Single Idea 5952

[catalogued under 16. Persons / B. Nature of the Self / 7. Self and Body / c. Self as brain controller]

Full Idea

Is each of us not the soul, but the chief part of the soul, by which we think and reason and act, all the other parts of soul as well as of body being mere instruments of its power?

Gist of Idea

Rather than being the whole soul, maybe I am its chief part?

Source

Plutarch (74: Reply to Colotes [c.85], §1119)

Book Reference

Plutarch: 'Moralia - vol 14', ed/tr. Einarson,B. /De Lacy P.H. [Harvard Loeb 1967], p.261


A Reaction

Socrates is associated with the idea that I am my whole soul (Idea 1650). Plutarch represents an interesting development, which may lead both to the Christian 'soul' and to the Cartesian 'ego'. I think Plutarch is right, but what is the 'soul'?

Related Idea

Idea 1650 For Socrates our soul, though hard to define, is our self [Vlastos on Socrates]