Single Idea 1650

[catalogued under 16. Persons / D. Continuity of the Self / 2. Mental Continuity / b. Self as mental continuity]

Full Idea

For Socrates our soul is our self - whatever that might turn out to be.

Clarification

'Soul' is the Greek word 'psuché', which covers mind and consciousness and life

Gist of Idea

For Socrates our soul, though hard to define, is our self

Source

comment on Socrates (reports of career [c.420 BCE]) by Gregory Vlastos - Socrates: Ironist and Moral Philosopher p.55

Book Reference

Vlastos,Gregory: 'Socrates: Ironist and Moral Philosopher' [CUP 1992], p.55


A Reaction

The problem with any broad claim like this is that we seem to be able to distinguish between essential and non-essential aspects of the self or of the soul.

Related Ideas

Idea 5266 It would seem that the thinking part is the individual self [Aristotle]

Idea 21828 A person is the whole of their soul [Plotinus]