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The Definition of the Soul in Defining Humanity: From Ancient Greek Philosophy to Ontological Discussions in Artificial Intelligence Ethics

Author(s)

Du Jiao1,*, Du donghuan2

Affiliation(s)

1Specialty in Legal Theory, Belarusian State University (BSU), Minsk, Belarus 2Department in Artificial Intelligence, Mingde College, Northwestern Polytechnical University (NPU), Xi’an, Shaanxi, China

Abstract

The foundational secret of Western philosophy lies in the concept of the soul. The intricacy of this notion concerns the intrinsic question of human existence, guiding individuals toward truth and goodness. It occupies the intersection of human nature and divinity, anthropology and theology. Plato’s description of the cosmic origin of the soul is, to some extent, imbued with the mythological character inherent in Western philosophy. Plato posits that the soul and body are separate; the soul is an eternal, transcendent, and independent spiritual entity, and the existence of the theory of Forms must be mediated through the soul. Aristotle, on the other hand, offers a theory regarding human cognitive abilities; he rejects the separation of the soul and body, while asserting that the soul holds a superior and fundamental existence in relation to the body. Plato’s doctrine (centered on justice) and Aristotle’s theory (centered on virtue) present significant divergences, yet both emphasize the essential value of the human soul, asserting that human reason is the essence of the soul. This reason, as the essential attribute of humanity, ultimately aims to establish a rational order among human beings.

Keywords

Soul; Body; Human Existence; AI

References

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