Vitalism, as defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is a doctrine that the functions of a living organism are due to a vital principle distinct from biochemical reactionsa doctrine that the processes of life are not explicable by the laws of physics and chemistry alone and that life is in some part self-determining Where vitalism explicitly invokes a vital principle, that element is often referred to as the "vital spark," "energy" or "élan vital," which some equate with the "soul." V… (More on Vitalism)