# Do you have a spirit? What is it? How do you know? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 8, 2023, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-spirit-what-is-it-how-do-you-know/988245 "2023-08-08T12:30:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2023, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-spirit-what-is-it-how-do-you-know/988245/41 "2023-08-09T17:04:42Z")
> [@Ulfreida](#): > > You mean women are prey animals? Actually, I was going for a pun-like thing, based on _that specific name_ (as opposed to “puma” or “panther” or “cougar”). ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2023, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-spirit-what-is-it-how-do-you-know/988245/42 "2023-08-09T17:09:18Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > But is a “spirit” a physical process? Could it be that “spirit” corresponds to life in the same way that “3” corresponds to three apples or three metres or three months? ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2023, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-spirit-what-is-it-how-do-you-know/988245/43 "2023-08-09T17:20:13Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Actually, I was going for a pun-like thing, based on _that specific name_ (as opposed to “puma” or “panther” or “cougar”). mm. missed that. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2023, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-spirit-what-is-it-how-do-you-know/988245/44 "2023-08-09T17:21:15Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Even if they will never be resolved, I find it potentially useful and interesting to discuss such issues so as to get a clearer understanding of what the two sides (are there only two?) believe and why, so that they’re _not_ mutually incomprehensible. Mutual understanding doesn’t have to imply mutual agreement. It’s very easy for believers to understand non-believers. The reverse does not seem possible. That’s like trying to describe colors to someone with no eyes. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2023, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-spirit-what-is-it-how-do-you-know/988245/45 "2023-08-09T17:44:20Z")
The concept of a soul/spirit is/was derived just like so many other inexplicable things we come across in our lifetime. -Taking an observed/experienced unexplained phenomena -Describing it by giving it those observed/experienced traits -Making up an explanation for it with no basis in fact -Giving it further traits with no basis in fact -And finally, giving it a label ---
**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:** [August 9, 2023, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-spirit-what-is-it-how-do-you-know/988245/46 "2023-08-09T18:02:21Z")
> [@Ulfreida](#): > > It’s very easy for believers to understand non-believers. The reverse does not seem possible. That’s like trying to describe colors to someone with no eyes. Or hallucinations to people that don’t have them. As far as believers easily understanding non-believers? I have been asked why I turned away from God, why I hate God, why I worship Satan etc. Not seeing much understanding there. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2023, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-spirit-what-is-it-how-do-you-know/988245/47 "2023-08-09T18:21:12Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > I think I fit that criteria. And I’ve taken some grief for it on this board before. I believe in “continuity of person”. Sleeping doesn’t end this “continuity”, neither does unconsciousness. But being disassembled atom by atom, converted to energy, shipped and reassembled, IMO, does. I think for the transporter thing, it has to be assumed that continuity of all processes does occur, or else the reassembled person wouldn’t be a functional person. There would be a cessation of process, then a resumption of process, such that the effect is the same as if the hiatus had never occurred. I don’t want to turn this into yet another transporter zombie thread, but if you believe something essential escapes and goes away when a process is halted, then _perfectly_ resumed, that essential thing that goes away sounds sort of spirit-y ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2023, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-spirit-what-is-it-how-do-you-know/988245/48 "2023-08-09T18:33:33Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > As far as believers easily understanding non-believers? I have been asked why I turned away from God, why I hate God, why I worship Satan etc. Not seeing much understanding there. I should have said, believers who are not fundamentalist idiots (of any faith). That would be a _subset_ of believers, useful for attributing every idiotic and cruel thing they do, say, and think to the tens of millions of other believers. Also, I’ve had hallucinations (on acid and mushrooms). They are nothing like belief, and they were clearly hallucinations while I was having them. People who believe their hallucinations are rightly labeled “schizophrenic”. Different group. ---
**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:** [August 9, 2023, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-spirit-what-is-it-how-do-you-know/988245/49 "2023-08-09T18:40:00Z")
Like No True Scotsman? Your analogy about colors doesn’t work because the colorblind for the most part don’t believe that color doesn’t exist, just that they can’t see it. It puts “spirits” into the category of “everyone knows definitely exists”, and that doesn’t work. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2023, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-spirit-what-is-it-how-do-you-know/988245/50 "2023-08-09T18:51:49Z")
> [@Ulfreida](#): > > It’s very easy for believers to understand non-believers. The reverse does not seem possible. I have been in both camps, and I can say without reservation that it is not at all difficult for non-believers to understand faith. Absolutely possible, because we all possess the mechanisms that correlate to belief, and, though it might take some effort, it can be understood just as easily as a believer might be able to understand unbelief. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2023, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-spirit-what-is-it-how-do-you-know/988245/51 "2023-08-09T18:56:39Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > I have been in both camps, and I can say without reservation that it is not at all difficult for non-believers to understand faith. Absolutely possible, because we all possess the mechanisms that correlate to belief, and, though it might take some effort, it can be understood just as easily as a believer might be able to understand unbelief. So, unbelievers understand, and that’s why they revile, insult, mock, and despise? Interesting idea, but to me, it really conflicts with my personal definition of ‘understanding’. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2023, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-spirit-what-is-it-how-do-you-know/988245/52 "2023-08-09T19:20:02Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Your analogy about colors doesn’t work because the colorblind for the most part don’t believe that color doesn’t exist, just that they can’t see it. I didn’t say colorblind. I said no eyes. People who can’t understand what sight is. Anyway, colorblind people see colors, just not all of them, so it’s like infrared is for the normal-sighted. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2023, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-spirit-what-is-it-how-do-you-know/988245/53 "2023-08-09T19:21:54Z")
> [@Ulfreida](#): > > It’s very easy for believers to understand non-believers. I have seen/heard too many comments from believers who apparently _don’t_ understand non-believers’ points of view to think that this is correct. > [@Ulfreida](#): > > The reverse does not seem possible. Certainly, _some_ non-believers have little to no understanding of believers (or of what they believe and why), and many of these Dunning-Kruegerishly don’t even understand how little they understand. But not all—some understand a lot better than others, in my experience. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2023, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-spirit-what-is-it-how-do-you-know/988245/54 "2023-08-09T19:23:29Z")
Crikey, man, do you just read some of the words in a post and miss the others? And, quite frankly, if unbelievers “revile, mock, insult and despise” believers (yeah, because every damn agnostic and atheist wants to beat you up, every single one of them), how is that markedly different from the way the faithful treat unbelievers? Seriously. ---
**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:** [August 9, 2023, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-spirit-what-is-it-how-do-you-know/988245/55 "2023-08-09T19:25:23Z")
Doesn’t matter. Your analogy still fails because blind people for the most part aren’t saying that colors don’t exist at all. Your argument seems to be that it is a fact that spirits exist but we unbelievers just can’t see/hear/feel them. ---
**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:** [August 9, 2023, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-spirit-what-is-it-how-do-you-know/988245/56 "2023-08-09T19:26:31Z")
But those aren’t the _Real_ Believers! Amazing how that argument doesn’t work the other way around. ---
**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:** [August 9, 2023, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-spirit-what-is-it-how-do-you-know/988245/57 "2023-08-09T19:34:01Z")
> [@Clu-Me-In](#): > > Most of us believe we have a “Spirit,” Please clarify. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2023, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-spirit-what-is-it-how-do-you-know/988245/58 "2023-08-09T19:40:24Z")
I see no reason to think I have anything that approximates a “spirit” as commonly described. My body appears to be purely physical and nothing else. The chemical processes that power it created movement, thought and all qualities that can be considered as “life”. Exactly the same processes that drive the lowliest single-cell bacteria, different only in scale and in the evolutionary quirk that allows us to ponder our own existence. When those process stop, “I” stop. That’s it. Nothing remains other than slowly cooling chemicals. I’ve never heard a satisfactory explanation why anything more than that can be reasonably posited. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2023, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-spirit-what-is-it-how-do-you-know/988245/59 "2023-08-09T20:43:58Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Your argument seems to be that it is a fact that spirits exist but we unbelievers just can’t see/hear/feel them. Well, spirit exists. Don’t know about spirits. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2023, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-spirit-what-is-it-how-do-you-know/988245/60 "2023-08-09T20:44:54Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > But those aren’t the _Real_ Believers! Amazing how that argument doesn’t work the other way around. I think the whole argument can be summed up as “some people are real dickheads. Others aren’t.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-spirit-what-is-it-how-do-you-know/988245.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-spirit-what-is-it-how-do-you-know/988245.md?page=4)