Psychologists and some philosophers, who rely on their intellectual inference using logic and reason, consider man as a dual being with physical body and conscious mind. While neuroscientists equate mind with brain, metaphysical philosophers consider the mind or soul to be different from the body. However, some feel that the conscious mind with its moods alternating between elation and depression cannot be equated with immutable soul. They consider soul to be steady and changeless and equate the immutable soul with consciousness. In fact, Dr. William James goes to the extent of saying that if scientists are able to unravel the mystery of consciousness, this major breakthrough will pale into insignificance all the scientific achievements of the past.
Life can have no meaning to any living being without consciousness.
Some philosophers, therefore, say that consciousness cannot exist independently by itself and needs the support of a knower possessing life. In their view, human being is an organic whole with physical body, conscious mind, and life force. They feel that it is the ethereal consciousness that occupies the driver s seat of both mind and brain and the chemical changes in the brain are the result of the electrical impulses that emanate from consciousness. Life spirit provides energy to the inert physical body and light of consciousness to the mind. Once life spirit departs from the living form, the body becomes useless due to decay and consciousness is rendered non-functional.