What is a Soul?
It cannot be seen or measured and there are no scientific instruments that can observe it. So how do we know we have a soul? Well we’ve been told so, that’s how. But is there anything about the soul that we can work out for ourselves?Well a soul can’t be the same thing as consciousness because our consciousness can undergo changes that a soul cannot; or at least I presume it cannot. Is a soul susceptible to dementia, or the same kind of changes that the consciousness might face after a brain injury? If so, it seems a depressing thought that the soul could spend eternity in that state. Although I can’t say it with certainty, I’m going to conclude that the soul is not the same thing as consciousness.
Is it safe to assume that consciousness ceases to be after death? Consciousness certainly seems to be very dependent on brain function so it probably is safe to assume that it vanishes when the brain stops functioning. Consciousness, then, must be purely a mortal phenomenon, while the soul, it is said, is immortal. We can now then say that only the soul is subject to anything that might happen after physical death, and that consciousness will not be involved.
But what is the connection between consciousness and soul? Well we know that the soul will be held responsible for the choices we consciously make so our soul must be constantly influencing us, even though we don’t seem to have any insight into its process of doing so. It would seem as though we are merely vehicles being driven by our souls.
When I think about what the entity me actually is, obviously my physical body plays a part in my concept of self identity, but primarily I am thinking of my attitudes and opinions, my likes and dislikes, my emotions and what gives rise them, my memories; my personality and character. Are all these things mirrored in my soul? If so, I can’t imagine what the reason for this duplication might be. In the light of the conclusions I have already come to, I can’t seem to avoid the further conclusion that my soul and I are two separate entities that have an intimate coexistence but will, at some point, go our separate ways. This controlling thing I call the soul may well be accountable for its actions once we have parted company, but, during our coexistence, it seems to consider itself completely unanswerable to me.
While I might not have fully answered the original question, ‘what is a soul’, I have come up with perhaps a more pertinent question; why should I give a toss what happens to it after it has left its mortal coil?
Comments (105)
Read John Locke's philosophy, which presents that our brain is like a blank sheet of paper, it is empty until we acquire all these substance from outside of our own existence. So you leave a person, growing all to herself or himself, guess what, he is limited as to what is around him but that doesn't mean to say he can't acquire all there is to be learned if he is able to. Read Jan Eric Aflorsh "Fortuna Fix" Maybe your question will be more substantiated by intelligence that is gifted.
Even if we weren't directly involved in learning about souls, the afterlife, etc., we couldn't help but be aware of the belief.
Whether we afterwards choose to believe it or not doesn't take away from our awareness.
James Brown and the Motown sounds.
As you say...some prefer to burry their heads and stay in their comfort zone.
I do have more tendency of wanting to know more than just our physical existence Harbal.
A quote comes to mind...
"Logic will get you from A to B
And Imagination will get you ANYWHERE.
I don't eat it anymore as I've become vegetarian for some time now.
Tasting a durian and not liking it is a different matter.
I wonder if Adam and Eve were created in Indonesia and told not to eat the durian things might have been different.
We don't know we don't like something until we take that bite.
All these people in the bible get a bad name, but they are only doing what they were supposed to do.
Everyone has his/her own idea of interpretation.
To me, I’m at peace with what I know...or don’t know! It really doesn’t matter in a grand scheme of things, well at least to me.
Some are still searching....soul searching. Hope they find what they’re looking for. And to those who are not, well, just carry on in what you’re doing. Be merry and happy
I also believe consciousness may be around awhile after your gone until it realizes it's vessel is gone