Is There a Soul?

[grannymh]

Because I’m wondering how much you know about the universe. It’s a big place, with 300 billion galaxies averaging a hundred billion stars each. If even only a tiny percentage of those stars have life-bearing planets, the fecundity of God’s creativity is mind boggling.

Sorry. In my neighborhood, you would have us standing on chairs with that reply.
.

 

[Zatzat]

The evidence which you assume does not exist not only exists but it is conclusive.

Where would I find this conclusive evidence, such that no person could rationally dispute the existence of an eternal soul?

What do you assume to be the source of your skeptical thoughts? The brain?

There is no evidence that an eternal soul exists. It’s not an assumption, it’s a fact.

 

[StAnastasia]

Sorry. In my neighborhood, you would have us standing on chairs with that reply.
.

That’s a night club, I assume.

 

[itinerant1]

Yes, sound philosopohy is absolutely needed now more than ever. Which is why I spent time on a post giving suggestions about what Thomists can do.

What Thomists can do? How about the many resources and studies by Thomists already available?

To benefit from them requires an adequate philosophical background. And who will take advantage of these resources? Certainly not the science fundamentalist who puts arbitrary and false limits on what the mind can know.

As for the religious fundamentalist, he distorts the Bible into a book of nonsense while adhering to psuedo-scientific ideas of his own devise. Hence, there is no reason to believe the fundamentalist/creationist will not do likewise to Thomist philosophy. In fact, this is exactly what is done on “creationist” websites such as uncommondescent.com.

 

[itinerant1]

Where would I find this conclusive evidence, such that no person could rationally dispute the existence of an eternal soul?

There is no evidence that an eternal soul exists. It’s not an assumption, it’s a fact.

LOL

 

[grannymh]

The precise reason all of humanity is so Blessed and so Created is that in the entire Universe ONLY humanity holds the possibility of acknowledging God’s magnificent universe; only man can thank God and freely choose to [OR NOT TO] love God in return for all that God is and does for us.

Love and prayers,

Note to StAnastasia and other interested parties. This is not a claim nor an assumption, it is straight up Catholicism.

Now what I need is for someone to explain the powers or faculties of the soul. As far as I know, the soul’s powers of intellect and will are the basis for the uniqueness of humanity in the above quote. Thus the soul enables us to share, by knowledge and love, in God’s own life. It is for this end that we are created and this is the fundamental reason for our dignity. Refer to paragraphs 355 - 357 and following in the *Catechism of the Catholic Church, *-- www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm

Blessings,
granny

Human life is meant for eternal life.

 

[grannymh]

What Thomists can do? How about the many resources and studies by Thomists already available?

I would like to tap into those resources. I was thinking about actions inspired by that article on Thomism and ID in This Rock magazine. Sorry, I don’t have that link nor my original posts handy. Time will be limited for a bit due to traveling, but eventually these sources will rise to the top.

Blessings,
granny

John 3: 16 & 17

Found the link catholic.com/thisrock/2008/0811fea4.asp

 

[Zatzat]

LOL

You claim that there is conclusive evidence for the existence of a soul.

I asked for you to produce this evidence.

Your respond by writing the letters ’ lol’.

No such evidence exists, else you would have produced it and you didn’t…despite claiming that conclusive evidence exists.

 

[StAnastasia]

If you’d like to actually get some data on this, I suggest that you read Privileged Planet. And Signature in the Cell.

Discovery Institute propaganda.

 

[StAnastasia]

Note to StAnastasia and other interested parties. This is not a claim nor an assumption, it is straight up Catholicism.

If it’s Catholicism it’s of an old style leave-your-brains-on-the-church-doormat variety. More than three centuries ago Catholics who were involved in the early extraterrestrial life discussion doubted that all the stars in the universe were created just to twinkle for us. See Steven J. Dick, Plurality of Worlds: The Origins of the Extraterrestrial Life Debate from Democritus to Kant (Cambridge University Press, 1982)

 

[itinerant1]

I would like to tap into those resources. I was thinking about actions inspired by that article on Thomism and ID in This Rock magazine. Sorry, I don’t have that link nor my original posts handy. Time will be limited for a bit due to traveling, but eventually these sources will rise to the top.

Blessings,
granny

John 3: 16 & 17

That was one of the links I provided, which resulted in nothing but nonsense replies and distortions of the articles by “creationists”, which is exactly the kind of situation I was referring to.

There we see a manifest abuse of the intellect, which I think implies at bottom, with many avid creationists, a serious moral problem.

 

[itinerant1]

Discovery Institute propaganda.

Not so quickly. While Signature is creationist, the fact we live not on earth but on an earth-moon system, and the implications this unique system has for the development of life is as sound as science gets. The scientific facts involved significantly reduces the estimated probability of life arising on other planets, but by no means eliminates that possibility.

 

[StAnastasia]

The scientific facts involved significantly reduces the estimated probability of life arising on other planets, but by no means eliminates that possibility.

Quite right. I was referring more to the film. And with 10 \ 22 stars …

 

[itinerant1]

You claim that there is conclusive evidence for the existence of a soul.

I asked for you to produce this evidence.

Your respond by writing the letters ’ lol’.

No such evidence exists, else you would have produced it and you didn’t…despite claiming that conclusive evidence exists.

You don’t see the profound irony? You bill yourself as an “Enquirer” yet you post a categorical denial of any proof for the existence of the soul. Thus you appear as anything but a genuine enquirer. Hence, there is nothing to discuss.

 

[grannymh]

That was one of the links I provided, which resulted in nothing but nonsense replies and distortions of the articles by “creationists”, which is exactly the kind of situation I was referring to.

There we see a manifest abuse of the intellect, which I think implies at bottom, with many avid creationists, a serious moral problem.

I have a practical analytic mind – at times – so that we don’t go off topic, we should discuss some place else what Thomas Aquinas, himself, was saying. I noticed that the same concept was quoted or paraphrased twice. That tells me something.

 

[Zatzat]

You don’t see the profound irony? You bill yourself as an “Enquirer” yet you post a categorical denial of any proof for the existence of the soul. Thus you appear as anything but a genuine enquirer. Hence, there is nothing to discuss.

You claim that there is conclusive evidence for the existence of an eternal soul.

I ask you to produce the evidence and you produce nothing.

Instead, you lecture me about my username.

I’m left absolutely certain that you don’t have any conclusive evidence that proves the existence of an eternal soul. Else you would have produced it.

 

[StAnastasia]

I have a practical analytic mind.

That’s a news flash, Granny. I would have pegged you as a blind fideist, with your constant criticism of my approach of looking analytically at the content of Christian claims. When confronted with an analytical approach to a theological question you always retreat to an unquestioning embrace of the catechism.

StAnastasia

 

[grannymh]

You claim that there is conclusive evidence for the existence of a soul.

I asked for you to produce this evidence.

Your respond by writing the letters ’ lol’.

No such evidence exists, else you would have produced it and you didn’t…despite claiming that conclusive evidence exists.

The evidence for the reality of the spiritual exists within our human nature. The reality of the spiritual soul can be known by the tools of reason, self reflection, logical evaluation, and analytical thought.

Itinerant, help me out here.

 

[StAnastasia]

You claim that there is conclusive evidence for the existence of an eternal soul. I ask you to produce the evidence and you produce nothing. Instead, you lecture me about my username. I’m left absolutely certain that you don’t have any conclusive evidence that proves the existence of an eternal soul. Else you would have produced it.

Zatzat, I wonder whether you and Itinerant1 are talking at cross purposes. Of course there is no conclusive evidence for the existence of an eternal soul – it’s a theological / philosophical claim, not a scientific one. But I think you said you accept the idea on the basis of faith, right?

 

[Zatzat]

The evidence for the reality of the spiritual exists within our human nature. The reality of the spiritual soul can be known by the tools of reason, self reflection, logical evaluation, and analytical thought.

Itinerant, help me out here.

I appreciate your response, however what you’ve written is not conclusive evidence.