Since when have humans had a soul?

dc.contributor.authorMay, Andreas
dc.date.accessioned2022-11-21T09:46:01Z
dc.date.available2022-11-21T09:46:01Z
dc.date.issued2022-04-08
dc.descriptionThis research is part of the research project ‘Understanding Reality (Theology and Nature)’, directed by Prof. Dr Johan Buitendag, Department of Systematic and Historical Theology, Faculty of Theology and Religion, University of Pretoria.en_US
dc.description.abstractAn attempt is made to determine when humans have had a soul. For this purpose, mind and soul are distinguished from each other. This clarification of terms makes it possible to criticise the emergentist view, which assumes that the soul arises naturally from the biological organism. The existence of a soul is inferred from the mental activities of humans, which are directed towards the transcendent. Special significance is given to burials. Burials have been practised for at least 448 000 years. Not only Homo sapiens, but also Homo naledi, Homo heidelbergensis steinheimensis and Homo neanderthalensis buried their dead. Therefore, there is good reason to assume that Homo heidelbergensis and all its descendants possessed (and still possess) a soul. Moreover, one can suppose that Homo erectus and Homo naledi also possessed a soul. CONTRIBUTION: The clear distinction between the immanent mind and the transcendent soul makes us aware that we humans are beings equally at home in immanence and transcendence. Humans have possessed a soul for a very long time, and not only Homo sapiens but also his ancestors and related species.en_US
dc.description.departmentDogmatics and Christian Ethicsen_US
dc.description.urihttp://www.hts.org.zaen_US
dc.identifier.citationMay, A., 2022, ‘Since when have humans had a soul?’, HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies 78(2), a7311. https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v78i2.7311.en_US
dc.identifier.issn0259-9422 (print)
dc.identifier.issn2072-8050 (online)
dc.identifier.other10.4102/hts.v78i2.7311
dc.identifier.urihttps://repository.up.ac.za/handle/2263/88373
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherAOSISen_US
dc.rights© 2022. The Author. Licensee: AOSIS. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License.en_US
dc.subjectSoulen_US
dc.subjectMinden_US
dc.subjectBurialsen_US
dc.subjectHuman evolutionen_US
dc.subjectPalaeoanthropologyen_US
dc.subjectTheologyen_US
dc.subjectTripartite view of humansen_US
dc.subjectEmergentismen_US
dc.titleSince when have humans had a soul?en_US
dc.typeArticleen_US

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