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Concept

Ghost

Ghost
The original uploader was Colonel Warden at English Wikipedia. · Public domain · source

Overview

soul or spirit of a dead person or animal that can appear to the living

Overview adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0; see the article history for authors).

Possible passages

Found by search and not yet checked by a person; they may only mention the idea in passing.

  1. It arises from the ambiguity of the copula, which, in addition to its proper office of a mark to show that an assertion is made, is also, as formerly remarked, a concrete word connoting existence. The actual existence of the subject of the proposition is therefore only apparently, not really, implied in the predication, if an essential one: we may say, A ghost is a disembodied spirit, without believing in ghosts…

    John Stuart Mill, A System of Logic, Ratiocinative and Inductive

    Names Ghost several times; states what Ghost is.

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  2. According to a belief which has not entirely disappeared even among cultural peoples, the soul leaves the corpse in the form of a demon; the wandering ghost is a demon; demons dwell in the depths, in the neighbourhood of streams, in solitary ravines, in forests and fields, upon and beneath the earth. They are usually threatening, though sometimes beneficent, powers.

    Wilhelm Max Wundt, Elements of Folk Psychology Outline of a Psychological History of the Development of Mankind

    States what Ghost is; opens on Ghost.

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  3. For there are, besides, many kinds of spirits mentioned in the Holy Scriptures, as, the spirit of man, heavenly spirits, and evil spirits. But the Spirit of God alone is called Holy Ghost, that is, He who has sanctified and still sanctifies us. For as the Father is called Creator, the Son Redeemer, so the Holy Ghost, from His work, must be called Sanctifier, or One that makes holy. But how is such sanctifying done?

    Martin Luther, Martin Luther's Large Catechism

    Names Ghost several times; states what Ghost is.

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Philosophers who discussed Ghost

Related ideas

Place in the tradition

Part of Metaphysical naturalism.

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