Tag Archives: Paul S. MacDonald

Joshua Hutchinson Soul Ascending

Few ideations are more abstruse than the notion of “soul”. Within mainline Buddhism it is considered to be anathema—anatman. In other circles its essential meaning designates some form of entity that is in direct contrast to the body. Etymologically, it’s denoted as a principle from which life emanates—the very source of psychical activities of a person. In seminary, we were taught that soul connotes “self”, the essential principle that defines all facets of an individual’s existence. This notion coincides with the Hebrew word “nephesh”, which refers to the authentic self or real person. Paul S. MacDonald, in his monumental study of Soul and Mind in two volumes, History of the Concept of Mind, perhaps gives the best delineation: read more