Do we have one? does one exist? if it does, what is it?

 

I want to see your views on what a soul is and if they exist, and bonus points if you debate people.

 

 

~Das

What do these points go toward, may I ask? I would like to know before I spill the beans.

Nothing, Just trying to create some interesting topics in OT that 1) interest me and 2) may make into some interesting intellectual threads.

I'm just going to be completely frank with what I think and see where it lands me :P

 

I do believe we all have souls, I think it's our spiritual side that remains even after out physical bodies have turned to dust. Now I also believe that soul does not linger around here on Earth afterward; instead, it transcends to Heaven. I believe there's an eternal Heaven afterward, but that's an entirely new discussion.

Your soul -- It is who and what you are. It is what you do, what you feel, and what you believe in. It is everything about you. One cannot see it, or touch it, or sense it, or anything along those lines. One cannot take it away, nor can you remove it from yourself. It dictates how your life is lived, and what choices you make. In short, it is you.

Your soul -- It is who and what you are. It is what you do, what you feel, and what you believe in. It is everything about you. One cannot see it, or touch it, or sense it, or anything along those lines. One cannot take it away, nor can you remove it from yourself. It dictates how your life is lived, and what choices you make. In short, it is you.

 

I see, but where is it? Does it supplement the brain or coexist with it? if it defines you, does it undermine our free will to think and do what we wish? Does it carry on when you die?

Mr. Das, sir, when you first heard the word "soul," what did you come to learn it as?

the 'soul' is what differs humans from animals, it is our self-awareness, what whe thinck about ourselves and how others see us, bassicly it's just the person behind the body we see imo

Seems with a topic like this there would be little potential for intelligent debate, considering the lack of evidence to back up almost any opinion.

 

As to my own view, I will have to think about it, as it is very late and my head is in need of sleepy time.

I'm not into the whole spirituality thing, if we do have a soul then it's really just our personality and consciousness. It's the sub atomic world in our brain, and the probability of the behavior of the electrons etc.

 

Seems with a topic like this there would be little potential for intelligent debate, considering the lack of evidence to back up almost any opinion.

 

^

I think a soul is just a good metaphorical term for a persons personality and how they are. I don't think there is literally anything like a soul inside of us but it's a good way of just putting a term to everything that makes us, well, us.

 

the 'soul' is what differs humans from animals, it is our self-awareness, what whe thinck about ourselves and how others see us, bassicly it's just the person behind the body we see

 

I agree with this.

I think a soul is just a good metaphorical term for a persons personality and how they are. I don't think there is literally anything like a soul inside of us but it's a good way of just putting a term to everything that makes us, well, us.

 

the 'soul' is what differs humans from animals, it is our self-awareness, what whe thinck about ourselves and how others see us, bassicly it's just the person behind the body we see

 

I agree with this.

 

Many animals can be self aware aswell, not just humans, and you have to remember, we may be thought of as animals aswell :)

Well I agreed more with the later part, actually didn't even read the bit about animals.

Inb4Gingershavesoulstoo!

 

In my opinion, a soul determines our ability to do anything we desire and allows us to acknowledge our existence among others.

I see the soul as my awareness, and everything I am. It controls how I lead my life. Like ballerplaya said, it allows us to acknowledge our existence among others.

 

I've always thought - what happens to your soul when you die?

you just want to collect them Das. (I'll edit my post soon)

Requesting that Das changes his title to "The Soul Collector" :pray:

I think of souls as currency. That is why I currently own 3 of them (with a contract signed for each as proof). And none of them are mine. My own soul I sold for a half-chocolate half-peanut butter cake covered in M&Ms.

In my opinion, the soul does not actually exist; It's just another name for certain parts of our mind which is just another part of our brain and has nothing non-naturalistic about it.

 

It was probably thought up by by the very early religious people in order to give life after death some credibility and to convince people that humans that they are not just animals. (when that's all we are)

I reckon a soul is something that's a tad more abstract. It's the sum of your actions, thoughts, and ideas, your impact in the world around you. When you die, that impact is still there and will exist for ever, diffusing throughout the universe.

Requesting that Das changes his title to "The Soul Collector" :pray:

I second this motion!

I think it is your personality and how it affects others as well. It is what you are and how others percieve you to be (excluding physically).

 

It doesn't really exist, it's just an easy word to use. Though not really easy to define people understand what it means, and I think it's used powerfully to make things more meaningful and such (think of song lyrics mostly...).

 

In less seriousness I bet my soul away 6 years ago, signed a contract and everything.

cbf editing earlier post, Made a good stand on Das' "Collecting" habits.

 

To me, a soul is like a Aura that surrounds a person. you're personality shapes it, your emotions control it, and it's what makes us feel alive (or dead, depending on your emotion).

i lost my soul in a game of dice :thumbdown:

This is all entirely opinion, since almost by definition a soul is something non-physical and so is beyond science being able to investigate. I'm an empiricist, talking about the soul makes for some nice literature and poetry, and provides a useful way of summarising a person's spirituality, but I see absolutely no reason to actually believe in the existence of one.

 

And if I was comfortable talking about the soul of a human in a metaphorical sense, I'd be equally happy talking about the soul of an animal.