The Ancient Greeks used the same word for 'alive' as for 'ensouled'. So the earliest surviving Western philosophical view might suggest that the soul makes living things alive. Soul - Socrates and Plato. Plato, drawing on the words of his teacher Socrates, considers the soul as the essence of a person, as that which decides how we act. He considered this essence as an incorporeal occupant of our being. The Platonic soul comprises three parts: the reason (mind or logos) the appetite (body or passion) spirit (emotion or pathos). Each of these has ...

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Soul, Soul - Etymologies, Soul - Philosophical views, Soul - Socrates and Plato, Soul - Aristotle, Soul - Religious views, Soul - Bahá'í beliefs, Soul - Buddhist beliefs, Soul - Christian beliefs, Soul - Hindu beliefs, Soul - Islamic beliefs, Soul - Jainist beliefs, Soul - Jewish beliefs, Soul - Other religious beliefs and views, Soul - Science and the soul, Soul - Materialistic Science and the Soul, Soul - Scientific approaches for study of a non-material soul, Soul - Other uses of the term, Soul - Movie, Soul - External references and links

Read more here: » Soul: Encyclopedia II - Soul - Philosophical views

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Soul, Soul - Etymologies, Soul - Philosophical views, Soul - Socrates and Plato, Soul - Aristotle, Soul - Religious views, Soul - Bahá'í beliefs, Soul - Buddhist beliefs, Soul - Christian beliefs, Soul - Hindu beliefs, Soul - Islamic beliefs, Soul - Jainist beliefs, Soul - Jewish beliefs, Soul - Other religious beliefs and views, Soul - Science and the soul, Soul - Materialistic Science and the Soul, Soul - Scientific approaches for study of a non-material soul, Soul - Other uses of the term, Soul - Movie, Soul - External references and links

Read more here: » Soul: Encyclopedia II - Soul - Religious views

Western science and medicine do recognize the concept of soul or the idea of a soul entity, though many practitioners regard it as an element of Folk psychology. In contrast, Traditional Chinese medicine accepts the existence of a soul as more than just an idea (see Shen). The two dominant scientific approaches to study of the soul can be distinguished by the emphasis they place on two alternative hypotheses: Materialistic accounts of human brain function and scientific study of cultural belief systems will ultimately tell us ev ...

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Soul, Soul - Etymologies, Soul - Philosophical views, Soul - Socrates and Plato, Soul - Aristotle, Soul - Religious views, Soul - Bahá'í beliefs, Soul - Buddhist beliefs, Soul - Christian beliefs, Soul - Hindu beliefs, Soul - Islamic beliefs, Soul - Jainist beliefs, Soul - Jewish beliefs, Soul - Other religious beliefs and views, Soul - Science and the soul, Soul - Materialistic Science and the Soul, Soul - Scientific approaches for study of a non-material soul, Soul - Other uses of the term, Soul - Movie, Soul - External references and links

Read more here: » Soul: Encyclopedia II - Soul - Science and the soul

The soul, according to many religious and philosophical traditions, is the ethereal substance — spirit (Hebrew:rooah or nefesh) — particular to a unique living being. Such traditions often consider the soul both immortal and innately aware of its immortal nature, as well as the true basis for sentience in each living being. The concept of the soul has strong links with notions of an afterlife, but opinions may vary wildly, even within a given religion, as to what happens to the soul after death. Many wi ...

Including:

• Soul - Etymologies
• Soul - Philosophical views
• Soul - Socrates and Plato
• Soul - Aristotle
• Soul - Religious views
• Soul - Bahá'í beliefs
• Soul - Buddhist beliefs
• Soul - Christian beliefs
• Soul - Hindu beliefs
• Soul - Islamic beliefs
• Soul - Jainist beliefs
• Soul - Jewish beliefs
• Soul - Other religious beliefs and views
• Soul - Science and the soul
• Soul - Materialistic Science and the Soul
• Soul - Scientific approaches for study of a non-material soul
• Soul - Other uses of the term
• Soul - Movie
• Soul - External references and links

Read more here: » Soul: Encyclopedia - Soul

The term metaphysics originally referred to the writings of Aristotle that came to light after his writings on physics, in the arrangement made by Andronicus of Rhodes, about three centuries after Aristotle's death.

Traditionally, metaphysics refers to the branch of philosophy that attempts to understand the fundamental nature of all reality, whether visible or invisible.

It seeks a description so basic, so essentially simple, and so all-inclusive that it applies to everything, whether divine or human or anything else. It attempts to tell what anything must be like in order to be at all.

(See also: Metaphysics, Metaphysical Principles, Definition of Metaphysics, Metaphysical Techniques, Miracles, Creating Miracles Faith and Belief, Spiritual Guidance, Peace of Mind, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

"Happiness," Aristotle said, "depends upon ourselves."

I care less about the gross national product and more about the gross national happiness.

Jigme Singye Wangchuk, King of Bhutan

Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.

Mahatma Gandhi

(See also: Happiness, Affirmations, Practising Affirmations, Life Transforming Affirmations, Essence of Affirmations, Faith and Belief, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Body Mind and Soul)

Philosophers have long held that happiness is the ultimate goal of existence. Aristotle called it the "summum bonum" - the "chief good" - in that while we desire other goods such as money or power because we believe that they will make us happy, we want happiness for its own sake. So do material goods really lead you to happiness?

According to brain scientists, there is actually a specific area in the brain that sets expectations of material gain, and as material goals are achieved, it resets expectation levels. This means that you could be unhappy despite being wealthy, if your expectations were higher, and happy in penury if you exceeded expectations.

(See also: Essence of Affirmations, Affirmations, Practising Affirmations, Life Transforming Affirmations, Essence of Affirmations, Faith and Belief, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Body Mind and Soul)

On the Soul (or "De Anima") is a writing by Aristotle, outlining his philosophy of mind and the soul of living creatures. It is divided in three books. Book II contains Aristotle's ideas about animals and their ability to walk. He thinks that the soul is the cause of this ability, being a principle of motion and rest (e.g. when one feels desire, this sets her in motion towards what she wants). Book III is on the rational soul, which b ...

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Aristotle: Greek philosopher (384322 bce) who left a profound legacy of writings on metaphysics, ethics, logic and law. A disciple of Plato.

(See also: Aristotle, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Aristotle: Greek philosopher (384322 bce) who left a profound legacy of writings on metaphysics, ethics, logic and law. A disciple of Plato.

(See also: Aristotle, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Plato. An Initiate into the Mysteries and the greatest Greek philosopher, whose writings are known the world over. He was the pupil of Socrates and the teacher of Aristotle. He flourished over 400 years before our era.

(See also: Plato, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary, )

Aristobulus (Ancient Greek) An Alexandrian writer, and an obscure philosopher. A Jew who tried to prove that Aristotle explained the esoteric thoughts of Moses.

(See also: Aristobulus, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary, )

Aristotle analyzed virtues into moral and intellectual virtues (dianoetic virtues, the Greek aretai dianoetikai). In the Posterior Analytics and Nicomachean Ethics he identified five intellectual virtues - as the five ways the soul arrives at truth by affirmation or denial. He grouped them into three classes: Theoretical: Sophia -i.e. wisdom of the eternal and unchangeable, philosophical wisdom. Episteme -i.e. scientific knowledge, empirical knowledge.See also:

Intellectual virtues, Intellectual virtues - Aristotle

Read more here: » Intellectual virtues: Encyclopedia II - Intellectual virtues - Aristotle

The earliest known system of classifying forms of life comes from the Greek philosopher Aristotle, who classified all living organisms know at that time as either a plant or an animal. He futher classified animals based on their means of transportation (air, land, or water). In 1172 Ibn Rushd (Averroes), who was a judge (Qadi) in Seville, translated and abridged Aristotle's book de Anima (On the Soul) into Arabic. His original commentary is now los ...

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Scientific classification, Scientific classification - Modern developments, Scientific classification - Early systems, Scientific classification - Linnaeus, Scientific classification - Examples, Scientific classification - Group suffixes

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Stoicheia (Greek) [plural of stoichos a row of steps, succession of similar things]

First principles, elements as used by Plato and Aristotle; employed by Greek physicists for the first and simplest component parts; likewise the elements of a science, or the points, lines, and surfaces in geometry, or the signs of the zodiac in astrology. It corresponds quite loosely with the planes, degrees, or stages in a cosmic hierarchy -- the degrees or divisions of the one undivided divine element. Yet the reference here is not to boundless infinitude, but to the summit of a cosmic hierarchy or universe.

(See also: Stoicheia, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body mind and Soul)

There are many theories of what the mind is and how it works, dating back to Plato, Aristotle and other Ancient Greek philosophers. Pre-scientific theories, which were rooted in theology, concentrated on the relationship between the mind and the soul, the supposed supernatural or divine essence of the human person. Modern theories, based on a scientific understanding of the brain, see the mind as a phenomenon of psychology, and the term is often used ...

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Mind, Mind - Theories of the mind, Mind - Nature of the mind, Mind - History of the philosophy of the mind, Mind - Current research

Read more here: » Mind: Encyclopedia II - Mind - Theories of the mind

Entelechy (from Greek entelecheia from en telos echein to be complete)

In Aristotelian philosophy, actuality as opposed to potentiality: water is potentially solid, liquid, or gas, but actually only one of these at a time. Soul is spoken of by Aristotle as the entelecheia of body -- the subsisting principle of the body's existence, and therefore the real although unseen actuality of the body's being, irrespective of emanated monads from the fundamental spirit-substance (svabhavat), when the latter is considered as their collective unity.

It is the principle or substantive element of a being or thing, which produces or makes the actuality of such being or thing, considered apart from or irrespective of dependent or derivative powers or qualities.

(See also: Entelechy, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

There are many theories of what the mind is and how it works, dating back to Plato, Aristotle and other Ancient Greek philosophers. Pre-scientific theories, which were rooted in theology, concentrated on the relationship between the mind and the soul, the supposed supernatural or divine essence of the human person. Modern theories, based on a scientific understanding of the brain, see the mind as a phenomenon of psychology, and the term is often used more or less synonymously with consciousness. A slightly less modern theory developed in the late 1940s, Dianetics, pa ...

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Mind, Mind - Theories of the mind, Mind - Nature of the mind, Mind - History of the philosophy of the mind, Mind - Current research

Read more here: » Mind: Encyclopedia II - Mind - Theories of the mind

A Theosophical definition of Exoteric :

Exoteric

This word, when applied particularly to the great philosophical and religious systems of belief, does not mean false. The word merely means teachings of which the keys have not been openly given. The word seems to have originated in the Peripatetic School of Greece, and to have been born in the mind of Aristotle. Its contrast is "esoteric."

Exotericism  - that is to say, the outward and popular formulation of religious and philosophic doctrines  - reveils the truth; the self-assurance of ignorance, alas, always reviles the truth; whereas esotericism reveals the truth. (See also: Esoteric)

Aristotle, the prince of the philosophers, demonstrated the unity of God; but from the view which he maintained, that matter was eternal, it followed that God could not be the Creator of the world. Again, to assert, as the Peripatetics did, that God's knowledge extends only to the general laws of the universe, and not to individual and accidental things, is tantamount to giving denial to prophecy. One other point shocked the faith of the Motekallamin—the theory of the intellect. The Peripatetics taught that the human soul was only an aptit ...

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Joint Jewish and Islamic Philosophies, Joint Jewish and Islamic Philosophies - Early Philosophy, Joint Jewish and Islamic Philosophies - Argument for creation, Joint Jewish and Islamic Philosophies - Saadia Gaon, Joint Jewish and Islamic Philosophies - Neoplatonic philosophy, Joint Jewish and Islamic Philosophies - The apotheosis of philosophy, Joint Jewish and Islamic Philosophies - Maimonides, Joint Jewish and Islamic Philosophies - Averroism

Read more here: » Joint Jewish and Islamic Philosophies: Encyclopedia II - Joint Jewish and Islamic Philosophies - Argument for creation