What is a soul?
8/30 - Here is my current belief: the soul is not it's own entity, but rather a description of three components of the complex human structure: free will, emotions, and the conscience. Our morals are based on genetics and life experience, as are our emotions. Our free will is a bit more complicated, but I feel it is only another product of synergy. Here is a situation to think about:
Suppose I make a computer program that reacts to certain stimuli. I program it so that it evaluates each stimulus with a multitude a criterion. Also, I make the program so that it has the ability to reprogram itself based on experience. It is so complex, that one might mistake it for having a soul. After all, it does have the same properties of having one. It is obvious to us that it does not, but the point I am trying to make is that no matter how complex our actions may be, they do not necessarily imply the existance of a soul.
6/10 - It seems that emotions and decision-making are properties of humans that cannot be explained by science and are a product of God. Here are some other ideas:
Maybe spirits are our fourth dimension that we are not fully aware of because we only use 10% of our brains.
Maybe emotions that we feel are a result of emergent properties. Emergent properties occur when two seperate pieces that contain their own properties join and contain new properties that do not exist in the pieces themselves. Humans are made of layer after layer of structure and complexity, and it could very well be possible that emotions and consciousness are are result of this structure. I feel very strongly that this complexity and the existance of emotions are a result of evolution also.
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