Animism
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- | '''Animism''' (from Latin ''anima'' ([[soul]], [[life]])<ref name = "ooviqc">Segal, p. 14</ref><ref>"Animism", ''The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language'', p. 72</ref>) is a philosophical, religious or spiritual idea that [[soul]]s or [[spirit]]s exist not only in [[humans]] but also in other [[animal]]s, [[plant]]s, [[rock (geology)|rock]]s, natural phenomena such as [[thunder]], [[geographic]] features such as [[mountain]]s or [[river]]s, or other entities of the natural environment, a proposition also known as [[hylozoism]] in philosophy. | + | '''Animism''' (from Latin ''anima'' ([[soul]], [[life]])) is a philosophical, religious or spiritual idea that [[soul]]s or [[spirit]]s exist not only in [[humans]] but also in other [[animal]]s, [[plant]]s, [[rock (geology)|rock]]s, natural phenomena such as [[thunder]], [[geographic]] features such as [[mountain]]s or [[river]]s, or other entities of the natural environment, a proposition also known as [[hylozoism]] in philosophy. |
Animism may further attribute souls to abstract concepts such as words, [[true name]]s or metaphors in [[mythology]]. Religions which emphasize animism are mostly [[folk religion]]s, such as the various forms of [[Shamanism]], but also [[Shinto]] and certain currents of [[Hinduism]] emphasize the concept. | Animism may further attribute souls to abstract concepts such as words, [[true name]]s or metaphors in [[mythology]]. Religions which emphasize animism are mostly [[folk religion]]s, such as the various forms of [[Shamanism]], but also [[Shinto]] and certain currents of [[Hinduism]] emphasize the concept. | ||
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Animism (from Latin anima (soul, life)) is a philosophical, religious or spiritual idea that souls or spirits exist not only in humans but also in other animals, plants, rocks, natural phenomena such as thunder, geographic features such as mountains or rivers, or other entities of the natural environment, a proposition also known as hylozoism in philosophy. Animism may further attribute souls to abstract concepts such as words, true names or metaphors in mythology. Religions which emphasize animism are mostly folk religions, such as the various forms of Shamanism, but also Shinto and certain currents of Hinduism emphasize the concept.
Throughout European history, philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, Thomas Aquinas, among others, contemplated the possibility that souls exist in animals, plants and people.