Structure and Functions of Soul in Jainism

Author(s): S C Jain
Publisher: Bharatiya Gyanpith

Page 81

Neutralism as a Theory of the Soul
Between the extreme systems of materialism and idealism stands the theory of neutralism advocated by Bertrand Russell. Antagonism of mind and matter has proved an obstacle both to the idealist and the materialist. Neutralism is a theory which aims at minimising the opposition of mind and matter. "Recent developments have affected these traditional attitudes towards mind and matter in rather a peculiar way. In the first place matter, under the influence of modern physics, has been growing less material....In the second place mind, under the influence of modern psychology, has become progressively less mental. Mind and matter having lost most of their salient characteristics, the difficulty of bringing them under a common formula is correspondingly diminished, but this result is achieved not by merging either into the other, but by deriving both from a fundamental stuff of which the universe may be supposed to be composed. To this stuff Mr. Russell gives the name of 'neutral particulars', the word neutral being intended to convey the fundamental character of the particulars, and the fact that they are in themselves neither mental nor material" Neutralism, by virtue of the position it hods must resort to something which is different from both mind and matter. Its success of overcoming the antagonism of mind and matter lies in the formulation of the theory of neutral particulars. Russell himself observes: "The stuff of which the world of experience is composed is, in my belief, neither mind nor matter but something more primitive than either. Both mind and matter seem to be composite." The theory implies two things. Firstly the original stuff of the world does not possess the characteristics of mind or matter, and secondly it exists in the form of particulars. Neutralism does not negate the opposition of mind and matter but derives the two from the same original stuff. Mind and matter remain distinguished
1. Joad: An Introduction to Modern Philosophy, p. 30 2. Bertrand Russell: Analysis of Mind, p. 10
The Soul: 77