The Soul

The Soul

The soul is the essence unique to a living being. In the words of Aristotle “ Whatsoever that be within us that feels, thinks, desires, and animates, is something celestial and divine, and consequently for that reason, must be immortal.” This quote clearly explains how the soul is immortal and dwells within the human body. We analyzed the definition of the word soul, and broke it down to its roots. The Latin word for soul is “animus” which in English is used in the word “animate”, which means to bring to life by adding a soul. We also looked at the Latin word “vita” which means pertaining to life. From this we understood that the soul is the vital principle of life. We also saw a difference between a body and a corpse. The difference is that a body contains a soul, a vital principle, whereas a corpse is only a dead body, without a soul. We also saw that angels have souls, as well as animals, insects, plants, and bacteria. The difference between the souls of these living beings is by kind and not degree.

Characteristics of the Soul

We developed our knowledge of the soul further by looking at the characteristics of the soul. The soul is immaterial because are thought are immaterial, so therefore the source of our thoughts must also be immaterial. We know that we can touch the soul by being conscious of it. The soul is also simple because it is not composed of parts as the human body is. The soul is intrinsic because it is present throughout our entire body. The soul must then be invisible because something that is immaterial cannot be touched, and it can also not be seen. It is also indivisible because it is simple, therefore it cannot be divided if it is not composed of parts. The soul is also indestructible because can’t be broken down. Since we know that the soul is indestructible, then it must also be immortal because it can never die. The soul comes from an extrinsic source, meaning that it cannot come from one’s mother and father. The soul is also intangible, which means we cannot touch it. It is also intelligible because it is capable of knowing. The soul is also impressionable and it is created by an extrinsic source. We are also aware that since the soul is created, it must be feminine by nature because it comes from a masculine creator.

Spirituality of the Soul

The soul is known to be spiritual. Spiritual means pertaining to a spirit. This shows how humans are able to think and to know in terms of concepts and ideas. Humans use their senses and rationalization to draw concepts from images. There are two types of knowledge that one possesses, one is sense knowledge and the other is intellectual knowledge. The following chart illustrates the difference between the two types of knowledge:

Sense Knowledge Intellectual knowledge

Individual General/ Universal

Images Concepts/ Ideas

Physical Immaterial

Socrates stated; “all men’s souls are immortal,