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Article: Soul
- Article from:
- Encyclopedia of Science and Religion
- Author:
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Soul
In English, the term
soul
can refer to a metaphysical entity or to the state of one's character. A philosopher may disdain the first and applaud the second. This entry focuses on the soul as an entity but concludes with noting why work on the soul is often centered on values.
Evolution of the idea
In ancient Greek philosophy the soul was thought of as a principle of life; the soul is what gives a person life as a human being. For Aristotle (384
–
322 b.c.e.) the soul (Greek,
psyche
) was identified as the form of the body. Aristotle delimited a host of different kinds of souls befitting nonhuman animal and plant life. In plants, for example, the soul was thought to be ...