--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When the organization called soul is…" description: "\"“When the organization called soul is free, moving and operative, initial as well as terminal, it is spirit. Qualities are both static, substantial, an..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa6/john-dewey-545_science-and-philosop_when-the-organization-called-soul-is-fre_109760.png" --- # When the organization called soul is free, moving and… ![“When the organization called soul is free, moving and operative, initial as well as terminal, it is spirit. Qualities are both static, substantial, and transitive. Spirit quickens; it is not only alive, but spirit gives life. Animals are spirited, but man is a living spirit. He lives in his works…” quote by John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa6/john-dewey-545_science-and-philosop_when-the-organization-called-soul-is-fre_109760.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa6/john-dewey-545_science-and-philosop_when-the-organization-called-soul-is-fre_109760.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa6/john-dewey-545_science-and-philosop_when-the-organization-called-soul-is-fre_109760.png) > ““When the organization called soul is free, moving and operative, initial as well as terminal, it is spirit. Qualities are both static, substantial, and transitive. Spirit quickens; it is not only alive, but spirit gives life. Animals are spirited, but man is a living spirit. He lives in his works and his works do follow him. Soul is form, spirit informs. It is the moving function of that of which soul is the substance. Perhaps the words soul and spirit are so heavily laden with traditional mythology and sophisticated doctrine that they must be surrendered; it may be impossible to recover for them in science and philosophy the realities designated in idiomatic speech. But the realities are there, by whatever names they be called.”” [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage distinguishes soul as static substance and spirit as the dynamic force that animates it, arguing that spirit is the life‑giving principle underlying both animals and humans, and that traditional labels may obscure these realities. **In simple terms:** Soul is the material base; spirit is the active life force. Key Takeaway Spirit animates and gives meaning to static substance. Themes metaphysics ontology philosophy of mind spirituality Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical reflection When to use this quote - discussing human motivation - exploring religious concepts - teaching philosophy - analyzing literature on spirit Key Concepts substance‑form relation dynamic vs. static qualities Practical Applications - Use the soul/spirit distinction to clarify personal values - Apply the concept of spirit as a motivating force in team building Questions to Reflect On - How does recognizing a 'spirit' change our view of personal agency? - Can we separate 'soul' and 'spirit' in modern psychology? A Different Perspective The dichotomy may oversimplify complex interactions between biology and consciousness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Form Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/form-spirit-1307596/) [Living Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living-spirit-491246/) [Science and philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science-and-philosophy/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Soul And Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul-and-spirit/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [Spirit Qualities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit-qualities-1307598/) [Transitive Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transitive-spirit-1307597/) ## Related quotes > [The angels are as perfect in form as they are in spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-of-arc/the-angels-are-as-perfect-in-form-as-they-are-in-spirit/) [Joan of Arc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-of-arc/) > [Life! Life! Don't let us go to life for our fulfillment or our experience. It is a thing narrowed by circumstances, incoherent in its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/life-life-don-t-let-us-go-to-life-for-our-fulfillment-or-our/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Madness is a special form of the spirit and clings to all teachings and philosophies, but even more to daily life, since life itself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/madness-is-a-special-form-of-the-spirit-and-clings-to-all-teachings/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) > [“And when I found your flesh did not resist, It was the living spirit that I kissed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yvor-winters/and-when-i-found-your-flesh-did-not-resist-it-was-the-living-spirit/) [YVOR WINTERS](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yvor-winters/) > [We can start by living by the Spirit while we stop following the heart of discontentment and doubt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-can-start-by-living-by-the-spirit-while-we-stop-following-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It doesn't matter what form she takes - a living spirit, an illusion - but you have to see her, have to have her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/it-doesn-t-matter-what-form-she-takes-a-living-spirit-an-illusion-but/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“As long as we were living in the spirit we would continue to be blessed”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crystal-flanagan/as-long-as-we-were-living-in-the-spirit-we-would-continue-to-be/) [Crystal Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crystal-flanagan/) > [“The Word of God does not just pass on information, knowledge and logic for the mind, but is also living & full of the Spirit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-hon/the-word-of-god-does-not-just-pass-on-information-knowledge-and-logic/) [Henry Hon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-hon/) > [Christ is more of an artist than the artists; he works in the living spirit and the living flesh, he makes men instead of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/christ-is-more-of-an-artist-than-the-artists-he-works-in-the-living/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [Whether looked at from outside or inside, bodies dissolve, matter vanishes, spirit remains - once we bother to go into the matter. 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