I noticed that some of them say that people have no souls. I don't get this. What do they think animates us? I don't mean to be rude, but I am curious as to what atheists call the thing that makes them uniquely them, (Man, this is so awkward.)
I can understand how atheists don't believe in God, but life itself...that's kind of...am I wrong here? Is there some leap in logic that I have missed?
2007-09-03 17:55:01 · 25 answers · asked by Somewhat Enlightened, the Parrot of Truth 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
It's an extremely fair question, but mostly it's a matter of definition. What you call soul we call personality, individuality, or consciousness. We consider these things to be a natural part of our cognitive functions, part of what the brain does. Most of us don't believe in a metaphysical entity that contains all the elements of our personality but exists separately from the physical body and detaches itself from that body after death. No spirit or soul. When our brains die, so does our consciousness and everything that makes us who we are mentally and emotionally.
2007-09-03 18:01:26 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
The concept of the soul has a religious/spiritual connotation, thus is not generally acceptable to atheists. What animates the body is the heart in conjunction with the brain, from a simply biological premise. As for what makes one unique, that is the combination of genes which occurs only once. Your desire to view life as more than biology is affecting your logic, but you are certainly entitled to your philosophical or religious beliefs regarding the soul.
2007-09-04 23:44:50 · answer #2 · answered by Lynci 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The unique wiring of my brain makes me me.
Where is any evidence for a soul? Where does it reside? Where does it touch the physical brain? Why is it that if we physically damage parts of our cortex that our personality changes if we have a separate soul? How do mood and personality altering drugs affect the soul?
Just because you can not understand how simple neural connections can form into as complex a organ as the human brain and produce a human personality - does not mean that there must be a deus-ex-machina controlling it.
Hundreds of years ago when the microscope was invented people looked at sperm cells. What they saw was the shape of a man in the cell. Because they knew that there had to be someone in there controlling it.
They were wrong. Do not make the same mistake.
2007-09-04 01:08:27 · answer #3 · answered by Simon T 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Hi my friend, since you've posted a serious/honest question, here's my serious/honest answer.
Even in the scientific community (call it the atheist community if you wish), it's still being vigorously debated about whether we really have souls or freewill. The answer you get depends greatly on who you ask.
The keyword for arguments about we don't have souls is REDUCTIONISM. A one sentence summary is that all of our consciousness, freewill, or self-awareness can be brought down to the atomic level and scientific analyses. If it sounds a lousy theory it's because I'm explain it in a lousy way. It's a HUGE concept and attempting to explain it here will most likely turn out to be fruitless.
Google and Wikipedia "reductionism" if you want to find out more about it.
2007-09-04 01:36:09 · answer #4 · answered by Good Kid 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What's life? Life’s easy. A quirk of matter. Nature’s way of keeping meat fresh. Doesn't need to be supernatural.
Here's a question back for you - if people have souls because that's what animates us, then why do some Christians (and other religions) believe that animals DON'T have souls? What animates them? Do ants have souls? What animates them, if they don't?
Do trees have souls? They're alive and they grow, albeit a lot slower than people do. What about grass? The sunflower that turns in order to follow the sun? What about a Venus Fly Trap? What animates them?
2007-09-04 01:01:01 · answer #5 · answered by Nandina (Bunny Slipper Goddess) 7 · 7⤊ 0⤋
I don't see how you see us as "needing something that makes us uniquely them." Ah. Let me back up.
Are dogs unique? What about monkeys? To me, they are. They have personalities. Some are shy. Some are loyal, etc. Do you see them needing a god? I would take a guess as to "yes." Ok, what about simpler creatures? Let's say a goldfish or a turtle. Not as unique. Not as distinct a personality. Is a god still required? What about mollusks? Plants? Bacteria?
To me it's all a matter of hiararchy. Sure, we're more complex than other critters, but...I don't see the leap that you think we're taking. If you'd explain further, perhaps I could ... illuminate our position better.
2007-09-04 01:02:36 · answer #6 · answered by Laptop Jesus 3.9 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
The reason Atheists believe people have no souls is because there is no science to back up the presence of a soul in someone.
Soul does not equal personality.
2007-09-04 01:00:07 · answer #7 · answered by Candace M 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
What I don't get is why Christians don't think animals have souls. Animals are 'animated.' They are capable of feeling pain and pleasure, and of having unique personalities. They are 'unique.'
An explanation for the origin of personality can be found in most of the other responses, so I won't bother re-explaining it.
-Atheist for animal rights
2007-09-04 01:10:21 · answer #8 · answered by eV 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually, I think you made the leap most of us miss. Are you implying humans are more animated than other animals? What do you mean by animated? As far as naming the thing that is uniquely me, my parents took care of that. They named me Nick. Just as I have taken care of "that thing" for my three dogs. I do not bother with whether or not I have what you think is a soul. It is irrelevant to me.
2007-09-04 01:02:34 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
Are you saying slugs have souls. That's an interesting proposition . Do they have to worship a god to get to heaven. What do they use for a bible?
And how about viruses , where do they fit in to the soul/god/heaven scenario.
Atheists accept that there are many things that our brains are too limited to understand but refuse to invent gods and demons to fill in the gaps.
That way lies madness and suicide bombers.
2007-09-04 02:26:07 · answer #10 · answered by brainstorm 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋