An argument for why souls are a part of personal identity

A soul is defined as the immaterial essence, animating principle or actuating cause of an individual life.  According to the definition, a soul is a mortal thing that lives and dies with the body.  A soul is very hard to understand because it is something that you cannot see, which leads many people to believe that a soul lives forever.  This belief is wrong because in order for a soul to be immortal, its counterparts, which are the mind and body must be immortal as well.  Soul is a big part of a human being because although you can not touch or see it, your soul contains your emotions, your conscience, and your decision-making.  The reason your soul contains your ability to make decisions because your soul is intertwined with your mind in the way that it contributes to working the parts of the brain that control decision-making.  Another reason your soul is a part of personal identity is because it allows you to channel your emotions and open up personal traits that you didn't believe you had in you.  Your soul opens up gateways to strength and power in ways that are overlooked.  The strength and power that your soul open up aren't physical, but they are mental and emotional. A soul gives you the ability to create things that cannot be seen; in other words, your soul allows you to create happiness and wealth without the need for materialistic and temporary things.  The soul is the key to permanently ending personal suffering.

Comments

  1. HarrisonFebruary 10, 2019 at 3:28 PM

    I would have to disagree that the counter parts to the soul are the mind and body. The soul uses the body as a home for this life. Once this life ends it leaves that home and continues on. The soul can have its own immaterial mind and body of its own. With the soul being an exact replica of you it will then experience everything you do and while your physical body will not survive death, your soul will. Saying that we have souls but that they do not survive death is interesting because if the soul is immaterial then how does it die? You say it is because the mind and body die but if the soul is immaterial then how is it connected to the mind and body?

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  2. SnowdenFebruary 10, 2019 at 4:55 PM

    I feel as though you are unsure as to what part of the soul argument that you would like to contribute to. After reading your post a few extra times I am still a little confused on where you stand with regards to the soul in general. Some questions that I have that I feel would help me to better understand your argument are do you believe that a soul exists in the first place, if a soul is mortal then how can it really contribute to personal identity, and how can a soul lead to the ending of personal suffering if there is no afterlife? I feel like the bulk of the confusion I have is you acknowledge the existence of a soul and provide reasons for what it does for us but at the same time argue for the idea that the soul is also mortal.

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