Thank you! I'm studying ontology and phenomenology. This is my first attempt to talk about theology. However, I must admit that I wrote this article based on similar questions that you asked at the beginning of the topic. — Astorre

Astorre, I’m going to be honest. You could even write something like a philosophical paper with your knowledge, I believe that something like this could be published in a philosophical journal. Just make sure you cite things properly and double check everything (if you're planning on publishing something like this or if you're taking ontology and penomenology to a masters level or a PhD.)

I would like if we could discuss more things together, especially philosophy! I’m fascinated by your essay and I would like to hear more about your thought process. Would you like to talk sometime? it's alright if you cannot.



Thank you for understanding, Tom. I greatly appreciate it.

I am taking a short break, because I want to answer honestly and actually engage for at least one more reply. But I have started reading Mainlander.

Astorre, your essay is absolutely amazing. More amazing than any of the answers I have recieved so far. Are you studying theology?

Jack Cummins, What you're describing about "a guiding force" or "the higher self" is a very common view in New Age Spirituality. I’m surprised you even know about the higher self!

Tom Storm, I’m genuinely sorry. I misunderstood. If you want the truth... I’m hoping for a better ending. Not just death and that's it. I want to matter... not to just disappear one day and be forgotten. I don't want my efforts, my wishes, everything I am... to be in vain. That is why I’m so scared of the idea of the soul. That is why I want to know more about it. Yet... even if one religion is right, how would we know which one is the one that's right? Now then, the biggest question for you is here. If God, or any other deity was real, would you be kind to others out of your own accord, or would you do it out of fear? What even is the point of doing something if it is pointless? Do you just do it and die? Do you "create your own purpose?" I have so many questions... yet such a tiny amount of answers. And let's say that the soul is real, that Christianity is the "one true religion," wouldn't you be afraid of... basically anything because you might go to hell? ...That's my honest answer. The one I have been bottling up out of fear.

The world is full of subjects I know nothing about, and that makes no difference to me. But the idea of a soul is hardly just another subject, it's so closely tied to questions of transcendence and meaning that you must be looking for something in particular. — Tom Storm

I'll respond while I still can, since I need to study.

I explained to you how I work, my curiosity knows no bounds. And even if I were to explain my mental issues which I was diagnosed with from a very young age, would it really matter? Or would it be against the forum's rules? I believe it wouldn't matter. Since we have such different opinions.

You believe it does not matter either way, which is a valid point and I cannot argue against that. I believe that if a sort of "deity" were to exist, it should at least give us better lives. No wars, no mental issues such as anxiety, no poverty, etc. etc. Maybe they're all part of human life, some might say. But I wouldn't agree.

Still, thank you for being honest in your opinion.

I'm sorry I didn't respond sooner. I was sleeping.
You all make very good arguments about the soul. And I’m truly sorry I cannot give more detailed answers and arguments... I just don’t know any, I don’t have enough knowledge. I need to study more.

Tom Storm, I will answer your question. The only reason the soul even matters to me is because I want knowledge and understanding of said knowledge. For example, if you were to find a subject you knew nothing about wouldn't you find it interesting to study? wouldn't you want to find people to talk about and share opinions with? That is how I work. I find out a concept exists, then I just... want to learn. Does that make sense?

T Clark, you make a very valid point about how the soul is basically just the body. It's fascinating, really. I have nothing to add since I’m still at my humble beginnings of philosophy and I would still like to learn.

MrLiminal, Interesting theory! I find it fascinating that you say that the soul could just be neuroimaging technology.

Wayfarer, you also make a very valid point. "Animated being" and the word in Greek is "psuche." Essentially meaning "the Mind," and you are the mind. A very good point of view, indeed!

BC, You make a good and logical point of view. just like we cannot allow other to drunk drive, we must also take into consideration others. I agree! I just didn't think of it whilst writing the post. I couldn't remember, but I digress. These are just excuses. You asked me where I got my knowledge from, and that I should keep reading, right? Well, I didn't get my knowledge from reading up until now. I got it from summary videos on philosophy and religion. Oh, and also, I’m planning on reading Philipp Mainländer's works! I really like his nihilistic ideas. I accept your handshake BC, nice to meet you!

Jack Cummins, I believe I have heard of the Greek word "daimon." Is it not the origin of the word "demon?" I believe I read about it in what I believe is a demonolgy forum. I could be wrong, though.

Once again, I’m truly sorry I couldn't give more detailed answers or arguments. I just don't know any.
It's amazing to be surrounded by people who are much smarter than me! It really is humbling.

And if I respond less often, know that it's because I’m either overwhelmed and in a panic attack (due to my anxiety issues) or I’m studying to get a high school diploma, since I’m a high school dropout and I wanna get back into academia.

It's been really awesome meeting you all!

There's one way scientifically to discover souls exist, and that is to discover some significant physical behaviour inside of a brain that cannot be explained by matter behaving like normal matter. If all matter in the universe behaves like normal matter, then human behaviour by extension would have to be a consequence of matter behaving like matter.

The hypothesis that there's a soul, however, is the hypothesis (it seems to me) that some non matter "mind/soul" thing is reaching into the universe and changing something about the behaviour of matter, making it do one thing when it otherwise would have done another thing.

It doesn't seem in principle impossible to detect such a thing, though it might be so difficult that it's practically impossible anyway. Especially if the interface between the soul and the physical world is only to be found in the most microscopic physical events in the brain, like the kinds of events that determine if a neuron would fire or not — flannel jesus

Ah, thank you for the clarification. Thank you for your kind response, Flannel Jesus!
Indeed, now that I think about it... it could be classified under a category such as Quantum Mechanics or something entirely new. Maybe I’m wrong again, but I don’t mind being wrong! It is the learning experience that matters.

For me, knowledge and understanding are the most important things.

It seems to me the only way immaterial souls could be confirmed to exist for certain is if a revealed God has bequeathed us with them. Otherwise, we would have to discover the existence of souls with science or something, and that sounds unlikely, or least difficult, to me. — ToothyMaw

I see. So the only way of actually telling if we have something like a "soul" would be through science. But, as we know, scicence is very rigurous and strict. Thus, proving souls would be near impossible within our lifetimes due to how slow science is at accepting these kinds of ideas, not to mention they were most probably tested before. And let's say we had souls, we would know... right? I don't mean scientifically. I mean both intuitively, and by the fact that God, or perhaps even Jesus Himself would visit us regularly. And angels would be on watch and visible to us 24/7 driving most of us insane since we would not be capable of "withstanding them" unless they are in our dreams. But if they were to show up in our dreamns, we would not believe them. That's how I view it, at least.

I feel like if God has given us souls, he would have worked some free will magic into it, even if we are not wholly, physically identified with said souls. That being said, there could be deterministic mechanisms in a soul, too, I think. Thus, the issue of whether or not one is truly in control of oneself goes deeper than just the question of the existence of souls and whether or not they encompass our entire being (that is to say, including the body). If Christianity were specifically right, then we should listen to the relevant theologians on the matter - and I am no theologian. — ToothyMaw

Thank you for answering this question even if you're not a theologian. It means a lot, because Question 2 was the one that was bothering me most.
Indeed, I didn't think of the fact that there could be "Free Will Magic," as you've described it. I have nothing else to add to this part of your answer, since you're right. Theologians are more suited.

God could just load our souls with our entire psychological being seamlessly upon death and, given he has given us the ability to choose freely according to our wills, the choices we make would indeed matter in terms of avoiding hell. Honestly, this would be a trifle for an omnipotent God. — ToothyMaw

I didn't think of that, this is an amazing response! I have tried to figure out whether it truly mattered to be a good person for the longest time. But I never thought that if God is truly omnipotent, he could seamlessly transfer our old consciousness into the soul and punish us that way.

I suppose so, but that seems to imply that the soul is physically housed in, or connected to, the body or brain in some way. — ToothyMaw

This was the reason I was kind of skeptical of the claims that say "you are the soul living in a human body."

Welcome to the forum, by the way. — ToothyMaw

Thank you ToothyMaw for the warm welcome! I appreciate it a lot!

The concept of the 'soul' is one which is believed in by most religions and ancient philosophers, but rejected by many materialistic thinkers. In many ways, the soul could be seen as consciousness itself, including the interface between 'mind' and 'body'. — Jack Cummins

I believe I have read of that possibility somewhere... maybe I listened to it in a video or podcast or something. But I agree, the "soul" could just be what we call "consciousness."

It was partly Descartes' thought which led to the separation of mind and body. This has been challenged by ideas of embodiment as central to consciousness. — Jack Cummins

Sadly, I don't know much about Descartes' ideas apart from "I think, therefore I am." I really need to read one of his books... but I’m not that good at reading books. I get intimidated by the number of pages a book has, but I digress.

The idea of the soul doesn't in itself require the existence of God, or a deity. However, it could be argued that some approximation towards 'God' or a 'supreme reality could be figured from the idea of a source of consciousness from the nature of soul. This is suggested in Plotinus's idea of the 'One', which is the connective source. — Jack Cummins

Indeed, the soul doesn't need the existence of a God in order for it to exist. If we look at Buddhism, for example, they don't really have a "God" per se. They have the Buddha, sure. And yes, they pray to him. But the Buddha was not a "God" in any way shape or form. He was just a man who achieved what people call "Enlightenment." That's it. I could be very wrong, though...

Welcome to the forum,
Jack — Jack Cummins

Thank you for the kind welcome, Jack! I appreciate it, a lot!