Do you believe humans have souls?

[Zetanio]

To OP:

No.

[Kaylia]

The origin of the world? Or the universe? We already have the answer to one of those. We didn't before, but do now. Aren't you a physicist?

Edit: And what the hell does discovering how the brain manifests consciousness have to do with the existence of God? Even if Astronomy hits a wall for a while, Biopsych and Neuroscience aren't going to just stop working because people don't know what caused the Big Bang. These are two completely separate ideas.

I'm a physicist, I don't believe in God or souls, the big bang is real, and there is thing discussed in this thread that science will never be able to explain.

The opinion that "we can explain everything" is widespread, but it's also wrong. To understand that, you have to understand the metaphysics that precede sciences and the definition of truth. We could debate this for hours, but essentially, it just means that no matter how far you push your understanding, you will always need a few axioms that can't be questioned. However, it's still valid to ask yourself "Is there anything beyond that?". The "everything" in sciences isn't the same "everything" people use when they talk about souls or God. Science can explains everything that follow the beginning, but it can't explain the beginning itself.

How is God related to soul? The soul is by definition something that is beyond nature, something that transcend time and space in a way similar to "God". Obviously, any tangible definitions can be proven wrong, but the moment you place it "outside" our world (before the begining), it become unfalsifiable and outside the scope of science.

Even if we found that our universe was entirely deterministic (no more quantum mechanics), someone could always say that his soul allowed him to change the whole universe in a way that isn't detectable. You can make up anything when you propose an idea that escape the world.


[edit]
And I was using "world" in its broad meaning that include every observables structures we might discovered beyond our universe.
World: An ontological world, by which human beings are able to make sense of things in general

[Greatguardian]

I'm a physicist, I don't believe in God or souls, the big bang is real, and there is thing discussed in this thread that science will never be able to explain.

The opinion that "we can explain everything" is widespread, but it's also wrong. To understand that, you have to understand the metaphysics that precede sciences and the definition of truth. We could debate this for hours, but essentially, it just means that no matter how far you push your understanding, you will always need a few axioms that can't be questioned. However, it's still valid to ask yourself "Is there anything beyond that?". The "everything" in sciences isn't the same "everything" people use when they talk about souls or God. Sciences can explains everything that follow their beginning, but they can't explain the beginning itself.

How is God related to soul? The soul is by definition something that is beyond nature, something that transcend time and space in a way similar to "God". Obviously, any tangible definitions can be proven wrong, but the moment you place it "outside" our world (before the begining), it become unfalsifiable and outside the scope of science.

Even if we found that our universe was entirely deterministic (no more quantum mechanics), someone could always say that his soul allowed him to change the whole universe in a way that isn't detectable. You can make up anything when you propose an idea that escape the world.


[edit]
And I was using "world" in its broad meaning that include every observables structures we might discovered beyond our universe.
World: An ontological world, by which human beings are able to make sense of things in general

You make a fair point, but I think we're missing each other. I don't think we'll ever be capable of understanding everything. For that to be true, there would have to be an upper limit to evolution and knowledge. The implications of such an upper limit are catastrophic.

However, in regards to human consciousness and how "We" exist within our bodies and minds, I do believe that we are perfectly capable of understanding what goes on there given enough time and study. Biopsych is a relatively new field, you know.

[quannum]

are people equating consciousness with soul?

[Jefe]

It would've been far more interesting to ask something in the veins of "How is our mind connected to our bodies," in essence the concept of the mind. With the soul stuff you're gonna get nothing more than the typical bg atheist circle jerking.

[Kaylia]

You make a fair point, but I think we're missing each other. I don't think we'll ever be capable of understanding everything. For that to be true, there would have to be an upper limit to evolution and knowledge. The implications of such an upper limit are catastrophic.

However, in regards to human consciousness and how "We" exist within our bodies and minds, I do believe that we are perfectly capable of understanding what goes on there given enough time and study. Biopsych is a relatively new field, you know.

In that regard, then yes, I kinda agree. However, like Quannum pointed out, "soul" and "consciousness" are usually regarded as two differents things. Souls refers to the more spiritual side (and afterdeath) where consciousness is just the behavior we observes on living beings.

As for science proposing a satisfying explanation, I'm not sure I will live to see such thing. I mean, even if you show me the chain of causality that lead to specific brain patterns, which isn't that hard to imagine if you worked with fuzzy logic to be honest, the feeling of "freedom" is always going to remain a mindfuck for the brain.

I mean, it's one thing to observe it, and it's another to "feel it".

[Jaybar]

You mean how the light at the end of the tunnel is just the end of the birth canal?

[Shuvo]

No. I believe that this is all there is, and their is no such thing as a soul.

Having said that. From a solipsist point of view, I have a really hard time imagining how the universe could possibly exist if I'm not there to perceive it. I've tried to think about it several times and all it results in the end is a massive headache for me. This is really the only 'evidence' I have in thinking that maybe their is something out there, and I'm aware that it's extremely weak evidence.

The part of me that wants to remain immortal makes me hope that I'm completely wrong and their is an afterlife, but I'm afraid I'm right. Who knows, (pulling out the pseudo science facts here), maybe something crazy like, an imprint of the electrical activity in our brain somehow stays persistent in the universe after you die. That would be kind of cool and completely useless without eyes, ears and taste to enjoy life. Not to mention, it wouldn't be you, but rather a copy of you, so completely meaningless.

BTW: To the person who posted the article about soul weight - The difference in weight is due to the final exhale of the body. I.e. the mass of the oxygen in the persons body.

[Eurell]

The part of me that wants to remain immortal makes me hope that I'm completely wrong and their is an afterlife, but I'm afraid I'm right.

Fucking this. I can't help but think about it, and it always bugs the fuck out of me because I can never come to a different answer

I know it shouldn't bother me, because if I'm dead and gone, then theres no part of me to worry about anything, but that never seems to make things any better when I think about death lol.

[Uzor]

No. I believe that when we die, we die. No going back, no going forward. We just disappear like the miserable specs of dust we are. Who - in the grand scheme of things - mean nothing to the world and universe as a whole.

That is, after all, why religion invented the soul and "God". To make it feel like mankind is special, and actually matter. To comfort themselves. to give us a false sense of purpose and fulfillment.

[Kuya]

Do humans have demon's souls?

[Cantih]

Yes, but even more have dark souls.

[ronin sparthos]

The more I think about my Matrix analogy, the more I like it. I'm sticking with that now.

This world is just one giant MMO we've been plugged into.

[Ddz]

Yes, because I'm a narcissistic motherfucker.

[hey]

Having said that. From a solipsist point of view, I have a really hard time imagining how the universe could possibly exist if I'm not there to perceive it. I've tried to think about it several times and all it results in the end is a massive headache for me. This is really the only 'evidence' I have in thinking that maybe their is something out there, and I'm aware that it's extremely weak evidence.

Sounds like a personal problem. Want to talk about it?

[Demosthenes11]

Having said that. From a solipsist point of view, I have a really hard time imagining how the universe could possibly exist if I'm not there to perceive it. I've tried to think about it several times and all it results in the end is a massive headache for me. This is really the only 'evidence' I have in thinking that maybe their is something out there, and I'm aware that it's extremely weak evidence.
.

how does that make sense...was the universe there before you?

[Alleya]

I think the better question is "Why aren't you imagining me on a beach in Tahiti surrounded by whores"

[Demosthenes11]

It's "I think therefore I am," not "I think therefore it is"

[Bregor]

I voted yes, but not in a religious sense at all, and maybe not even in an afterlife sense. In fact the evangelical notion of "saving others' souls" is pretty absurd to me, along with the assumption that if you go to a building once a week and listen to a guy talk, or repeat the same words over and over, you will be immortal, no matter what kind of person you are.

I guess I just think that human cognition has developed past that of the animal kingdom to the point were our brain function is capable of so much more. I know there is no physical soul, or cloud city or fiery pit after you die, etc. etc.

[Ashmada]

Solipsism is just dumb wrapped up in another layer of dumb.
The Matrix inadvertently created a lot of solipsists (idiots incapable of understanding a metaphor-> they think they've hit on something "really deep" by taking it all literally), and talking about The Matrix makes them crawl out from their dank nests.