21: In The Beginning

It is better to light a candle than to curse the dark.*

I agree with Descartes concept, but if I were to start over and rebuild my own philosophical principles, I wouldn't know where to start. Is the basis of philosophy the body-soul relationship (the individual) or the relationship of life to the afterlife and God (the social)? Or is it neither? Or both?

If it is the individual, the first thing to understand would need to be whether the soul and body are separate entities, comparable a bassline and the melody in a song, existing simultaneously in one work. The body must last as long as or not as long as the soul, since my soul has been with me as long as i have been alive and will be with me at least until i die. At least this is a start...

As for the social, the concept of God and whether our existence is an aspect of His work, or whether or not he even exists (though i feel that this question is against what i do feel) is not yet applicable; I don't know enough to argue.

K'naan, "In The Beginning" from the album The Dusty Foot Philosopher.