Corporate sole v Corporate soul

Ronda, Italy: Window 10

Corporate sole v Corporate soul

Preface

A short article from 20170330 from my review of the Langer text. A play on words...

LANGER, SUSANNE K (1953)(1967) An Introduction to Symbolic Logic, Dover Publications, New York.

Corporate sole

A unit class is a class which only has one member in it. (119). In symbolic logic, class, as in unit class, is not 'individuals in a group.' (119). Class offers no process of collecting individuals. (119). A propositional form might only have a single application. (119). Its variable might only have a single value for a proposition. (119).

A committee of one is a unit class. (120). This is true, even as the committee only has one member. Another author provided example is that of 'corporate sole.' (120). A corporation sole is a legal entity consisting of a single incorporated office. A sole.

Author's propositional example:

(∃x) : x ε  A (120).

There exists x: x is/a A.

ε is epsilon from the Greek alphabet meaning is, a. This ε symbol, according to Langer is specifically meant as a symbol for is, a, in contrast with any symbol for is.

The city-states of Greece are used as an example. (121).

x ε city-state of Greece. (121).

The city-states of Greece refers to all members of the class of city-states of Greece. (121). Therefore, it can be propositionally presented as city-state of Greece.

My examples:

A=Athens
S=Sparta
G=City-state of Greece.

A ε G

Athens is a city-state of Greece.

S ε G

Sparta is a city-state of Greece.

Ancient Greece in context.

A ∃ G

Athens exists as a city-state of Greece.

A ∃ G ⊃ S ∃ G

Athens exists as a city-state of Greece the same as Sparta exists as a city-state of Greece.

⊃=Same as.

Corporate soul

Theologically, corporate sole is not to be confused with any concept of corporate soul. A human being has one soul (Genesis 2: 7). Those in Jesus Christ, through his death and resurrection and their justification and sanctification, being indwelt with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit would divinely influence and sanctify human beings; the infinite Holy Spirit, influencing and sanctifying the finite human spirit. Demonic possession or harassment would consist of the finite demonic spirit influencing the finite human spirit.

There is not a ontological fusion of soul or spirit as in a finite human soul or spirit becoming divine.
A critic of Christianity and theism can make the claim that there is no good reason to believe in the existence of the human soul/spirit as it cannot be shown to exist empirically (with the five senses). According to John R. Burr and Milton Goldinger there exists a debate within the scientific community on whether or not human beings are entirely physical, or if they could have an immaterial nature. Burr and Goldinger (1976: 319). The existence of the human spirit is not empirically verifiable, and its existence from a Christian perspective would primarily rely on Scripture. Thiessen (1956: 227). 

Richard Taylor writes that the idea of an immortal soul cannot be seen as necessarily false. Taylor (1969)(1976: 334). However, he reasons that if there is difficulty explaining how the body can do certain things, it would be no less difficult explaining how a soul could do certain things. Taylor (1969)(1976: 336). For Clarence Darrow the immaterial soul does not exist and cannot be reasonably conceived. Darrow (1928)(1973: 261). Jesus stated that God is spirit in John 4:24 and therefore I reason God is not of a material nature and cannot be proven by the use of matter or scientific experiment. 

M.E. Osterhaven explains that in the Hebrew Bible, spirit is at times the Hebrew word ‘ruah’ and means breath of air or wind. This breath gives human beings life and rationality. Osterhaven (1996: 1041). He writes that in the New Testament sometimes the terms spirit and soul are used synonymously, at times the spirit is viewed as spiritual and the soul is understood as natural. Osterhaven (1996: 1041). Osterhaven explains that the idea of soul can be used for a living being, person or spiritual nature, and although the term can be used interchangeably with spirit some difference in explaining the two have occurred in the Hebrew Bible and New Testament. Osterhaven (1996: 1036). Thiessen provides a possible explanation that the soul would feature human imagination, memory and understanding, while the spirit features the reason, conscience, and will. Thiessen (1956: 227). This is speculation of course, but I am not convinced that there is definitive difference between the human soul and spirit.

For Strong. the most often documented word used for spirit in the Hebrew Bible is ‘ruwach’ roo’-akh. Strong (1986: 142). The most common word used in the Hebrew Bible for soul is ‘nephesh’ neh’-fesh. Strong (1986: 105). The most used word for spirit in the New Testament is ‘pneuma’ pnyoo’mah. Strong (1986: 78). The most common world for soul is ‘psuche’ psoo-khay. Strong (1986: 106). As with a belief in God, who is spirit, a Judeo-Christian belief in the soul/spirit is not based in empiricism or scientific explanation, but in the religious philosophy and faith presented by God through numerous scribes, prophets and apostles, and Jesus Christ himself. The existence of God as the ultimate spirit was revealed and the fact that persons are made in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26-27) means that human beings as well share this spiritual nature, although finite in comparison to God’s infinite nature. To insist that only empirical knowledge is true knowledge is to abandon all supernatural revelation that claims that there is a spiritual reality. 

Although I reason that much of ancient religion is mythology, and much of what in modern times is claimed to be spiritual is natural and not supernatural, I do not reason that all supernatural occurrences in human history are mythology and/or fraudulent. There is a historical consistency of the Biblical message and actual historically documented persons provided information that supported the notion of a spiritual realm and the existence of the human soul/spirit. As well, I reason that since the Bible discusses the supernatural powers of darkness, that some assumed supernatural occurrences within the occult, Hinduism and other non-Christian religions are indeed of a spiritual nature, although from Satanic forces and not God. 

BURR JOHN, R AND MILTON GOLDINGER (1976) (eds), Philosophy and Contemporary Issues, London, Collier Macmillan Publishers. 

DARROW, CLARENCE (1928)(1973) ‘The Myth of the Soul’ in The Forum, October, in Paul Edwards and Arthur Pap (eds), A Modern Introduction To Philosophy, New York, The Free Press.

LANGER, SUSANNE K (1953)(1967) An Introduction to Symbolic Logic, Dover Publications, New York.

OSTERHAVEN, M.E. (1996) ‘Soul’, in Walter A. Elwell (ed.), Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Books. 

OSTERHAVEN, M.E. (1996) ‘Spirit’, in Walter A. Elwell (ed.), Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Books. 

STRONG, J. (1986) Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, Pickering, Ontario, Welch Publishing Company. 

TAYLOR, RICHARD (1969)(1976) ‘How to Bury the Mind-Body Problem’, in American Philosophical Quarterly, Volume 6, Number 2, April, in John R. Burr and Milton Goldinger (eds), in Philosophy and Contemporary Issues, London, Collier Macmillan Publishers.

Hedging

Wikipedia

Hedging

'Hedging in arguments means sheltering behind ambiguous meanings so that the sense can be changed later.' (120).

To paraphrase the author's example:

We stated we did not want a full-fledged war in the Middle East; that is still the position, we entered into limited war. (120).

This type of argumentation allows for a 'definitional retreat.' (120).

'Hedging is fallacious because it puts two or more different statements under the guise of one'. (120).

It is a semantic game in parsing the difference between a 'limited war' and a 'full-fledged' war. Is any war 'full-fledged' without nuclear weapons?

Hedging hopes that the reviewer of argumentation, will not know better (120); the information presented becomes useless because it is not presented accurately. (120).

To avoid hedging one could state:

'We are entering into war; we are committed.'

Or:

'We are not entering into war, because the risks are too great.'

Hedging again...

We stated we did not want to colonize Mars, that is still the position, but we have several Mars space missions planned.

Interestingly, Pirie indicates that Nostradamus used hedging to make obscure predictions. (121). The author reasons that observers look for what they want to see as far as what has already occurred and apply what Nostradamus predicted. This does not assist in making accurate predictions. (121).

Hedging uses dishonesty and ambiguity. (121).

Logically Fallacious

Cited

Description: Refining your claim simply to avoid counter evidence and then acting as if your revised claim is the same as the original.

Logical Form: Claim X is made. Claim X is refuted. Claim Y is then made and is made to be the same as claim X when it is not.

References: Dowden, B. (n.d.). Fallacies | Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved from http://www.iep.utm.edu/fallacy/ 

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BLACKBURN, SIMON (1996) Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy, Oxford, Oxford University Press. 

CONWAY DAVID A. AND RONALD MUNSON (1997) The Elements of Reasoning, Wadsworth Publishing Company, New York. 

LANGER, SUSANNE K (1953)(1967) An Introduction to Symbolic Logic, Dover Publications, New York. (Philosophy).

PIRIE, MADSEN (2006)(2015) How To Win Every Argument, Bloomsbury, London.

In Three Minutes: Brief On The Themes Of First Corinthians

Another take on an Abbotsford photo. I used Pixlr to make the road look like grass.

Part II for Miss Cia Study

Themes

Dunnett

'The central message of the letter is that redemption must be applied to everyday situations.' (50). This calls for a new Holy Spirit led life for the Christian believer. (50). The righteousness of Jesus Christ is imputed to believers through the atonement and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and Christians are to live as such. Notably in First Corinthians this means that sexual immorality should be avoided. (50-51).

First Corinthians 6: 9-11 is notable is this regard.

New American Standard Version

9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor [f]effeminate, nor homosexuals, 10 nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.

This is a key section of Scripture that both Christian conservatives and Christian liberals should heed.

Neither fornication from heterosexuals, nor homosexuality as practices are acceptable within the Kingdom of God, in this realm or the next. This is not a fundamentalistic perspective, but a Biblical, New Testament one.

In humanity, universally, as almost every human being struggles with some form (s) of sexual sin, the need for forgiveness and restoration with God in the gospel, is apparent.

Fee

Gordon Fee provides a 'proposed reconstruction'. He writes that the 'historical situation in the Corinth was one of conflict between the church and its founder.' (6). However, it is also true that the church in Corinth was 'experiencing internal strife.' (6). There was a division between the Apostle Paul and some in Corinth in regard to what was considered 'spiritual.' (6). One of the notable problems being sexual immorality. (6). It can be reasoned that the spirituality of sexuality was under discussion.

Marsh

Marsh opines there were two factors that led to the Apostle Paul writing First Corinthians. (1) Reports of church dissension. These dissensions could lead to the destruction of the church at Corinth. (1348). (2) The Apostle answered a variety of key questions, including on the resurrection. (1348). First Corinthians 15 being essential text in regard to the future resurrection of those in Jesus Christ.

Courson

The church at Corinth was 'divided, defiled and defamed'. (1011). Therefore the Apostle Paul instructs the Corinthian church in regard to effective ministry, true unity, Christian charity, spiritual maturity, liberty, conduct, spiritual gifts, and the resurrection of the dead. (1011). This review is consistent with the others I have presented, dealing with divisions, immorality and theological confusion.

Elwell and Yarbrough

'The Corinthian church holds the dubious distinction of being the most confused congregation, or group of congregations, that Paul addressed.' (270). The Corinthian letters were written to provide spiritual guidance in a 'religiously turbulent era.' (270). Paul deals with the issue of church division (273), and that teachings of wisdom, philosophy and the law, were preferred in the Corinthian church to the gospel and God in Christ. (273).

The Corinthians departed from Paul's teaching, because 'in their own social setting' certain ideas made more sense to them. (274). This is an approach often seen within today's modern, western, Christian Church. In regard to ethics, dating, marriage and lifestyle, the Bible is often negated in favour of secular cultural views and/or less commonly, Pharisaical, Christian cultural views.

Perhaps God, willingly allows these views, leading to acts and actions, to override a more culturally risky, closer obedience to the Holy Spirit, because of the hardness of human hearts? This similar to when Jesus Christ spoke of divorce in Matthew 19 and Mark 10.

I think so.

Gundry

'Theme: the problems in the church in Corinth and their solutions.' (269). This included the problem of divisions, and weak leadership versus the enlightened understanding of the New Testament gospel. (269). Problems in regards to lawsuits and immorality were also addressed by the Apostle Paul. (269).

COURSON, JON (2005) Application Commentary, Thomas Nelson, Nashville. 

ELWELL, WALTER AND YARBROUGH, ROBERT W., Third Edition (2013) Encountering The New Testament, Grand Rapids, Baker Academic.

DUNNETT, WALTER M. (2001) Exploring The New Testament, Wheaton, Crossway Books. 

FEE, GORDON D. (1987) The First Epistle To The Corinthians, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

GUNDRY, ROBERT (1981) A Survey of the New Testament, Grand Rapids, Zondervan.

MARSH, PAUL, W. (1986) ‘1 Corinthians’, in F.F. Bruce, (ed.), The International Bible Commentary, Grand Rapids, Marshall Pickering/Zondervan.

Brief First Corinthians Introduction

Abbotsford

Miss Gina has requested my assistance with a First Corinthians course she has originated and is teaching within the Vancouver Christian singles community.

First Corinthians

Estimated Date

Bible Study Tools.com

First Corinthians  57 AD

(Second Corinthians  57 AD)

Grace Fellowship Church & Robert H. Gundry, A Survey of the New Testament, 3rd ed

First Corinthians 55 AD

(Second Corinthians 56 AD)

Paul W. Marsh

First Corinthians 55 AD (page 1347).

Robert Gundry

First Corinthians 55 AD (page 364).

(Second Corinthians 56 AD) (page 364).

Gordon Fee explains that Paul left Corinth sometime in AD 51-52, and that the writing of First Corinthians took place approximately three years later. (4). This makes the date approximately 54-55 AD.

Elwell and Yarbrough

First Corinthians 55 AD (273).

(Second Corinthians 56 AD) (276).
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Authorship and Location

Scholarly consensus from sources is that First Corinthians is of Pauline authorship.

From  Wikipedia

Cited

'The First Epistle to the Corinthians (Ancient Greek: Α΄ Επιστολή προς Κορινθίους), usually referred to simply as First Corinthians and often written 1 Corinthians, is one of the Pauline epistles of the New Testament of the Christian Bible. The epistle says that Paul the Apostle and "Sosthenes our brother" wrote it to "the church of God which is at Corinth" 1Cor.1:1–2 although the scholarly consensus holds that Sosthenes was the amanuensis who write down the text of the letter at Paul's direction.[1]'

I have noted on my websites that a scribe at times, may have written parts the New Testament, via the words of an Apostle or disciple. This may impact some that hold to a fundamentalistic type of dictation theory, allowing for no third party, but within a biblical theory of inspiration, certainly the Holy Spirit can inspire, for example, the Apostle Paul that then accurately dictates to a scribe. Further, we do not possess original biblical autographs and we are dependent on post apostolic scribal accuracy.

Scholarly consensus is that the First Corinthians was written in Ephesus. Dunnett (49).

Cited

'Paul's authorship of 1 Corinthians (see 1 Cor 1;1) is virtually undisputed in ancient and modern times. (273). Elwell and Yarbrough provide the theory that there is an initial letter to the Corinthians, now lost. 1 Cor 5:9.' (272). This is a well-known concept within scholarship.

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

9 I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people;

Elwell and Yarbrough note, that First and Second Corinthians...'are only two of a larger collection of writings that passed between the apostle and the church.' (272).

Before one objects to the possibility of this view in haste; is it to be understood that everything the Apostle Paul or an Apostle wrote within the New Testament era was Holy Spirit inspired Scripture?

Did not the Apostle Paul correct as in error the Apostle Peter in Galatians 2?

An Apostle in the New Testament was not necessarily always inspired in writing and action by the Holy Spirit, but was Holy Spirit inspired in the transmission of Scripture. (2 Timothy 3).

Not to venture into the ridiculous, but hypothetically, if the Apostle Paul wrote a note for a servant and disciple to fetch two chickens, and this note also contained the words of Jesus Christ as theological encouragement in service, it does not mean the note is inspired Scripture. It is rather Holy Spirit guided non-Scripture.

There appears to be consensus that Second Corinthians was written in Macedonia. Both Corinthians widely reasoned to be written during Paul's third missionary journey.

ELWELL, WALTER AND YARBROUGH, ROBERT W., Third Edition (2013) Encountering The New Testament, Grand Rapids, Baker Academic.

DUNNETT, WALTER M. (2001) Exploring The New Testament,  Wheaton, Crossway Books.

FEE, GORDON D. (1987) The First Epistle To The Corinthians, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

GUNDRY, ROBERT (1981) A Survey of the New Testament, Grand Rapids, Zondervan.

MARSH, PAUL, W. (1986) ‘1 Corinthians’, in F.F. Bruce, (ed.), The International Bible Commentary, Grand Rapids, Marshall Pickering/Zondervan.