Defining the Soul: A Journey Through Philosophy

“I am the poet of the Body and I am the poet of the Soul. The pleasures of heaven are with me and the pains of hell are with me.” ~Walt Whitman

The concept of the soul has long been a cornerstone of philosophical and psychological inquiry. However, it often resists a singular definition.

Understanding the Soul

As I see it, the soul represents an evolving awareness of our finite existence in an infinite universe. It connects our inner and outer worlds. The soul is a manifestation of a body engaged in mindfulness. It acts as a nexus of meaning and struggle. Essentially, it is a conduit for both perception and behavior, a flow of fractal connectivity. In this sense, it embodies an aura of interconnectedness and a grounded paradox.

A Unique Perspective

But here’s perhaps the best definition I’ve encountered:

“If you need to visualize the soul, think of it as a cross between a wolf howl, a photon, and a dribble of dark molasses. But what it really is, as near as I can tell, is a packet of information. It’s a program, a piece of hyper-spatial software designed explicitly to interface with the Mystery. Not a mystery, mind you, the Mystery. The one that can never be solved.” ~Tom Robbins

By weaving together the philosophical insights of Friedrich Nietzsche, Albert Camus, Ernest Becker, Carl Jung, Plato, Rumi, Viktor Frankl, and Simone Weil, we might begin to grasp the soul as a vibrant, multifaceted force. This force navigates the complex paradox of the human condition. Let’s unpack these views.

Nietzsche’s Soul

“The soul is a world of its own; it is the eternal flux of becoming, a wanderer through the chaos of existence, seeking its own meaning.” ~Nietzsche

Nietzsche’s thoughts on the soul hinge on the will to power. This concept embodies the primal drive to assert existence and create meaning amidst chaos. The soul, for Nietzsche, is not static. Instead, it is a battlefield of instincts where individuals forge their identities. This process requires overcoming resistance and embracing challenges. He dismisses traditional notions of a divine or eternal soul. Instead, he emphasizes a vital, creative force thriving on self-overcoming.

Camus’s Soul

“In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer. And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger, something better, pushing right back.” ~Camus

Albert Camus frames the soul within absurdity—the conflict between our yearning for meaning and the universe's indifference. In The Myth of Sisyphus, he portrays the soul as an act of rebellion. It is a refusal to succumb to despair or nihilism. For Camus, the essence of the soul lies in the courage to live authentically, embracing life’s absurdity without resorting to false transcendence.

Becker’s Soul

“The soul is man’s desperate attempt to give meaning to his fleeting existence, a cry against the void of death, clothed in the symbols of his culture.” ~Becker

Ernest Becker grounds the soul in our confrontation with mortality in The Denial of Death. He argues that the soul emerges from our attempts to overcome the terror of death. This is achieved through symbolic immortality via art, culture, and heroic acts. Becker’s view presents the soul as both fragile and resilient—a construct seeking significance against the backdrop of our finite existence, driven by the “vital lie” of meaning-making.

Jung’s Soul

“The soul is the living thing in man, that which lives of itself and causes life. It is the inner spark, the bridge to the eternal, seeking wholeness through the chaos of the psyche.” ~Jung

Carl Jung locates the soul in the collective unconscious. This reservoir of archetypes and symbols connects individuals to universal human experiences. For Jung, the soul is the Self—the totality of the psyche striving for individuation. This journey involves integrating conscious and unconscious elements. In this sense, the soul encompasses a quest for wholeness mediated by dreams, myths, and creative expression.

Plato’s Soul

“We are not bodies with souls, but souls with bodies; the soul is the divine spark that yearns for truth and eternity.” ~Plato

In Phaedo and The Republic, Plato presents the soul as an immortal essence temporarily housed in the body. He divides the soul into reason, spirit, and appetite. Its ultimate purpose is to seek truth and align with the eternal Forms, especially the Good. Plato envisions the soul as pre-existent and eternal, yearning for liberation from the material through philosophical contemplation. While his view contrasts with existential perspectives, it shares a focus on the soul’s pursuit of higher meaning.

Rumi’s Soul

“The soul has been given its own ears to hear things the mind does not understand.” ~Rumi

Rumi, the 13th-century Persian poet, sees the soul as a divine spark, deeply connected to the eternal Beloved (God). In his poetry, such as The Masnavi, he illustrates the soul as a wayfarer returning to its divine source. Guided by love and intuition, Rumi emphasizes that the soul can transcend rationality. His mystical perspective complements Jung’s archetypal depth, adding a poetic and spiritual dimension to the soul’s longing for unity.

Frankl’s Soul

“The soul is that which finds meaning in suffering, the force that turns tragedy into a triumph of the human spirit.” ~Frankl

In Man’s Search for Meaning, Frankl defines the soul as the core of human resilience. It is the dimension that discovers purpose amid suffering. He posits that the soul allows individuals to transcend despair by uncovering a "why" to live. This view aligns with Camus’ defiance and Becker’s search for significance, rooting the soul in human agency.

Weil’s Soul

“The soul is the human cry for the infinite, a longing that binds us to the eternal even as we dwell in the finite.” ~Weil

Simone Weil describes the soul as a bridge between the finite and the infinite. It represents a deep longing for God and truth. Shaped by suffering and attentiveness, Weil sees the soul as sacred. It is both a receiver of divine grace and an active participant in ethical life, aspiring to overcome ego through self-emptying love. Her perspective resonates with Jung and Nietzsche but carries a distinct spiritual humility.

A Diverse Tapestry

These thinkers collectively suggest that the soul is not a fixed entity but a dynamic process. It embodies the interplay of Nietzsche's creative pursuit, Camus’ embrace of absurdity, Becker’s quest for transcendence, Jung's search for psychic integration, Plato’s idealism, Rumi's mystical poetry, Frankl’s resilience, and Weil's spiritual ethics. Thus, the soul becomes a nexus of human striving, bridging the personal and universal, the temporal and eternal.

Philosophical Definition of the Soul

Governing these precepts, we can define the soul as: the dynamic, individuated essence of a person. It embodies the tension between the universe's indifference and the drive to create meaning where none exists. The soul strives for authentic existence amid uncertainty and absurdity.

In practical terms, the soul manifests in moments of courage, creativity, and self-reflection. It appears when we confront fears, embrace individuality, and seek connections to something greater. The essence of the soul is both deeply personal and universally human—a paradox encapsulating our existence. To live soulfully is to engage in this ongoing struggle. It is to dance with life's absurdity and create a legacy of meaning that echoes beyond our mortal limits.

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By Graham Yarrington

About the Author:

Gary Z McGee, a former Navy Intelligence Specialist turned philosopher, is the author of Birthday Suit of God and The Looking Glass Man. His works draw inspiration from the great philosophers of the ages and his wide-awake view of the modern world.

This article (Defining the Soul) was originally created and published by Self-inflicted Philosophy and is printed here under a Creative Commons license with attribution to Gary Z McGee and self-inflictedphilosophy.com. It may be re-posted freely with proper attribution, author bio, and this statement of copyright.