Previously published in Ukrainian and Russian, An Anatomy of the Mind explores the concepts of soul, the unconscious mind, truth, ego, and consciousness from philosophical and psychological perspectives. This new version, translated into English by Katie Barrie and edited by Noble Kissoon, takes extraordinary care in the development and expression of these concepts. As with most scholarly works, this book presents challenging ideas using lengthy complex sentences and sophisticated language. Charts, references, and index help readers navigate through the material.
Sobolev, who holds a doctoral degree in biological sciences, traces the spirit of mankind back to cave drawings from the Upper Paleolithic era (around 15,000 BC) through modern times, highlighting related theories of dozens of noted philosophers and psychologists, such as Plato, Rene Descartes, Sigmund Freud, and Carl Jung. A theme revisited throughout the text contrasts how science explains much of our physical functioning, yet unique intricacies of the human mind remain largely a mystery.
Written in third-person objective point of view, the book becomes more subjective toward each chapter’s conclusion to synthesize material and share Sobolev’s opinions on presented theories. One example of this appears in a chapter examining the soul as a principle to understanding the mind. Here, the author states, “God created the soul, which reflects him in its nature….Can the soul remain in harmony while in a biological body, the source of temptation?” This intriguing question inspires much of the writing and according to the author, becomes the test of human individuality as people explore ways of achieving harmony and searching for truth while inhabiting bodies during their biological lives on Earth.
College students studying philosophy and psychology, New Age thinkers, and life-long learners not intimidated by high-level vocabulary should enjoy this logical presentation of ideas, tempered with a dash of mysticism.
Also available in hardcover and e-book.
