# Do you believe in a soul? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 19, 2006, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-in-a-soul/357400 "2006-05-19T14:14:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-in-a-soul/357400/61 "2006-05-20T00:31:45Z")
No soul, no afterlife, when you die, you’re dead. Lisa: Hmmm…Pablo Neruda said laughter is the language of the soul. Bart: I am familiar with the works of Pablo Neruda. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-in-a-soul/357400/62 "2006-05-20T01:03:43Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > But there’s sufficient evidence for the existence of soul? Or is your belief in the soul more faith-based than evidence based? There is insufficient data to define the nature of a soul. The word “supernatural” is a null term–if a thing exists, it is part of Nature. No two cultures agree on the nature of the Divine, if any. But beliefs regarding the existence of consciousness after death occur in all cultures, ranging from ghosts to an afterlife. Given this broad common reaction, it is not unreasonable to assume that some aspect of this exists, in some form, until strong evidence suggests otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-in-a-soul/357400/63 "2006-05-20T01:48:18Z")
> [@featherlou](#): > > Nothing but neurobiological/neurochemical processes, eh? Interesting. What differentiates a living human from a corpse? The processes have stopped, and the brain structures that define the mind have decayed in a corpse. > [@featherlou](#): > > I must say, I had not considered previously that atheists don’t believe in souls, either. I assumed that they just didn’t believe in the existence of a god. _Atheists_ may or may not also disbelieve in souls; materialists/physicalists don’t. > [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#): > > But beliefs regarding the existence of consciousness after death occur in all cultures, ranging from ghosts to an afterlife. Given this broad common reaction, it is not unreasonable to assume that some aspect of this exists, in some form, until strong evidence suggests otherwise. Why ? There’s no evidence anything survives - or _can_ survive - after death; wishful thinking and/or a lack of imagination easily explains why belief in an afterlife is so common. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-in-a-soul/357400/64 "2006-05-20T02:01:31Z")
> [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#): > > But beliefs regarding the existence of consciousness after death occur in all cultures, ranging from ghosts to an afterlife. Given this broad common reaction, it is not unreasonable to assume that some aspect of this exists, in some form, until strong evidence suggests otherwise. Couldn’t the same be said about gods? ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-in-a-soul/357400/65 "2006-05-20T02:08:22Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > Couldn’t the same be said about gods? And magic, and fate, and lots of things. Mass belief isn’t evidence of much. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-in-a-soul/357400/66 "2006-05-20T02:08:34Z")
> [@featherlou](#): > > What differentiates a living human from a corpse? What distinguishes a car that is running from one that is not? Does the running engine have a soul? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-in-a-soul/357400/67 "2006-05-20T05:22:50Z")
When you started the car, you made it run until you turn it off or it runs out of gas or something breaks down. What I’m getting at, is what started a human life? Consider a human fetus to be similar to a finished but non-running car; what turns our ignition switch on, and takes us from being a non-conscious egg and sperm to a conscious, self-aware individual? Could you name the exact biological reaction that imbues consciousness in a baby? Do you think we will be able to some day? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-in-a-soul/357400/68 "2006-05-20T05:33:58Z")
> [@featherlou](#): > > When you started the car, you made it run until you turn it off or it runs out of gas or something breaks down. What I’m getting at, is what started a human life? Consider a human fetus to be similar to a finished but non-running car; what turns our ignition switch on, and takes us from being a non-conscious egg and sperm to a conscious, self-aware individual? Could you name the exact biological reaction that imbues consciousness in a baby? Do you think we will be able to some day? The kind of moment you are decribing does not occur. There is no “switch.” Consciousness grows as the brain grows. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-in-a-soul/357400/69 "2006-05-20T06:17:08Z")
> [@featherlou](#): > > Could you name the exact biological reaction that imbues consciousness in a baby? What makes you think it’s “a” biological reaction; consciousness is a higher level phenomenon, like image recognition. We’re talking about neurological functions, not some “consciousness chemical”. And no, I can’t name it exactly; no one can, yet. ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-in-a-soul/357400/70 "2006-05-20T09:37:22Z")
The older I get, the more I become aware of my mortality. I want desparately to believe in a soul, but logically I can’t. I just hate to think that everything I’ve learned for weal or for woe will be lost in an instant. I hope there is some sort of reincarnation; I need a shot at building better karma. If I can, I will report back when the dread day arrives. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-in-a-soul/357400/71 "2006-05-20T10:59:00Z")
I think a debate/poll about consciousness, the soul and the existence of free will should be moved to Great Debates. ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-in-a-soul/357400/72 "2006-05-20T11:13:58Z")
> [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#): > > But beliefs regarding the existence of consciousness after death occur in all cultures, ranging from ghosts to an afterlife. Given this broad common reaction, it is not unreasonable to assume that some aspect of this exists, in some form, until strong evidence suggests otherwise. It’s been a while, but… [appeal to popularity](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appeal_to_the_majority). Many people believing in something is _not_ evidence of it. Furthermore, what would the “strong evidence” of an afterlife _not_ existing consist of? How would you show an afterlife does _not_ exist? ---
**Author:** ![monavis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e0b2c6/32.png) [@monavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monavis)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-in-a-soul/357400/73 "2006-05-20T11:18:12Z")
The word soul comes from the Latin, Anima, meaning life. Life and soul are the same thing. When life leaves any animated being it goes back to being atoms etc. death is just a change. So in that sense We have a soul, if soul is something that can go to a heaven or hell as a seperate thing ,then no, I do not believe we have one any more than other living things. Why would the body be responsible for the soul when the soul would be eternal but the body just temporal? Monavis ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-in-a-soul/357400/74 "2006-05-20T11:21:50Z")
> [@monavis](#): > > The word soul comes from the Latin, Anima, meaning life. Life and soul are the same thing. I really hate arguments from etymology. They mean nothing. Here, it means even less. The word “soul” clearly does not come from “anima”. > [@](#): > > When life leaves any animated being it goes back to being atoms etc. It isn’t atoms while it’s living? ---
**Author:** ![monavis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e0b2c6/32.png) [@monavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monavis)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-in-a-soul/357400/75 "2006-05-20T12:45:54Z")
> [@Priceguy](#): > > I really hate arguments from etymology. They mean nothing. Here, it means even less. The word “soul” clearly does not come from “anima”. > > It isn’t atoms while it’s living? When I studied Latin the word anima(life and soul )meant the same thing,that is where our animation comes from. God was said to breathe life into Adam,and that was Adam’s soul. When some one is animated we say he is full of life. death is when the life that is no longer in the body, plant or animal. Monavis ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-in-a-soul/357400/76 "2006-05-20T13:11:04Z")
> [@monavis](#): > > When I studied Latin the word anima(life and soul )meant the same thing,that is where our animation comes from. God was said to breathe life into Adam,and that was Adam’s soul. When some one is animated we say he is full of life. death is when the life that is no longer in the body, plant or animal. I fail to see the relevance of this, as the claim I was contesting was your claim that the word “soul” comes from “anima”. It clearly doesn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-in-a-soul/357400/77 "2006-05-20T13:11:48Z")
Yes, I believe in the soul. Is there any way I can prove it exists to someone else? No. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-in-a-soul/357400/78 "2006-05-20T14:24:15Z")
> [@Lissa](#): > > Conciousness ( or that somewhat nebulous concept of sentience) seems to begin around age three for most humans. It’s when we develop the concepts of the generalized other, and the mirror-image self. (We learn to recognize others’ opinions of us and apply them to our behavior.) You don’t think consciousness exists before age 3? I strongly disagree. OK, seeing consciousness as the neurological impulses within the brain ( **DtC’s** definition), I see a problem. Consciousness has a center. I am somewhere within my brain. There’s a center that’s aware of the various impulses going around. How can energy be self-aware? What’s the difference between life and other systems of matter and energy? > [@LouisB](#): > > The older I get, the more I become aware of my mortality. I want desparately to believe in a soul, but logically I can’t. I just hate to think that everything I’ve learned for weal or for woe will be lost in an instant. I hope there is some sort of reincarnation; I need a shot at building better karma. If I can, I will report back when the dread day arrives. Irrelevant. Existence of a soul doesn’t imply any sort of afterlife. I don’t claim to know what happens to the “ghost in the machine,” but neither can I talk about the difference between a complex piece of software, which has no self-awareness, and me, who does, without some esse I call a “soul.” ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-in-a-soul/357400/79 "2006-05-20T15:14:51Z")
> [@bup](#): > > Well, acknowledging **Eve’s** admonishment that we’re headed for GD if we’re not careful, let me ask, non-confrontationally - > > For those who agree with **Lissa** , what is your definition of consciousness? To be conscious is to be aware of self and an external reality. Now comes the hard part. What do “aware” and “reality” mean? > [@](#): > > And How does it exist in a mushy ball? You want I should win two or three Novel Prizes in one year? We _are_ the electrical activity in our brains. When that stops we no longer _are_. And you can take that to the bank. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-in-a-soul/357400/80 "2006-05-20T15:58:50Z")
> [@bup](#): > > Consciousness has a center. I don’t agree - unless you’re using the word “center” in a different sense? > [@bup](#): > > I am somewhere within my brain. IMO, better to say "I am **everywhere** in my brain\* and my body\*. Conciousness is emergent, it arises from the interactions of your neurons, your sense organs, your hormone systems etc… It doesn’t just sit in your head, I think - a brain in a jar will have a very different personality from that same brain in a body. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-in-a-soul/357400.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-in-a-soul/357400.md?page=5)