Body, Mind, Spirit, in the Greek and Biblical Worlds

A Tract Book Essay

By

Anthony J. Fejfar, B.A., J.D., Esq., Coif

© Copyright 2007 by Anthony J. Fejfar

Plato and Aristotle both wrote about the different levels of the human mind, or

human consciousness. What is perhaps just as interesting is that one can do an analysis

of the lives and philosophies of Plato, Aristotle, and Socrates, and see that their lives

parallel the levels of Body, Mind, and Spirit:

Body Mind Aristotle

Soul Mind Plato

Wisdom/Spirit Mind Socrates

Aristotle in many ways was a level one thinker. Much of his philosophy

involved convention. Aristotle chose the Common Good over the Good. The saving

grace for Aristotle is that he apparently was able to think in conceptual terms using his

Body Mind and the metaphysics of substantial form. Substantial form is what enabled

Aristotle to be a philosopher, not just a ditch digger.

Plato in many ways was a level two thinker. Plato was an idealist. As an

idealist, Plato spoke of the World of the Forms which structured reality. Plato chose the

Good, not the apparently conventional Common Good.

 Finally, Socrates was a level three thinker. Socrates used Wisdom to question

the commonly held conventions and beliefs of his society. Socrates was a critical

thinker. He questioned authority.

Interestingly, in the Bible, there are three other persons who fit the categories of

Body, Mind, Spirit.. In the Book of Genesis, Adam and Eve had three sons:

Wisdom Mind Seth

Soul Mind Abel

Body Mind Cain

Cain acted out of the base emotions of hatred, anger, and envy in his murder of

his brother Abel. Cain clearly had a mind which was an undeveloped Body Mind. Abel,

on the other hand, had a Soul Mind. Abel was an idealist, that is, was pure of heart, but

still, as some idealist are, was somewhat naïve. Abel could not prevent his own murder

from taking place. Finally, there was Seth, who had a Wisdom Mind. Seth’s Wisdom

Mind was an integration of both the Body Mind and the Soul Mind, but transcended both.

Seth was wise enough not to be murdered by his brother Cain. Idealists, like Abel,

cannot use evil in any way, it simply corrupts them. Wise Men, like Seth, can use evil to

combat evil, and can use evil to achieve the Good.