Do We Have Souls Essay Research Paper

Do We Have Souls? Essay, Research Paper

Do We Have Souls?

On the question of ‘Do we have souls’ and ‘Can they survive after death’,

this writer will attempt a reasoned explanation and defense of my views to this

philosophical question. After careful explanation of my own views , thoughts,

and careful examination of the selected materials for this paper; I have come to

this conclusion: unlike the problem of free will, the question of human beings

having souls and their survival after the physical body is deceased, is not an

easily argued topic. The problem of free will [as an example] can be more

rationally discussed and analyzed through tangible means such as patterned and

learned behavior and its like, but in dealing with the question of souls and in

accepting their existence, it is an intangible thing which cannot be proved or

disproved [at least as long as the physical body is existing]. This writer

believe that a discussion , no matter how seemingly rational or even irrational

is purely speculation and can have no real physical proof of that existence. Of

the read philosophers on this topic, all are speculatory in their attempt to

prove, disprove, or even clarify their position of the topic in question. This

writer will first contribute his own speculation and proceed to explore the

selected philosophers material on this subject. Though it first must be said

that most of the read material is or seems to be question-begging and therefore

leads only to more questions from myself.

The question of having souls and their existence after the physical body is

deceased has always been on men’s minds. From the first beginnings of written

history from the Ancient Near Eastern civilizations [Egyptians, Mesopotamian] ,

men [people] have always regarded the afterlife and the question of souls. It

was not given much philosophical thought until the ancient Greek sophists, in

the decline of their city-states that this topic was explored, but not only

explored but started to gather acceptance among the people. Again, only when

‘physical’ life was becoming less cherished due to the decline and unhappiness

with their earthly surroundings. Though the Hebrew people spoke and thought of

an afterlife for their spirit, it was really not until widespread Christianity

came about, and again this was at the time of decline of the Roman Empire. My

initial point being that the idea of souls and their existence seemed to grow

stronger at times of great depression or strife [much like when people pray to

God when they only need something]. It was then that faith and hope for a better

life after this one was at its greatest. Thus the emergence of the powerful

religions such as Christianity and Islam, who base their teachings of faith on

the fact [or non-fact] that there is a better life after this one, but to get

there “you must join us and participate within our rules and propagate our faith

that we give you”. This is called conditional immortality [A.E. Taylor, p.601].

The ability to believe one has a soul and its existence after the physical

body dies is not only for the participants in organized religion. I believe that

the human body and mind work together over a lifetime to develop what I will

myself call a soul or spirit, and with the advent of this soul – a place for it

to exist without the physical body. I feel that the real close-minded thinking

comes from the thought that life [in any sense] is over at the time of physical

death, just as it may be close-minded to think that we are existing alone in the

vast cosmos. I will concede that with our earthly rational thought that it is

difficult to rationalize an existence after this one, so I am able to understand

why some people believe that when the physical life is over, it truly is over.

To give an analogy on how I believe the soul is developed: the development

of the soul is like the programming of a computer it is fed all the various

information and it is that information when it is in the computer that it

defines itself by using the definitive information it has been given for the

greater purpose of its ultimate use. The soul [I believe] is the culmination of

learned information that is developed through the course of the physical

existence, using its resources together [mind and body] to define itself for a

greater purpose, which may very well be the afterlife of a soul. It is those

defining characteristics that we develop throughout our lifetime that make us

who we are – one might be able to call it personality.

As with most difficult philosophical issues, answers lead to more questions

such as where did the soul come from, what does it consist of [tangible or

intangible material?, or both?] and what really happens to it – what is its

ultimate purpose [excluding Christian thought]? These are questions presumably

that everyone has, but it is when we try and answer these questions with

‘earthly’ or ‘personable’ [Antony G.N. Flew, p.615] descriptions or categorizing

them is where we go wrong. Because we are dealing with something that is derived

from and exists totally on faith, tangible to us at present, and the only way to