Body and Soul in Ancient Philosophy

This project focuses on the ways in which ancient thinkers conceptualized the notions of “body”, “soul” and their relationships, as well as the receptions these concepts had in classical, modern and contemporary posterity. This will allow studying the physical and mental dimension of the explanations produced by ancient thinkers for the phenomenon of life, mind, emotion, health and disease; for the interaction of the human being with his physical environment and with other sentient beings; for the interaction between between the life principle and the bodies of sentient beings. The incorporation of the body in traditional philosophical themes is, more than a current trend, a necessity, since it not only addresses the explanation of the human being in its entirety, but also sheds important light on the ethical and political dimension of human action. . Although the study of ancient philosophy is no stranger to this articulation, approaches that either focus solely on the role of reason or treat the two concepts in isolation have traditionally prevailed, favoring a dualist exegetical stance. . This project seeks to look at both perspectives and study, beyond Plato and Aristotle, other receptions that the problem had in ancient times.

Faculty Supervisor:

Betina Appel Kuzmarov

Student:

Partner:

Universidad de Antioquia

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Education

University:

Carleton University

Program: