According to idealist philosophy, consciousness determines matter. With this perspective, we will delve deeper into the relationship between the body and the soul.
The human body is material, while the soul is truly the consciousness of a person. Each individual possesses two components: the body and the soul. In idealist philosophy, the soul dictates the body. The body is merely a garment, differing only in that while an ordinary garment can be changed at will, this high-quality garment remains unchanged until the end of life. Thus, compared to the soul, the body is quite insignificant and devoid of true value. The body exists only for a limited time, while the soul is eternal. Many philosophers have emphasized the eternity of the soul; for instance, Descartes stated, “I think, therefore I am.” The existence of a person is fundamentally the existence of the soul, not the physical body. Indeed, a person may die in the conventional sense of “death,” yet they can continue to live on in the hearts of others; to those people, they never truly die. This represents the eternal existence of their soul in the consciousness of others. In addition to Descartes, the philosopher Plato also elevated the concept of the soul, asserting that true knowledge cannot be recognized without the use of human thought (the soul perceiving knowledge). He looked down upon the senses, which are derived from the body. For him, true knowledge cannot be grasped through ordinary senses. Just like the author of this article, the understanding of “body and soul” also relies on thought rather than sensation.
From the perspective of idealist philosophy, in some way, humans have not been able to live authentically with themselves and their souls because they are bound by their physical bodies. For instance, due to the physical body, individuals have needs for food and clothing; without food, the body cannot survive, and without clothing, the body becomes unsightly. This leads to demands for delicious food and beautiful attire, resulting in competition and desire. Could this be contributing to the death of the soul? And is all of this merely to nourish the mundane body? Humans coexist on Earth, maintaining connections with one another. However, in this existence, the majority of relationships are based on the physical realm. For example, two siblings in the same family may grow up together, yet the competition over a piece of land can destroy their bond. Here, the trivial material (the land) has created a veil that obscures the souls of the two individuals, causing their physical desires to struggle against one another, with the stronger desire prevailing. This represents a false existence, a life devoid of meaning. In the limited scope of this article, only one example is presented; however, many more examples exist in reality.
Everyone has the garment of the body, bound by it. However, the degree of this binding varies among individuals; in some, the soul has triumphed over the body, allowing them to live through their souls. For instance: those who can empathize with others in difficult circumstances, those who care for people living with HIV, individuals with disabilities who have overcome their fate to live fully, and those willing to sacrifice themselves for others…
In the real world, only matter, consciousness, and phenomena truly exist, where phenomena represent the relationships between matter and matter, matter and consciousness, and consciousness and consciousness. The connection between consciousness and consciousness may also be influenced by material conditions; thus, human life is an existence of emptiness and illusion. From the idealist perspective, since consciousness determines matter, there is no tool or machine capable of measuring or testing human consciousness (or soul) because all measuring tools are made from material. The consciousness or soul of each person can only be self-examined, felt, and mastered by oneself. Alongside philosophy, spiritual science seeks answers regarding where the human soul goes when it escapes the artificial garment. Is there a world free from the constraints of material? And in that world, are there emotions such as jealousy, love, and anger? How can humans gain mastery over themselves and live authentically, utilizing their souls without being bound by their bodies?
Our lives hold meaning only when we live through our souls. Everyone must learn to love, protect, and support one another, avoiding jealousy, competition, and discrimination. Each of us must contribute to making this society a better place. I would like to conclude this article with the following thought for each person to reflect upon:
“One swallow does not make a spring, but if every swallow thinks this way, then there will be no spring.”
