2007-05-28 06:02:47 · 26 answers · asked by kfount400 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Experiences and upbringing.
2007-05-28 06:05:05 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 1⤋
You've got a couple of problems with your question.
First, not all atheists believe that we don't have souls. Atheists believe only that there is no God, not necessarily that there is no spirit.
Second, there is no need for a soul in order to have a personality. Personality can be explained with an understanding of the brain. Just as two computers with different operating systems and programs, but with the same hardware will behave differently, and perform different functions, so will two human beings with different experiences behave differently.
2007-05-28 06:07:55 · answer #2 · answered by Deirdre H 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Ego (Latin) The personal pronoun "I"; in philosophy and theosophy, the ego is the center of 'I-am-ship' or egoity in the human being. There are two such centers: the spiritual and impersonal, commonly called the individuality; and the personal, often called the soul or the personality. The former ego is unconditionally immortal, the latter ego is conditionally immortal, but in most cases mortal because of its lack of binding aspirations with its higher Over-self, the individuality.
The ego is that which says "I am I"; it is indirect or reflected consciousness, consciousness recognizing its own mayavi existence as a separate entity. It is not the permanent self or the atma-buddhi-manas considered as an indissoluble triad; for all egos in the human constitution are reflections of the permanent spiritual selfhood. This means that there are innumerable egos of the same kind -- "myself" and other similar myselves -- also that there are egos of different kinds.
2007-05-28 06:17:22 · answer #3 · answered by reverendrichie 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Do people really have a personality, a characteristicway of behaving that stays with them through their lives? Though many psychologists believe so, they have different ideas about what it is. For some, it is a quality inside each one of us. For others, it is in the eye of the beholder. Personality for them is what some people see other people doing.
This idea of personality as a social construct has been championed by psychologist Robert Hogan of the University of Tulsa. To Hogan, we are social animals whose behavior is governed by certain rules. Throughout our evolution, he believes, most people have behaved in ways that will increase their influence within the group or else gain them greater social approval. This search for status or popularity means that we behave in ways that other people will find predictable. They can confidently describe us as being honest or dependable or pleasant or intelligent, because that is the way they see us behaving. For Hogan, then, personality is the description that one group of people use when they describe the behavior of other people.
People describe other peoplein many different ways. We may say that someone is either sociable or withdrawn; moody or emotionally stable; good-natured or uncooperative; well-organized or aimless. Each of these different descriptions represents a separate dimension of our personality. When people describe us they pinpoint our position on several of these dimensions at the same time.
2007-05-28 06:16:44 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
If only souls cause different personalities how is it that animals are different from one another too? Aren't they supposed to be without a soul?
Back to the drawing board. Having a soul has nothing to do with personality.
2007-05-28 06:30:54 · answer #5 · answered by Cabal 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Just look at basic science -- personalities change dramatically with changes in brain chemistry and structure. Look at the various dramatic changes in personality that occur after certain strong events to the brain. Those who have experienced God directly realize this and realize that we're not these bodies and brains and NOT these personalities.
2007-05-28 06:08:15 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
This isn't a question of the soul or religion. It's a psychological question of nature vs. nurture.
2007-05-28 06:07:17 · answer #7 · answered by Graciela, RIRS 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Differences in brain chemistry, differences in how and where you were brought up. This has been shown to have great effects on personality.
2007-05-28 06:05:38 · answer #8 · answered by eri 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
The same thing that causes dogs to have different personalities.
2007-05-28 06:05:25 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 7⤊ 1⤋
Genetics.
2007-05-28 06:07:05 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
Environment and Genetics.
It has nothing to do with an imaginary "soul".
2007-05-28 06:09:57 · answer #11 · answered by Yoda Green 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋