The Idea of the Soul #248736

Few conceptions can Show the universality and permanence, the creative power and morphological influence which have characterised throughout history the Idea of the Soul. To it we owe the conception of an order of spiritual beings, and of a spiritual world existing now and hereafter. At some relatively late stage of culture it became absolute in the idea of God. It is thus the basis of all religion. One typical case may be cited. The highest authority on the religions of China concludes that the human soul is the original form of all beings of a higher order. Its worship is the basis of religion in that country. Taoism was originally a compendium of customs and practices framed upon the prevailing ideas concerning the human soul. It cast these into a system of philosophy, alchemy, and religion. But neither its origin nor its influence is confined to the religious Sphere.