Do We Have a Soul?

[Iacchus]

Yes, the fact is, there is nothing about us which doesn't entail belief. Think about it. When we're all dead and gone, will it still be possible to believe that we're still alive? Not in this world anyway. In which case we have to ask, who is it that did all this believing? And, where did "it" -- the belief-sustaining "mechanism" -- go? Could this be a possible indication that we have a soul? Or, does that mean our lives are wholly illusional, and we are just figments of our own imagination? If anyone needs to know on what basis religions are founded, I think we may have found the answer right here.

 

[jmercer]

I'll answer you just as soon as you provide a specific definition for 'soul'.

 

[Iacchus]

I'll answer you just as soon as you provide a specific definition for 'soul'.

That part of us which believes we exist of course.

 

[Mercutio]

That part of us which believes we exist of course.

On what basis do you claim that "part of us" does the believing? Do you have any evidence that there is some subset of us that does something that the whole us does not do?

Re: "belief"--there are those who believe something because there is good evidence for it, those who believe something independently of evidence for it, and those (like yourself, Iacchus) who believe something despite plenty of evidence against it. Please do not equate these.

 

[monochrom]

Sorry, but I swore a holy oath that I would never again discuss soul questions with people who have dolphins as their avatar. We all have our principles.

 

[jmercer]

That part of us which believes we exist of course.

So soul is conciousness?

 

[Marquis de Carabas]

That part of us which believes we exist of course.

Why suppose this "part" of us does anything other than what the rest of us does when we die? (by which I mean spend an eternity in Hoboken)

 

[Alkatran]

Re: Do We Have a activity in our brain?

Replace 'soul' with 'brain activity' and I'll agree.

 

[Odin]

yes

You mean you don't have a giant white spirit gorilla too?

 

[Iacchus]

So soul is conciousness?

If you mean that part of us which is self-aware and knows that it exists, yes.

 

[Tormac]

If you are asking if I have a soul, then define the soul as the part of my consciousness which is self aware then I suppose, being self aware to some degree, I would say yes Iacchus, I have a soul.

As to whether it is possible to believe that I am still alive after I am "dead and gone", I rather doubt it. I see no evidence that the "belief sustaining "mechanism"" is not dependent on the physical attributes of my body. Once my body ceases to function and rots away, I expect the same thing happens to my “soul”.

It would be really tedious to be a self aware corpse anyways.

 

[c4ts]

Yes, the fact is, there is nothing about us which doesn't entail belief. Think about it. When we're all dead and gone, will it still be possible to believe that we're still alive? Not in this world anyway. In which case we have to ask, who is it that did all this believing? And, where did "it" -- the belief-sustaining "mechanism" -- go? Could this be a possible indication that we have a soul? Or, does that mean our lives are wholly illusional, and we are just figments of our own imagination? If anyone needs to know on what basis religions are founded, I think we may have found the answer right here.

The soul is a quality, not a thing itself.

 

[Ipecac]

No.

 

[Mr Wolf]

If anyone needs to know on what basis religions are founded, I think we may have found the answer right here.

Yeah thats true, people make up illogical stuff that has no evidence to back it up, but which makes them feel cozy, then tell other people about it.

Thats exactly where religions come from.

 

[ma1ic3]

That part of us which believes we exist of course.

Well now, that makes removing someones soul much more practical. The hard part will be removing it from the rest of the brain matter without destroying it.

 

[KelvinG]

Yeah thats true, people make up illogical stuff that has no evidence to back it up, but which makes them feel cozy, then tell other people about it.

You've just described all of Iacchus' posts!

 

[arthwollipot]

Well, by this bizarre and unconventional interpretation of the word "soul", I would have to say that yes, we all have "souls". It is not what is conventionally meant by the term "soul", but it is one I've seen on more than one occasion.

I do have a friend who, due to certain parts of her brain missing, sometimes feels a dissociation and isn't sure whether she exists or not. I suppose she doesn't have a soul - at least not all the time.

 

[ahoneycutt]

sole has no eyes

 

[arthwollipot]

sole has no eyes

Untrue - they're just on the same side of its head.

 

[Iacchus]

On what basis do you claim that "part of us" does the believing? Do you have any evidence that there is some subset of us that does something that the whole us does not do?

Well, imagine that.

Re: "belief"--there are those who believe something because there is good evidence for it, those who believe something independently of evidence for it, and those (like yourself, Iacchus) who believe something despite plenty of evidence against it. Please do not equate these.

As I said, there is nothing about the human experience that doesn't entail belief. So, whether it seems relevant or not, does not necessarily make it so. Remember the old addage that the earth was once flat? How do you know for a fact that science has not painted itself into a corner as a result of its insistence upon the "empirical evidence?" Obviously it's very picky about what it chooses to digest, yet how do you know that it hasn't actually missed something? Perhaps its "blind" rationalism (devoid of anything experiential) can only take it so far?