Phineas Parkhurst Quimby

MY USE OF THE WORD "MIND"

August 1860

You know I have tried to prove that mind is matter - and if I have proved that, I will now show you that matter is life. This you all will admit, so far as vegetation is concerned.

Now see if animal matter is not life. If so, you see that man is made up of life. His body is particles of animal life condensed into a form (or idea) called “man” (or a living being of life) - not science - but life governed by science.

If it is - then there is no word to define it; for life is matter, and matter is life. Animal life is in flesh and blood, so flesh and blood is not science - but science controls it.

If science is wisdom, what are wisdom's attributes?
Has it an identity?

The wisdom of man has an identity of matter in a living form.

Can you give any definite idea of what persons mean by “soul?”

The person that invented the word “soul” must have applied it to an idea that never had an existence; for soul is always applied to life. We read of “fat souls” and “lean souls” and “saving souls” and “losing souls” - so you see that word cannot explain man when he is not man.

For when he is not man, he is not soul - so we must get some other word to define what man is when he ceases to be matter.

I will now try to explain what man is, and what he is not, and show that what he is - he is not; and what he is not - he is.

I will illustrate the two men, so that each shall be a separate and distinct identity. I will take for my illustration the man, as we see him, and science as the man we cannot see through the natural man - for science cannot be seen, only its effects - and show how they differ:

Science is not.

Man has life.

Science is life.

Man has sight.

Science is sight.

Man has feeling.

Science is feeling.

Man has all of the five senses.

Science is all of the five senses.

Man, of himself, cannot do anything.

Science can do all things.

Man is of matter.

Nothing but an idea of life and death.

Then where does he differ from the brute?

In the idea of science.

Where does science make the distinction?

It makes no distinction.

Who does?

The First Cause (or God).

How?

In attaching science to the identity called “man.”

Then does science have an identity?

Yes.

What is it?

Wisdom (or God).

Has it senses?

It is senses.

Has it soul?

No. It creates and destroys the soul.

Has it death?

No. It destroys death by its own development.

When you give it all its qualities - what kind of a creature or person is it?

It is the scientific man - not of flesh and blood - but of that world where error never comes.

It speaks through man.

What does?

Its life (or the wisdom of God).

How does it get its food?

By the sweat of its brow (or the development of itself).

Where does it differ from the natural man?

In everything.

Then what does man gain or lose by death - as it is called?

Just as much as any matter that is always changing.

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