
Times of India has examined a quote by the ancient Greek philosopher Pythagoras: "The soul of man is divided into three parts: intelligence, reason, and passion. Intelligence and passion are possessed by…
Times of India has examined a quote by the ancient Greek philosopher Pythagoras: "The soul of man is divided into three parts: intelligence, reason, and passion. Intelligence and passion are possessed by other animals, but reason by man alone." The article breaks down how each element influences human behaviour. Intelligence enables comprehension, passion provides energy for goals, and reason creates a pause between impulse and action. Pythagoras believed reason distinguishes humans, but all three must work together for balanced judgement. The piece reflects on everyday conflicts like staying in bed despite knowing work needs to be done, illustrating the struggle between desire and reason.
Pythagoras's tripartite soul is often quoted as timeless wisdom, but it risks oversimplifying human psychology. Modern neuroscience shows emotions and reason are deeply intertwined, not separate layers. In India's fast-paced, media-saturated environment, the claim that reason alone makes us human can be a lazy excuse to dismiss emotional intelligence. The real test is whether we can still pause between impulse and action when algorithms are programmed to bypass that space.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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