Definition

Noun: 1. The transmigration of the soul, especially its reincarnation after death in a new body: The philosophical or religious doctrine that after death, the soul leaves the body and is reborn, starting a new cycle of existence in another human or animal body.

Usage

Metempsychosis is a formal, specialized term used primarily in philosophical, religious, and historical contexts to discuss concepts of rebirth and the soul's journey. It is not commonly used in everyday conversation.

Examples

• The ancient Greeks, particularly followers of Pythagoras and Plato, believed in metempsychosis.
• Some Eastern religions, which teach the cycle of rebirth, have doctrines similar to metempsychosis.
• The philosopher discussed the possibility of metempsychosis as an explanation for certain innate human knowledge.

Advanced Usage

• Doctrinal Context: The term is often used when comparing Western philosophical ideas of rebirth with Eastern religious concepts like reincarnation.
  • The essay explored the differences between Buddhist reincarnation and Platonic metempsychosis.

Variants and Related Words

• Reincarnation (n): The rebirth of a soul in a new body. (This is a more common, often less technical synonym.)
• Transmigration (n): The passing of a soul into another body after death; often used interchangeably with .
• Palingenesis (n): Philosophical rebirth or regeneration; sometimes used in similar contexts.

Synonyms

• Reincarnation
• Transmigration (of the soul)
• Rebirth
• Soul migration

Antonyms

• Finality (of death)
• Annihilationism (the doctrine that the soul ceases to exist at death)
• Mortalism

Related Idioms or Phrases

(This specialized term does not commonly appear in idioms. Its conceptual ideas are expressed in phrases like "cycle of rebirth" or "wheel of samsara," which are related but not direct idioms using the word itself.)

Noun

1. after death the soul begins a new cycle of existence in another human body