The soul, according to many religious and philosophical traditions, is a self aware ethereal substance particular to a unique living being. In these traditions the soul is thought to incorporate the inner essence of each living being, and to be the true basis for sentience. In distinction to spirit which may or may not be eternal, souls are usually (but not always as explained below) considered to be immortal and to pre-exist their incarnation in flesh.

The concept of the soul has strong links with notions of an afterlife, but opinions may vary wildly, even within a given religion, as to what may happen to the soul after the death of the body. Many within these religions and philosophies see the soul as immaterial, while others consider it to possibly have a material component, and some have even tried to establish the mass (weight) of the soul.

Etymologies

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The current English word "soul" may have originated from the Old English sawol, documented in 970 AD. "Sawol" has possible etymological links with a Germanic root from which we also get the word "sea". The old German word is called 'se(u)la', which means: belonging to the sea (ancient Germanic conceptions involved the souls of the unborn and of the dead "living" being part of a medium, similar to water), or perhaps, "living water" .

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NYT > Music

What I Did This Summer. And You Can, Too.
Fri, 29 Aug 2008 06:24:11 -0000
Staff members of The New York Times offer some suggestions: a wave goodbye to a favorite season, receding into the rearview mirror — no gas required.
Music Review: Rock’s Voice of Rage Finds a Fierceness in Quietude
Fri, 29 Aug 2008 04:39:58 -0000
Trent Reznor made his alienation an arena-scale spectacle at the Izod Center on Wednesday.
Music Review | Toby Love: A Large-Size Show in the Most Local of Places
Fri, 29 Aug 2008 04:38:09 -0000
In Washington Heights, with its large Dominican population, Toby Love is a star, thanks to his versatile readings of bachata.

NPR Topics: Music

Aimee Mann: Heartache And Hope
Fri, 29 Aug 2008 10:09:00 -0400
Mann's seventh solo album, @#%&*! Smilers, offers another look at dark and eccentric characters, complete with introspective looks at heartbreak, fading hope, and even Virginia carnivals. Mann recently sat down with World Cafe host David Dye to perform some of her new material.
Ra Ra Riot Navigates The Hype
Fri, 29 Aug 2008 12:24:00 -0400
The young band overcame the accidental death of its drummer to release its widely hailed debut full-length, The Rhumb Line. Ra Ra Riot performs in the studio and talks about nautical charts, string sections and the influence of Kate Bush.
Ahmad Jamal On Piano Jazz
Fri, 29 Aug 2008 14:06:00 -0400
Ever since his 1958 live album from Chicago's Pershing Lounge, Ahmad Jamal has been recognized as a major force in jazz. In this program from 1985, Jamal reprises two signature pieces from that session in duets with Marian McPartland: "Poinciana" and "But Not for Me."

Rolling Stone: Features

How Bush Destroyed the Republican Party
Mon, 18 Aug 2008 01:58:32 -0700
A president driven by ideology. A Congress rife with corruption. A political party hellbent on a "permanent majority." A leading scholar examines the radicals who hijacked the GOP — and wrecked the longest conservative ascendancy in American history • Video: Five Ways Bush Sunk the GOP The failure of the administration of George W. Bush — and the accompanying crisis of the Republican Party — has caused a political meltdown of historic proportions. In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11th, Bush enjoyed the greatest popularity ever recorded for a modern American president. Republicans on Capitol Hill, under the iron rule of House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, fattened their coffers through a fearsome...
Artists to Watch
Tue, 19 Aug 2008 05:29:00 -0700
Six acts who are defining rock and pop in 2008 LOW VS DIAMOND West Coast quintet craft widescreen rock anthems built for stadium singalongs Click above to watch Low vs Diamond's Lucas Field and Anthony Polcino perform "Heart Attack" live Few young american bands attempt the unabashedly grand cinematic rock that L.A.'s Low Vs Diamond play on their eponymous debut — and frontman Lucas Field sees that as an opportunity. "I felt like there was a hole in American anthems," says Field, 28. "British bands do this big, melodic stuff...
Fall Movie Preview
Tue, 26 Aug 2008 01:52:34 -0700
The Smart Season: First looks at fall's 31 hottest movies by Peter Travers Buzz off if you think the big fall whoop is "High School Musical 3." Or Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson trying to steal scenes from a dog in Marley and Me. Or Robert De Niro and Al Pacino slumming in another paycheck movie in Righteous Kill. My admittedly selective guide to what's up in film for the rest of 2008 is all about punch and provocation. Sequels get the shaft, including Saw V (enough already), but Quantum of Solace (November 7th) earns a pass because Daniel Craig is so damn...

Ultimate-Guitar.Com [News]

Megadeth Preparing To Record Next Album
Fri, 29 Aug 2008 13:26:52 -0000
Acclaimed British producer Andy Sneap will fly over to Southern California on September 8 to start recording their next album.
Lynyrd Skynyrd Album In Early 2009
Fri, 29 Aug 2008 13:21:40 -0000
Lynyrd Skynyrd are reportedly eyeing an early-2009 release for their next studio album.
Tommy Bolin Biography To Be Released
Fri, 29 Aug 2008 13:17:56 -0000
Tommy Bolin, the late guitarist of 1970s rock heavyweights James Gang and Deep Purple, is the latest rocker to receive the memoir treatment.

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