Soul Searching: Chapter 3
The old Groundskeeper kept the pine-cone creatures in a large basket, where the playful little fellows thrived and flourished. Over time they developed physically and intellectually, just like animal young or human children will. And just like their animal and human counterparts, some of them grew stronger or more clever than the others. They all kept their friendly dispositions, and, over time, both the squirrel and Tulip grew quite fond of them.
The most clever among the pine-cone creatures was named Cedric. While most of his peers were content with playing, rough-housing and sleeping, and only learned to speak a few words, Cedric quickly learned how to read, write, and carry on a conversation. Tulip introduced him to the classic writers and philosophers, whereas the squirrel taught him the fundamentals of mathematics, physics and chemistry.
“Mr. Groundskeeper, is it possible for a pine-cone creature to have a soul?” Cedric asked one day.
“I don’t think so,” the Groundskeeper replied. “Descartes wrote that only humans have souls. He was very clear about this. Animals do not have souls, and it would follow that pine-cone creatures do not as well.”
Tulip, who was busy putting the final touches to the Russian commander Barclay de Tolly, stopped and looked up from his work.
“What fiddle-faddle and piffle!” the cat exclaimed. “I can assure you that animals have souls. In fact, I happen to have nine, one for each of my lives. That is why I am so highly evolved, intellectually, spiritually and emotionally. And as far as your Descartes is concerned, he is the fool who once said ‘I think, therefore I am’. If one was to follow that silly utterance to its utmost conclusion, half of humanity would not even exist.”
“Crick-crick, crick-crick,” the squirrel said. (“I’d venture that, more likely, two thirds of humanity wouldn’t exist.”)
“Furthermore, this Descartes fellow, whom you so admire, held that the pineal gland is the seat of the soul,” Tulip continued. “The pineal gland has its name from the Latin word for pine-cone. Thus, a true Cartesian must believe that actual pine-cone creatures are eminently suited to have souls. There you have it, Groundskeeper, your argument falls flat.”
“In other words, it might be possible for me to have a soul one day, even if I don’t have one now,” Cedric mused.
“Yes!” Tulip said.
“No!” the Groundskeeper said.
“Crick-crick, crick-crick,” the squirrel said. (“Why stop at conjecture? I encourage you to experiment, Cedric.”)
From that moment on Cedric was obsessed with the thought of one day having a soul, and day and night he thought about ways to make this a reality.