What Is the Meaning of the Heart in Humanology?
In this article, we are going to examine the concept of the heart in humanology. What do we mean by the term heart, and which heart are we referring to? Are we talking about the muscular organ behind the chest bones, or is the heart in question another concept with a different location?
Due to its special status, the heart in humanology has other names, such as the soul, true self, human dimension, soul child,[1] and other similar names. Among these names, the phrase the soul child may capture your attention, and it is worth explaining this phrase to gain a better understanding of the concept of the heart in humanology.
The name and brand of a cell phone and its various features are of no importance if you cannot turn it on. When the main part is damaged or missing from the phone, the phone essentially becomes a useless tool. You surely know what is meant by the main part. Exactly! It is the battery. It does not matter whether it is a living or non-living being. Living beings need a driving force to sustain life, and non-living things need it to function. Instead of the driving force, a more commonly used term for living beings is the heart: a short word, yet with an incredible scope and meaning.
Let us shift our focus from other beings and concentrate on the human and explore the concept of the heart in humanology. Each individual’s soul consists of both animalistic and human aspects when we step into this world. Among these, the most apparent form of animalistic needs belongs to the body and its needs. It seems that our most vital organ is the heart; the most hardworking organ that gives meaning to other organs through its constant efforts. However, this pine-shaped heart can only beat and function in the presence of the human dimension of existence. As we have seen time and time again, as soon as the soul leaves the body, even if all body parts are healthy, they will cease to function.
Therefore, the most important part of our existence is the heart, but not the muscular heart within our chest. Rather, it is the human dimension of our existence that is also called the heart. It is this spiritual heart that gives meaning and life to our existence. The heart is the command center of our soul, our driving force, and the reason for our whole existence. But how can we prove this claim?
The Heart in Humanology Is the Commander-in-Chief of All the Faculties
Our body is an advanced system composed of smaller systems, but all these systems have one single commander. This commander possesses the power of choice and will, capable of controlling all organs and body parts. Who is this commander?
Some believe that the commander is the brain. However, the command of the brain has been questioned based on current scientific understanding of the structure of diseases such as brain death or vegetative life. In these conditions, the brain, as a troubled system, ceases to function and cannot control the body. The body, however, continues to function. The brain cannot perform its duties, yet the body is still alive and the heart continues to operate. Sometimes, each individual organ, including the brain, is healthy, yet the body stops operating and the person is dead. In this case, who is the commander of our body?
There are people who think that the human being is just the physical body and the world is just a material world. According to them, the commander of our body is not the brain itself, but rather the chemical interactions taking place in the brain. They believe all human behavior and actions are the result of complex chemical processes taking place in the brain. But can we accept this claim?
We know that identical chemical processes between identical substances always produce an identical result. According to this general law, if we accept that all our emotions, actions, and thoughts are the results of chemical processes within the brain, we have accepted that all human beings must display exactly the same behavior under the same conditions. This is because the brain structure of all of us is the same, composed of a single substance, and the chemical substances produced by the interactions between brain cells are also similar in all of us. As a result, according to the laws of chemistry, the reaction of identical substances must produce an identical outcome and behavior. This means that when experiencing similar states such as anger or joy, which result from similar actions and reactions in the brains of all humans, we must witness the same behavior from everyone. For example, all humans should shout when angry or run away when frightened. However, despite the fact that the same hormones or chemical substances are produced in the bodies of all individuals during anger or fear and these hormones have a similar effect on the body’s cells, people show different behaviors when experiencing these emotions.
Interestingly, we cannot even attribute the differences in people’s behavior in similar situations to the differences in their chromosomes and specific genetics. This is because identical twins have exactly identical genetic patterns, yet we are faced with two individuals with distinct personalities, despite being physically made up of completely identical chemical substances. So if the commander of the body is the chemical activities of our brain, identical twins must exhibit exactly the same thoughts and behaviors at all times and in the face of all events and phenomena in the world. However, this is not the case; differences in beliefs and behaviors between identical twins are sometimes very significant. So what is the reason for this difference? Those who do not believe in the existence of the human soul are unable to answer this question.
What Does the Heart or the Soul Child Truly Need?
We have realized that what gives life to our physical body is a non-material force that we refer to as the human dimension, true self, heart, or the soul child in Islamic philosophy. The heart in humanology is a non-material truth that is responsible for the vitality of the body and all its organs, including the brain. It is the truth that is always alive, awake, and active, and if it separates from the body, our body ceases to function, that is , it dies.
Our heart is our true self, with a non-material structure, requiring a physical body to live in the material world. It was breathed into our physical body when our body was going through the stages of development in the mother’s womb. No matter how much progress empirical sciences make, they cannot understand the structure of our heart or the human dimension of our existence because our heart is not made of matter and has a non-material and unlimited nature. The heart in humanology has such a broad scope of authority that it can educate itself in various ways and manifest the worst or best behaviors. The reason for the vast differences in human behavior lies in the different education of their hearts. In short, it is this heart that shapes the unique personality of each of us and manages our lives.
In this context, this heart which is called the soul child in humanology reminds us that it needs attention and education just like any other child. We will discuss this further in future lessons.
In this lesson, we discussed the meaning of the heart in humanology. We mentioned that the status and importance of the heart in humanology are so high that it can be considered the commander of our whole existence. On the other hand, like a child, it needs education and attention to take the right path of becoming a human being and open the door to everlasting bliss. Therefore, we must take care of our soul child like an informed father or mother and pay attention to the nourishment of our soul. It may seem difficult at first glance, but it certainly bears sweet fruit.
We welcome your comments about the heart and its command over us.
[1]. The soul child is the truth of human existence, and as its name suggests, it needs attention, nourishment, and nurturing to stay pure and retain its true essence to be able to mature for life in the hereafter. The immaturity of this child, which is the very essence of the human being, means it lacks harmony with the conditions of the hereafter.