The Immortality of the Soul by Augustine of Hippo. Short summary

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A philosophical dialogue between Aurelius and his opponent Evodius about the magnitude of the soul, its meaning and quantity, where it comes from and where it disappears to after a person’s death.

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The entire narrative is in the form of a philosophical dialogue. The author’s opponent is a certain Evodius, who asks Aurelius to enlighten him on certain matters.

«List what you wish to know about the soul.» — Augustine replies. Evodius asks his questions: «how great is the soul, where does it come from, what is it given to the mortal body for, and what does it become as it enters and leaves it?» Augustine says that the soul should not be measured by length, height, or width, but by power.

A dialogical reflection follows. Augustine goes on to explore the quantity of the soul, its immortality, and other higher subjects. According to the author, the soul is contiguous with eternal postulates. The immortality of the soul, however, is not perfect and can be defined as mortal. And spiritual enlightenment helps to purify the spirit from the cravings of the flesh.

Augustine concludes that reasoning is characteristic of the human mind continuously, while reasoning is not always inherent in the mind. And sight helps the soul to recognize what the body is feeling at a given time.