Is it possible that there is no soul?

Question

By soul, i mean a non-mechanical component in our body.
if so, when a person is asked to travel to the opposite side of a circle via its circumference, how does he decide whether to go right or left.
if so, does the word choice and preference have any meaning.

Answer 1

Well, for choosing how to go around a circle I bet that the balance of the inner ear has something to do with the predisposition of a person to go in one direction or the other.

And of course its possible that there is no soul.

Answer 2

Not only is it possible, it is by far the most probable thing that there is no non-mechanical substance called a soul. The problems with Interactionism (the mind-body theory that says there are two substances, one mechanical [body] and one metaphysical [soul]) are just too great. For example: how can a non-mechanical thing move a mechanical thing?

But if Functionalism is correct (the mind-body theory that says soul or mind is process in a living being) then soul can be a non-mechanical epiphenomenon. It still depends entirely on matter, however. (On this view, simply, you are what you do).

If you think there is a non-mechanical substantial component that our bodies need to move about, then such a component is needed for all living things (ants, worms, spiders, trees). Otherwise, it is special pleading to say soul is NEEDED for humans, but not for cats and chimps. (Descartes had this problem; he thought that other animals were 'automoata', but that we humans were the only ones with soul.)

About the circle question. Well, the problem applies to animals too. A famous thought experiment in the history of philosophy called the "Buridan's Donkey" problem (after a medieval philosopher Buridan) asks, "What will a Donkey do which is placed between two equidistant bags of oats?" (Answer: starve). The problem with this and the circle question is that it is an abstract consideration based on rationalistic assumptions. A REAL donkey, of course, would not starve; we just couldn't explain its selection (not CHOICE) on the basis of a reason!

Same goes for the circle. A person will move to the opposite end by one direction or another either (a) for a reason not having to do with the circle [e.g. left-handedness, light, other nuances], OR (b) for no reason at all.

The principle of sufficient reason is just a rationalist principle, it isn't really true!

Answer 3

Your Soul is the 'experiencer.' There must be a Soul, or else we would be mere Animals. And I believe that all Animals have souls as well, but they are of different spiritual composition; But the Human Animal, running mad- without a soul- is impossible.
It is not possible, I believe, not to have a Soul; God,dess lives within us, and your Soul is a sliver of that Divine Creator.
When a person is asked to travel the circle, how he decides to go, whether right or left- Is up to much debate. If you go right, what effects have you caused, and if you go left, what effects have you caused? If right and left are right and wrong, choice and preference have lots of meaning. But if right and left are not right and wrong, but merely choices.... They still be choices, and all causes have effects. Your Soul is part of God,dess. So I would have to say that being armed with your knowledge now, go out into the world and cause the effect you desire for the world. Your Soul will put you in position to choose- and how you choose determines not only your destiny, but the destiny of all who depend on you; and your Karma, but that really has no relevence to your question. Wouldn't it be nice if all of us only wanted to manifest good will on our Mother Earth? Maybe we could quit killing in the name of God.
Blessed Be.

Answer 4

If I understand you correctly, the soul isn't the brains of the being. But it doesn't preclude the abililty to think. The soul is the immaterial part of our being, it is what I believe sets us apart from the rest of creation. The soul I believe includes the rational part of our being so , yes we could navigate the circumference of a cirlce or go left or right. I would reject the possiblity of the idea of no soul, human beings are unique. We are the only creation that can think, reason and build upon knowedge deliberately. To prove the soul is a bit challenging.

Answer 5

I am afraid that there is no soul.

It is an antiquated concept to explain human characteristics such as personality, thought etc which are individual.

However, all of these are complex constructs of human nerve cell interactions in the brain. Your personality, your thoughts, your dreams, aspirations, everything that defines who you are, including consciousness, is an emergent property of the complex interacting system of neurons that is your brain.

Diseases that affect the brain (Alzheimer's, Huntington's, Schizophrenia, Clinical Depression, Autism etc) affect personality, thought etc - everything that is conventionally the soul - and provide evidence of the above (though there is much more evidence for this).

Answer 6

My theory is that there is a soul because if you think about it everything needs something to work.For example a radio needs electricity.Without it there's no life it just a hunk of metal.The body needs a soul or it would be just a body with no life.A soul is like a conscience.You cant see it but you know its there.

Answer 7

There is no non-physical component in our body...there are plenty of non-mechanical components such as electrical signals.

What does that have to do with choice?

The decision to right or left are both correct if they're no difference between them.

(And what that has to do with the words "choice" and "preference"?...who knows what you mean...do you?????

Answer 8

Yes, but religious connotations aside, who would want to be believe there wasn't a soul?

It seems obvious in observing nature that living things share something unidentifiable, something that sparks them into, well, living. call it what you will, soul or otherwise

Answer 9

All living creatures have a soul. It does not matter if the level of intelligence varies. Once the creature dies, the soul dies.

Answer 10

for all those with doubts and even scientific explanation...what is the 6 grams of weight the a human looses when they die...there has been no scientific evidence of any reason...i think this may be your soul