Where is the soul?

[St Giordano Bruno]

The soul exists in no location in particular, it is just a product of complex reactivity of 33 elements of the periodic table.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

The soul exists in no location in particular, it is just a product of complex reactivity of 33 elements of the periodic table.

Didn't Adam's soul exist wherever Adam was located ?

At creation, after receiving the breath of life, Adam became a living soul.
-Gen 2v7.

Adam's soul [himself] was made from the dust [elements] of earth.

So, at death Adam would be a dead soul, or a lifeless soul. -Acts 3v23.

 

[jtartar]

A core belief of many religions is that there exists some sort of spiritual entity in each living person, usually called a "soul".

My question to theists on this board, is where does this soul reside? And what does the soul do, exactly?

A straightforward look at the evidence does not bode well for the existence of the soul. We can eliminate possible locations of the soul by noticing that people still retain their personalities, beliefs, etc., when they lose limbs, or when certain organs are transplanted. Eventually, we are left with the conclusion that the only important location for personality, belief, etc., is the brain.

So it appears that the soul must reside in the brain. However, it does not appear that the brain actually needs a "soul" to function. Indeed, the growing field of neuroscience has identified parts of the brain that are responsible for particular types of cognition, and there is a well-established model (i.e., the firing of interconnected neurons) that explains how such cognition takes place. In fact, such studies have even discovered parts of the brain responsible for moral judgments, and these judgments have been manipulated by such simple techniques as subjecting the relevant brain area to weak magnetic fields.

So, where is the soul, and what does it do?

KeithH,
To understand what the soul is we just have to search a little in the Scriptures of God's word, The Bible.
If you have a concordance it makes learning much easier. If you look up soul in any concordance, you will find that the Hebrew word for soul is Nephesh.

At Gen 2:7, we have the account of the creation of Adam. The scriptures tell us that God formed Adam from the earth, then breathed into him the breath of life and Adam BECAME a living soul. Notice the Bible does not say that Adam was given a soul, but that he became a soul.
Mankind wants to believe that he is different from animals as far as dying is concerned, but the Bible tells us that man dies just like the animals, and goes back to the dust, from where he came, Gen 3:19, Ecc 3:18-20, Ps 49:20.
Here is a fact that many just cannot believe; every living breathing thing is called a soul inthe Bible, not just man. In fact the first use of the word soul in the Bible is at Gen 1:20, where it says to let the waters swarm forth a swarm of living souls. If you are sincere in wanting to understand your Bible, it is very helpful to get an interlinear Bible that has both the original words of the Bible along with the translation directly into English. If you look up soul in a concordance and look down the listings you will find that soul is used for all kinds of animals, as well as man.
What is very interesting is the fact that God even calls Himself a soul, several places in the Holy Scriptures, Ps 11:5, Prov 6:16, Jere 32:41.
The word soul is actually another way of saying the life of an individual. When a person dies that means his soul is dead. A theological term for this is Psychopannychism.
Since the soul is actually the life, it can die, as do all animals and also man, Eze 18:4,20, Acts 3:22,23.
So, when a soul dies, it is actually out of existence, Job 14:2, anr must wait until Jesus, with the power that God has given him, calls that person to life again, in the resurrection, John 5:28,29, Acts 24:15, Ps 146:3,4.
This is the main reason for the four Gospels, to tell why Jesus came to the earth to give his life for us, as a Great Corresponding Ransom, 1Tim 2:5,6, Matt 20:28, so that we could be resurrected. If not for Jesus we would remain in the dust, out of existence, just as animals.

 

[Jeneshisu]

Heart chakra? /shrugs

I'm on the fence with the idea. I don't really believe that we have "souls" and I don't believe in an afterlife where they would be needed. But at the same time, wouldn't it be nice?

 

[9Westy9]

1) Not all theists believe we have souls
2) Not sure if there can be much evidence for a soul
3) It's a nice idea I guess? xD

 

[btd,dtbb]

you believe the soul dies when the body dies, yet you made bibilical references of god referring to himself as having a soul. If god has a soul and the soul dies, then how do you explain the eternal existence of god. you referred to the concordance definition of a soul. is there two definitions of a soul (human soul and godly soul) or is a soul a soul. if there is only one definition of a soul, then the soul cannot die because god was, is and will always be.

 

[St Giordano Bruno]

Didn't Adam's soul exist wherever Adam was located ?

At creation, after receiving the breath of life, Adam became a living soul.
-Gen 2v7.

Adam's soul [himself] was made from the dust [elements] of earth.

So, at death Adam would be a dead soul, or a lifeless soul. -Acts 3v23.

I look on consciousness and the soul as one in the same thing. To be conscious a creature only needs sense organs to engage them to the outside world. So any creature with sense organs to make them aware of their environment has a soul or sorts. It did not have to wait for the evolution of Homo sapiens for a soul to be injected into it by some supernatural intervention, which I cannot possibly buy no matter how hard I try.

 

[idav]

I look on consciousness and the soul as one in the same thing. To be conscious a creature only needs sense organs to engage them to the outside world. So any creature with sense organs to make them aware of their environment has a soul or sorts. It did not have to wait for the evolution of Homo sapiens for a soul to be injected into it by some supernatural intervention, which I cannot possibly buy no matter how hard I try.

Seems a lot of people like to equate higher consciousness with the soul. With that only sentient being would have souls but certainly wouldn't be just humans, as if humans are so special. I agree with you that anything with life would have a soul but defining spirit as consciousness or life doesn't really leave much use for the words other than to distinguish animate matter from inanimate matter.

 

[Adramelek]

What if a soul is not something that we possess, but something that we are?

Very good point. Indeed the soul could very well be, and I would say Is that which we Are (Being) and that which we Are becoming. Perhaps the soul is the very essence of being.

Xeper.
/Adramelek\

 

[URAVIP2ME]

you believe the soul dies when the body dies, yet you made bibilical references of god referring to himself as having a soul. If god has a soul and the soul dies, then how do you explain the eternal existence of god. you referred to the concordance definition of a soul. is there two definitions of a soul (human soul and godly soul) or is a soul a soul. if there is only one definition of a soul, then the soul cannot die because god was, is and will always be.

You are very observant and an inquiring mind wants to know.

Please don't overlook the word: 'sinning'.

According to Ezekiel [18vs4,20] it is the 'sinning' soul that dies.

James [5v20] mentions: saving a sinner [sinning soul] from death.

Please also notice Acts [3v23] the stipulation for destruction of one's soul.

Since God never sins, God does not die. [Titus 1v2]

The angels that never sinned also do not die or be destroyed.
Only the fallen angels like Satan will be destroyed. -Heb 2v14 B; Rev 21v8

Hope the above verses are of some help.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

Very good point. Indeed the soul could very well be, and I would say Is that which we Are (Being) and that which we Are becoming. Perhaps the soul is the very essence of being.
Xeper.
/Adramelek\

I found it interesting that at Hebrews [1v3; 9v24] that God is considered a person. The Greek uses the word for 'being' only in connection to God.
-Acts 17v29

Our soul [or life as a soul] is dependent on obedience to God. [Gen 2v4]

Disobedience can lead to: eternal death. -Acts 3v23; Jeremiah 51 vs39,57

 

[arcanum]

the soul is the psyche, an encrustation which forms in life upon the spirit that animates both psyche and body.

 

[arcanum]

My observation on this is by looking at all the varied positions on this subject, I can only conclude that nobody really knows anything about it for sure. By that starting point maybe some progress can be made in knowing something about this obscure and subtle subject. But if your cup is already full and you think you know then, well your all set I guess.

 

[atanu]

I found it interesting that at Hebrews [1v3; 9v24] that God is considered a person. The Greek uses the word for 'being' only in connection to God.
-Acts 17v29

Our soul [or life as a soul] is dependent on obedience to God. [Gen 2v4]

Disobedience can lead to: eternal death. -Acts 3v23; Jeremiah 51 vs39,57

the soul is the psyche, an encrustation which forms in life upon the spirit that animates both psyche and body.

In my understanding, we now seem to have reached a common understanding.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

P.S. oops ^above^ should be reference to Gen 2v7 instead of verse 4. Sorry.