Is There A Soul?

Much debate surrounds the question of whether or not there is a soul. A soul is something that has been conceptualized and understood by human writers and thinkers. We cannot relay this ‘soul-consciousness’ to animals, because it is not something they can grasp. Although the concept of a soul has its roots in religion, it is still a widely accepted fact in various belief systems. Let’s analyze the soul and see whether or not we can verify its existence.

Religious view of the soul

Belief in the soul has its basis in religion. Many of us believe that after our bodies die, our souls continue on in a sense of consciousness. Many others who believe in the soul believe that after our lives here, the soul returns back to where it came from—to its original Creator. Those who do not believe in the soul, are usually the same people who do not believe that we are any different to animals. We, like them, are just living beings who live, and die. This of course fails to make a distinction between people and animals.

The difference between humans and animals

There is one fundamental aspect that separates animals from humans. Self consciousness is the awareness of self and the ability to analyze one’s self. Animals are conscious, and animals are able to react to certain stimuli; however they are not aware of themselves and cannot think about themselves the same way we do. Some would argue that this is simply a heightened intelligence that humans possess, but self-consciousness is not a higher plain of thought; it is a different one altogether.

The soul is the distinguishing factor in people

From what we’ve seen, a soul must be present as it is a clear distinguishing factor between animals and humans. We also know that conscious dictates much of what we do and don’t do, whereas animals act out of instinct or survival. It is therefore quite obvious that the soul is an existing part of our being. The fact that we even think about such things is testament to the soul within us.

We can easily come to the conclusion that every person does have a soul. If we look at how differently we think and act compared to other species, we know deep down that there is something unique about our consciousness.