Yes, very philosophical. Though existentialism tends to assume existence: "I exist, so now what?" is how I always thought of it. It sounds like he's going back before that.

He might like Descartes, the philosopher best known for "cogito ergo sum," or "I think, therefore I exist." But his efforts to work out the seat of the soul would probably be very interesting for a young philosopher. Easy to criticize, fun to consider.

Kriston