Jackie asked:

Does man have a soul and if so is he immortal?

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As Brian Tee said to Josh (see this file) epistemologically, the answer is no. But your question is
ontological and theological, not purely epistemological. The soul is not something we have, like a
finger, but something we are, like in love or vengeful. The words, soul—psyche—anima, have always
spoken of something incorporeal and bear the connotation of wind or breath. The soul was visualised
sensuously as a breath body, Jung said. We can't save our body or consciousness from death,
traditionally only the 'soul' was what could be salvaged from our condition.

There is much speculation about the soul. Aristotle said the soul was the form of the body. Heraclitus
said our soul (psyche) was the presence of our depth (bathun). "You could not find the ends of the
soul though you travel every way, so deep is its calling (logos)" (Fr.45). We are souls (not just
material entities) for "invisible connection is stronger than visible." (Fr.54). We are dark beings and
unconscious to ourselves, for "The real constitution of each thing is accustomed to hide itself."
(Fr.123). Pascal in the 17th century wrote, "the heart has its reasons of which reason knows nothing."
It is the Platonist not the Aristotelian tradition that is wisest about our soulfulness. Is the soul
immortal? Upon this question hangs the matter of how one will lead one's life in this life. Platonists —
and not just they — say the soul can be immortal, but it is conditional, not automatic, depending on
whether our life is 'good'.

Matthew Del Nevo

www.sicetnon.com