World-Soul

World-Soul

      soul ascribed to the physical universe, on the analogy of the soul ascribed to human beings and other living organisms. This concept of a spiritual principle, intelligence, or mind present in the world's body received its Classical Western expression in the writings of Plato (5th century BC) and Plotinus (3rd century AD). It may be related to the common archaic notion of the ensoulment of all things (see animism). A possible Eastern analogue may be seen in the Indian notion of atman (q.v.), the supreme cosmic Self.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • world soul — n. a universal animating principle conceived of as analogous to the soul of a person …   English World dictionary

  • world soul — world′ soul′ n. ear the animating principle or the moving force of the universe • Etymology: 1840–50 …   From formal English to slang

  • world soul — noun : a spiritual being having the same relation to the world as a whole that the soul has to the individual being : an animating spirit or creative principle of the universe related to the world as the human soul is to the body : an intelligent …   Useful english dictionary

  • world soul — animism has been applied to many different philosophical systems. It is used to describe Aristotle s view of the relation of soul and body held also by the stoics and scholastics. On the other hand monadology (Leibniz) has also been termed… …   Mini philosophy glossary

  • world soul — noun Date: 1844 an animating spirit or creative principle related to the world as the soul is to the individual being …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • world soul — the animating principle or the moving force of the universe; world spirit. [1840 50] * * * …   Universalium

  • world-soul — See panpsychism …   Philosophy dictionary

  • Soul — • The question of the reality of the soul and its distinction from the body is among the most important problems of philosophy, for with it is bound up the doctrine of a future life Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Soul     Soul …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • world spirit — world′ spir′it n. 1) rel (often caps.) God 2) ear world soul …   From formal English to slang

  • SOUL — In the Bible The personality was considered as a whole in the biblical period. Thus the soul was not sharply distinguished from the body. In biblical Hebrew the words neshamah and ru aḥ both mean breath and nefesh refers to the person or even the …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

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