intellectual abilities; physical formation and life duration; moral values, behavioral tendencies, and habits; conditions such as social status and wealth vs. discrimination and poverty, etc. and 2) what we may speculate to happen after death.

 Background
In order to demonstrate this argument, let's start here by reviewing, as background, the basic premise of the philosophic doctrine of reincarnation.  It  says that those of us living here on Earth have lived through multiple previous existences, whereby each of us having been created in an equal state of simplicity and unawareness, used our free will to react to the situations we were presented with and decide our own course of action, thereby determining our own path and pace of evolution.  All of our experiences and actions thus far, both good and bad, are stored within the archives of our spirit, whereby the moral and intellectual state at which we find ourselves today is the sum result of all our past existences; therefore, each of us, at a still impure state, possesses a unique and mixed set of attitudes and behavioral tendencies that will be reflected in the personality we portray here on Earth. Add to that the Natural Law of "Action and Reaction" whereby depending on the evolutionary needs of our Spirit, each incarnation presents us with circumstances that offer lessons to be learned as well as suffering that serves us in  reparatory purposes.  In combination with both our personality-type differences and the different life situations afforded to us to meet our particular needs, is the fact that because we are evolving at our own pace, life on Earth represents a huge spectrum of degrees of evolution found among human beings.

Assumptions
The application of such a premise to explain the inequalities found among us and the resulting conditions we may undergo after "death" does make two assumptions: 1) the existence of the soul, created by some divine creator* and 2) the belief in some sort of afterlife*, the opposite of which would be annihilation or a merging of individual souls in a Universal Whole. *Note: Spiritists do not believe in the above on assumption alone, however, for it has been proven experimentally through Spirit phenomena and communications (see this section).

 An Explanation for the Present Life
Now, assuming the existence of the soul, we then begin to ask about the inequalities among human beings, those mentioned above.  Allan Kardec (in Chapter IX of "The Spirits' Book") approaches this question beginning with the argument of only one incarnation.  He writes:

"Consider that, if the law of reincarnation does not exist, we have only one incarnate life.  If our present material life is our only one, the soul of each individual must have been created at the same time as his or her body.  We might, of course assume that the soul existed prior to the body. But in that case we would have to ask what was the soul's condition beforehand.  If it did have a prior existence, what was it like?  Was it aware of itself?  If not, its state must have been nearly equivalent to non-existence.  Finally, if the soul in this pre-incarnate state had anything like individuality, that individuality must have been either progressive or stationary.  In any case, we must ask how evolved the soul was at the point of its incarnation.
As we have said, it is possible to assume either that the soul comes into existence at the same time as the body or that it exists prior to the body.  Both positions lead us to ask the following:

1. Why do souls reveal so many talents independent of education?

2. Why do some young children display extraordinary aptitudes for certain arts and sciences, while many of us display none either as children or adults?

3. How can we explain the appearance of innate ideas and skills in people, and especially prodigy children-- extraordinary faculties such as languages, intellectual capabilities, artistic talent, etc, without any foundation in previous study and that have no explanation in heredity ?

4.  How is it that some children are inclined to good or wrong-doing, to self-respect or selfishness, often despite the conditions into which they were born?

5. Why are some people, quite apart from their education, more advanced than others?

6. Why are some groups of people in the world more progressive in their attitude than others? If we took say a Hottentot* baby and brought her up in the most renowned schools, could we make her a Laplace or Newton? (*translator's note: a people of southern Africa believed to be related to the Bantu and Bushmen) ..."

If you admit the possibility that we have all lived numerous lives, all these questions are answered.  According to this hypothesis, humans bring with them, at birth, intuitions of the knowledge they have previously acquired and will be more or less advanced in their earthly lives depending on the number of their prior lives and on how far along they have come on the road to perfection."

The questions Kardec mentioned above address our inequalities in terms of differences aptitudes, attitudes, and inclinations.  To those we add questions related to "external" life circumstances, such as:

1. Why are some born into wealthy or at least financially stable families, where as others are born into absolute poverties?

2. Why are some of us born into countries of democracy, freedom, and opportunity, whereas others are born into lands of violence and oppression?

3.  Why do some live to the age of 99 where as others die in infancy?

4.  Why do some people who live respectful, honest lives and demonstrate charitable qualities towards others seem to encounter so much difficulty, "bad luck" and struggle, when some others, who only act out of selfishness and greed, seem to experience much less suffering?

5. Why do some feel like a man "incarcerated" in the body of a woman, and vice-versa?

6. What is different about a soul who (though like others, never lived before, and hence never had the opportunity to do anything wrong) is born into a handicapped body?

The above questions beg the same argument.  If we live only one life, how do you explain these different situations?  Where is the justice in "the divine plan"?   On the other hand, if you consider the explanation offered by reincarnation regarding the debts that we created in our past existences and the resulting need for experiences that help us learn lessons of natural law, love, fraternity, and the value of life, an  explanation can be found for all these situations and more.  

 An Explanation for the Future Life 
We have addressed, so far, questions regarding the differences we find among us in the present life.  But, assuming the existence of an after-life, we now ask about the conditions we will face in the after-life, given the inequalities mentioned above.  Again, Kardec addresses the argument by analyzing such a situation given the belief in only one incarnation.  He writes,

"If we consider [the soul] in regard to the future, we encounter difficulties that modern thinkers find equally inexplicable:

1. If our future destiny is determined solely by our present life, what will be the respective positions in that future of educated and uneducated persons?  Will they be on the same level, or will there be a difference in their degree of happiness?

2. Will the person who has spent a lifetime working to advance ethically and intellectually be placed on the same level with someone who has been unable to advance- not through any personal fault but because he or she has had neither the time nor the opportunity?

3. Can someone who has unknowingly done wrong be justly punished for that wrong-doing, though it has not been the result of his or her own choice?

3. While we try to raise the level of humanity's knowledge, change its ethical standards for the better, and spread the benefits of civilization, millions die every year in complete ignorance of these efforts.  What will their fates be?  Will they be treated as unredeemable?  And, if not, have they earned the right to be placed in the same category as those who have progressed?

4. What will be the fate of children who die before they could act wrongly and rightly?  Should they be placed among the supremely happy?  If so, what have they done to deserve such a favor?  And why should they, any more than others, be exempt from further undergoing the trials of life on Earth?

Which of our two hypotheses can better solve these problems?  Undoubtedly, if we admit the fact that we have had many lives, our answers will conform to the idea of Divine justice.  According to this justice, what we are unable to do in one life we can do in another.  Thus, no one is exempt from the action of the law of progress; everyone is rewarded progressively, depending on his or her own efforts.  At the same time, no one is excluded from eventually achieving eternal happiness, no matter what obstacles her or she has to encounter on the road."

In conclusion, the key to understanding the the inequalities we witness and experience here on Earth, as well as the questions they raise about the after-life, is the philosophy of reincarnation.  Reincarnation offers the single explanation to be found for these considerations as well as many other problems and questions (not mentioned here) that arise regarding life on Earth, right and wrong, creation and destiny, etc. 

Kardec, Allan. "Many Lives: Additional Considerations." The Spirits' Book.  Trans. Allan Kardec Educational Society (translated from 2nd edition in French). Philadelphia, PA. Allan Kardec Educational Society. 1996. 85-94.  

Barbosa, Pedro Franco. "Principios Basicos Da Doutrina Espirita" [Basic Principles of the Spiritist Doctrine].  Espiritismo Basico [Basic Spiritism]. 3rd ed. Rio de Janeiro-RJ, Brazil: Federação Espírita Brasileira [Brazilian Spiritist Federation].1987. 134-143.

Denis, Leon. "As Vidas Sucessivas: Provas Historicas" [Successive Lives: Historical Proofs]. O Problema do Ser, do Destino e da Dor [The Question of Life, of Destiny and of Pain. 16.ed. Rio de Janeiro-RJ, Brazil: Federação Espírita Brasileira [Brazilian Spiritist Federation]. 1991. Pg 268.

Estudo Sistematizado da FEB, Programa II, roteiro N 15.
Systematized Study Published by the Brazilian Spiritist Federation)