In search of the soul : a philosophical essay / John Cottingham.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Cottingham, John, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Soul.

Philosophical anthropology.

Philosophy of mind.

Physical Description:

1 online resource

Place of Publication:

Princeton, New Jersey : Princeton University Press, 2020.

Summary:

The concept of the soul has been a recurring area of exploration since ancient times. What do we mean when we talk about finding our soul, how do we know we have one, and does it hold any relevance in today's scientifically and technologically dominated society? From Socrates and Augustine to Darwin and Freud, In Search of the Soul takes readers on a concise, accessible journey into the origins of the soul in Western philosophy and culture, and examines how the idea has developed throughout history to the present. Touching on literature, music, art, and theology, John Cottingham illustrates how, far from being redundant in contemporary times, the soul attunes us to the importance of meaning and value, and experience and growth. A better understanding of the soul might help all of us better understand what it is to be human. Cottingham delves into the evolution of our thoughts about the soul through landmark works-including those of Aristotle, Plato, and Descartes. He considers the nature of consciousness and subjective experience, and discusses the psychoanalytic view that large parts of the human psyche are hidden from direct conscious awareness. He also reflects on the mysterious and universal longing for transcendence that is an indelible part of our human makeup. Looking at the soul's many dimensions-historical, moral, psychological, and spiritual-Cottingham makes a case for how it exerts a powerful pull on all of us. In Search of the Soul is a testimony to how the soul remains a profoundly significant aspect of human flourishing.

Contents:

Humanity in Quest of the Soul. The Risk of Loss

Dimensions of Soul

The Soul and Human Nature

The Soul and Moral Integration

But Why the Soul?

The Evolution of the Soul. What Is the Soul?

Out of This World?

From Souls to Ghosts

Descartes and the Shrinking Soul

Cartesian Automata and the Creativity of Thought

The Soul-Body Unit and Descartes's Trialism

The Ethical Implications of Human Embodiment

Soul, Science, and Subjectivity. Objective Science and Subjective Experience

Consciousness: Illusion or Irreducible Reality?

The Panpsychist Turn

Finding a Place for Consciousness

The Domain of the Soul

The Partly Hidden Soul. From Soul-Searching to Self-Fashioning

The Opacity of the Soul and Psychic Integration

The Depths of the Psyche

The Soul's Hidden Yearning for God

The Soul and the Transcendent. Reaching Forward to the Transcendent

Natural versus Supernatural: The Unhelpful Contrast

Immortal Longings and the Care of the Soul: From Metaphysics to Praxis

Transcendence and Our Human Destiny.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

9780691197586

069119758X

OCLC:

1130906147