Existentialism Quote by Gregory Koukl
““There is more to us than our physical bodies. We are made of physical stuff, of course, but we are made of nonphysical stuff too, an invisible self, a soul. This is obvious, it seems to me, and obvious to most people who have thought about it much. Many, however, especially those committed to matter-ism, deny that souls are real. Denying that humans are more than physical bodies is one reason why that view leads to the nihilism, the “nothing-ism,” I mentioned earlier. And if we are just mechanical parts in a vast machine that has no purpose but just is, I can see their point. In our Story, though, man is not a machine but a human body in union with a human soul that gives life and motion and direction to his physical body. Our souls, however, are not in themselves what make us different from other created things, since all sentient creatures—anything that is conscious or aware or thinks or feels—have souls too. This may surprise you, but that is what the Story teaches3 and what believers in the Story have believed for thousands of years. No, it is not having souls that distinguishes humans from animals. What makes us special is the kind of souls we have.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Case for a Creator, Gregory Koukl, 2015
Argues that humans possess both physical and nonphysical aspects, and that the soul's quality, not its existence, distinguishes humanity.
In simple terms: Humans have bodies and souls; the soul's nature matters.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the soul's role beyond mere existence.
Themes
spirituality
existence
human nature
philosophy
Mood
thoughtful
contemplative
Type
philosophical
theological
When to use this quote
- personal reflection
- ethical debates
- religious discussions
- psychological counseling
Key Concepts
dualism
ontology
meaning of life
Questions to Reflect On
- Do you think a soul influences behavior?
- How does belief in a soul affect morality?
A Different Perspective
Some view souls as metaphorical, not literal.
![“The philosophical I is not the man, not the human body or the human soul of which psychology treats, but the metaphysical subject, the limit -not a part of the world. [...] If by eternity is understood not endless temporal duration but timelessness, then he lives eternally who lives in the present.” quote by Wittgenstein Ludwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/53d/wittgenstein-ludwig-58704_human-body_the-philosophical-i-is-not-the-man-not-t_890728.jpg)
