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Post by Brochfael on Aug 19, 2011 16:09:35 GMT -1
Had an interesting discussion recently about monism and dualism regarding souls.
As I understand these concepts Monism posits that spirit and matter are one and that therefore all things have soul. Dualism posits that soul and matter are separate and that one can exist independantly from the other.
My questions are these: Are these understandings correct and how do you all feel about these concepts from the perspective of your spiritualities?
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Post by Lee on Aug 22, 2011 10:12:09 GMT -1
I sit broadly in the dualism camp. I don't believe all things have a soul, personally, the soul is something that arises with life and all living things have a 'soul' of sorts. when it dies the 'sou' just fades back into the background to be reused again, much like their organic matter does.
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Post by redraven on Aug 24, 2011 18:58:09 GMT -1
I sit in the Monism camp because experience has suggested to me that matter and spirit are intrinicly linked and the idea of soul is a concept that only arises through humanities understanding of the physical world. The idea that soul arises as a consequence of biology gaining complexity, for me, suggests an arrogance typical of humanity. Further the idea that humanity represents the "pinnacle" of biological complexity and therefore is the only suitable vehicle for the housing of soul does not sit well with me (no offence Lee).
The fact that there are animals with such small brains (and in fact, some even lacking any brain) that display complex behavioural patterns, make the dualist viewpoint that the larger and the more complex the organism, the more soul associated with such an organism, to be reliant on the premise that soul is linked to the volume of matter.
The volume may not be the key here, but the actual structure of the matter may be the crux of the matter. And if this is the case, then every physical construction must, IMO, be capable of housing spirit or soul. I can not conceive how these things could exist in isolation.
RR
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Post by Lee on Aug 25, 2011 6:30:03 GMT -1
i think you have totally misread or misunderstood my post RR, that isnt what i said at all or even implied. i said 'life' not some kind of sliding scale dependant on complexity.
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Post by potia on Aug 25, 2011 7:28:42 GMT -1
I do think that souls can exist separately from matter or how else would the soul carry on past the physical form of a being and I believe souls can in some instances continue long past the physical remains of the being they were tied to are dust. As to how a soul comes about in the first place that I'm not so sure of, it's possible that the birth of a new soul is tied to the physical in some way.
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Post by redraven on Aug 25, 2011 11:02:53 GMT -1
i think you have totally misread or misunderstood my post RR, that isnt what i said at all or even implied. i said 'life' not some kind of sliding scale dependant on complexity. I'm getting good at misreading things at the minute. Apologies. RR |
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Post by Lee on Aug 25, 2011 11:52:00 GMT -1
no worries  |
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Post by redraven on Aug 25, 2011 11:55:16 GMT -1
I'll try to better explain from my previous post. My own viewpoint is based mainly upon the "web of life" position that is understood by many shamans. It is my belief that all things possessing spirit (however we understand that word to be best understood) are linked. I do believe, however, that spirit and soul are different. Spirit, IMO, permeates the physical world in all physical things, hence my mostly monism positioning. Soul appears to be a wholey human concept related to the individual.
If we take the position that as humans we are fully independant functioning entities, then the soul and the dualistic implications associated with it make sense. However, if you take the position that soul is an expression of spirit that manifests itself through the individual, then the crux of the matter may be whether the individual belives themselves to be independent from their environment.
If we do, then the dualistic approach would appear to be the better model. However, if you believe, as I do, that there can be individual expressions of spirit that doesn't actually detach itself from the web, then the monism viewpoint may be the more appropriate model.
RR
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Post by Heron on Aug 27, 2011 20:36:50 GMT -1
One Body : One Spirit : and a Soul
Uniting these and for it's only goal
The unique expression of Unity
In this life, and then for Infinity.
Many bodies : many forms : across Time
Uniting Plurality with what is confined.
We are, all of us, here forever
But only have one life to remember.
One life, and one life only, to know
All there is to know. For Soul to grow
From Oneness of being, plurally
Formed, again and again, endlessly. |
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