The Idea of the Soul : In Western Philosophy and Science

First Published in 1940, this book which is written not so much for the philosopher as for the ordinary educated man, is an account of the idea of the soul. It attempts to answer two questions-a) what is the idea of the soul; and b) why has it become ‘unwelcome’? The first question is answered by tracing the actual historical development of the idea- from early myths of the soul up to Renaissance philosophy. The second question is dealt with by considering the idea of the soul as it is affected by modern scientific ideas, particularly biological ideas.

The book discusses themes like the physical psyche; the natural philosophers; Socrates; the Platonic immaterial real; rebirth of philosophy and birth of Christianity; Neo- Pythagorean method of biology; Behaviourism and nature and the organism. This will be an interesting historical reference work for students of philosophy.