The relationship between your soul and your brain.

[michel]

Not really, there are many atheists that believe in a soul, and as far as I am correct there are also religions that don't need a soul either..

That surprised me, at first...........

My (initial) concept of 'soul' is quite different, and different from 'Operating System' too.

If the brain is a computer, and a life-time is a USB plug-in, then the soul is the God-operator who, from the computer's perspective, is imagined to plug the USB device into the brain's port over and over again with each waking instant of existence.

That makes sense; not the first time I read it.........., but it is growing on me.

Because the fundamental issue is that of appeal to supernatural agency. To believe in souls while holding no belief in gods is equivalent to believing in the Fairy Kingdom while holding no belief in the Goddess Danu.

I must admit that was my initial reaction (though I would have couched the words so as to be less abrasive)...........

 

[Glaurung]

Does it integrate with the brain?

No.

Is it the soul that creates the chemical reactions in your brain?

No.

Is it the chemical reactions in your brain which creates the soul?

No.

Is it something else than your consciousness?

Yes.

Give me your belief please.

As I understand the traditional Christian belief, the soul is not some thing outside or independent of the body, human beings are inherently of physical nature. Nonetheless, conciousness by some mechanism bestowed by God continues after physical death until it is eventually reunited with a glorified body. I think the idea that there's some sort of "ghost" inside you somewhere is a childish misunderstanding.

 

[George-ananda]

I would like to head different theories on what the soul is, and how it relates to the brain.

Does it integrate with the brain?
Is it the soul that creates the chemical reactions in your brain?
Is it the chemical reactions in your brain which creates the soul?
Is it something else than your consciousness?

Give me your belief please.

I believe the soul is your Higher Self on a higher realm of reality. Our normal self is the three bodies physical/astral/mental that interpenetrate each other and are incarnated by a soul. The physical body does not create consciousness but allows incarnated consciousness to have a physical plane experience. I wish I could do a drawing of this. But since this thread was started seven years ago probably no one's listening anyway.

One model is that of layers of an onion. Brahman, pure consciousness, is the core. The physical body is then the outermost layer of the onion. The success higher realms astral/mental/soul are the internal layers and are progressively closer to the core and more 'real'.

 

[dgirl1986]

Depends what you see the soul as? If you see it as where your personality comes from, your emotions etc. Then I would say that my brain is my soul.

 

[Nails]

Your brain, or body, is your physical portion and your soul is your supernatural portion. The soul is non-material, while your body is material. One cannot operate without the other. Your soul experiences the external world through your body, and your body is alive by your soul. Your body is mortal and temporal, it will wear out, while your soul is immortal and eternal. When your body dies your soul will continue to exist.

I do not know how the interaction occurs, but since it is eternal the soul must be where your 'personness', or self resides.

 

[Cephus]

Your brain, or body, is your physical portion and your soul is your supernatural portion. The soul is non-material, while your body is material. One cannot operate without the other. Your soul experiences the external world through your body, and your body is alive by your soul. Your body is mortal and temporal, it will wear out, while your soul is immortal and eternal. When your body dies your soul will continue to exist.

I do not know how the interaction occurs, but since it is eternal the soul must be where your 'personness', or self resides.

Let us know when you actually prove that a soul is real, otherwise it's just a fantasy and your entire position is bogus.

 

[Nails]

Let us know when you actually prove that a soul is real, otherwise it's just a fantasy and your entire position is bogus.

I can't prove it to a skeptic's satisfaction...it comes from faith based on revelation from God in nature and through the Bible. Fantasy? No. This thread is not to offer proof but rather to share conceptions of the relationship between brain and soul. Your response to ridicule the sincerely held beliefs of another person is typical of a close-minded atheist.

 

[Cephus]

I can't prove it to a skeptic's satisfaction...it comes from faith based on revelation from God in nature and through the Bible. Fantasy? No. This thread is not to offer proof but rather to share conceptions of the relationship between brain and soul. Your response to ridicule the sincerely held beliefs of another person is typical of a close-minded atheist.

Then you have absolutely nothing. You have an empty belief supported by no objective evidence, based on fanatical belief in a nonsensical religion. Nobody is going to be impressed by that. You might as well be discussing the relationship between waving a stick and magical spells. It doesn't matter how sincerely your beliefs are held, it doesn't make them true.

 

[Nails]

Then you have absolutely nothing. You have an empty belief supported by no objective evidence, based on fanatical belief in a nonsensical religion. Nobody is going to be impressed by that. You might as well be discussing the relationship between waving a stick and magical spells. It doesn't matter how sincerely your beliefs are held, it doesn't make them true.

I'm not trying to impress you. Do you have a concept of brain/soul relationship to offer here?

 

[Cephus]

I'm not trying to impress you. Do you have a concept of brain/soul relationship to offer here?

Sure. No evidence that anything like a soul exists. It's fantasy.

 

[George-ananda]

Sure. No evidence that anything like a soul exists. It's fantasy.

My belief in a soul is evidence based. I have looked deeply into multiple fields and they converge on a worldview that includes a soul. Just some of the fields that have led me to my worldview are NDEs, childhood reincarnational memories, spirit activities of the deceased, mystical insights, miracles, evidence suggesting eastern Vedic/Hindu insights beyond physical science, etc., etc., etc.

To say there is 'no evidence' is wrong. To say there is no physical science 'proof' is correct. But, in my considered opinion, belief in a soul is the most reasonable position after all the evidence and argumentation is considered.

I find some people have such an emotional attachment to atheistic-materialism that they can not consider evidence objectively. In fact the hard-cores will say there is no evidence or argumentation to even consider.

 

[Gnostic Seeker]

I believe the soul, or psyche in Greek, which can also translate 'mind'- is the self that remains aware of itself in the constant flux of change throughout our life. The ego is the impermanent and ever-changing self, like change of views, etc., but the psyche isn't like that. The psyche is the part that keeps saying- 'I am me' 'I am this', and not in a way that relates to change. The person you've been since you were old enough to perceive. The brain helps the psyche be aware of itself, but it isn't the same as the ego.

 

[George-ananda]

I believe the soul, or psyche in Greek, which can also translate 'mind'- is the self that remains aware of itself in the constant flux of change throughout our life. The ego is the impermanent and ever-changing self, like change of views, etc., but the psyche isn't like that. The psyche is the part that keeps saying- 'I am me' 'I am this', and not in a way that relates to change. The person you've been since you were old enough to perceive. The brain helps the psyche be aware of itself, but it isn't the same as the ego.

Do you believe this soul or psyche lives beyond physical death?

 

[Gnostic Seeker]

Yes