Ghosts

Ghosts are popularly believed to be disembodied spirits or souls, but the term "ghost" can also be used in reference to demons or spirits. Ghosts are commonly considered to be the essence of human existence sans the physical aspect. Often described as misty, shadowy apparitions, they are frequently "sighted" in locations associated with human suffering and death. "Revenants," visible, disembodied ghosts or animated (undead) corpses that have returned from the grave to terrorize the living are believed to have returned for either a specific purpose, such as revenge, or simply to make the lives of the living, miserable.

Belief in the transcendent, supernatural, or numinous, that involves entities like ghosts, demons, or spirits, is a universal concept for all human cultures. Even today, surveys have shown that more than half of adults in the United States believe in ghosts, demons, or spirits.

Poltergeists, literally "rumbling ghosts," are said to manifest their presence through the control and/or movement of objects. Ghost armies of deceased soldiers, ghosts of animals, ghosts of airplane pilots or airplanes, ghost trains, and ghost ships have all been sighted and reported from time to time. In many cultures malignant, restless ghosts are distinguished from the more benign spirits which are the subject of ancestor worship.

In ancient cultures, it was commonly accepted, and reflected in artwork from these ancient cultures, that the human soul was an exact reproduction of the body in every respect, even down to one's clothing. This concept continues even today and is often depicted in movies when the ghosts of the departed appear to the living.

Ghost stories date back to ancient times, and can be found in many different cultures. An interesting story about a haunted house was actually related by Pliny the Younger (c. 50 CE). In a letter to a friend, Pliny described how Athenodoros Cananites (c. 95 BCE), a Stoic philosopher, had rented a large house in Athens, specifically for the purpose of investigating widespread rumors that the house was haunted. According to Pliny, Athenodoros staked out the house for several nights until eventually a disheveled old ghost appeared. Athenodoros said the hands and feet phantom were bound in rattling chains and that the apparition beckoned for Athenodoros to follow him. Athenodoros said he did follow the ghost, but the ghost vanished right before Athenodoros's eyes. Athenodoros said he marked the spot where he had seen the old man disappear, and the next day, asked the magistrates to dig there. Three years later, the old man's shackled bones were reportedly uncovered. And after a proper burial, the haunting ceased.