CHAPTER VIII. The Idea of the Soul

THE IDEA OF THE SOUL

I.--Analysis of the idea of the soul in the Australian societies 240

II.--Genesis of this idea--The doctrine of reincarnation according to Spencer and Gillen: it implies that the soul is a part of the totemic principle--Examination of the facts collected by Strehlow; they confirm the totemic nature of the soul 246

III.--Generality of the doctrine of reincarnation--Diverse facts in support of the proposed genesis 256

IV.--Antithesis of the soul and the body: what there is objective in this--Relations of the individual soul with the collective soul--The idea of the soul is not chronologically after that of mana 262

V.--Hypothesis to explain the belief in its survival 267

VI.--The idea of a soul and the idea of a person; impersonal elements in the personality 269