Do animals have a soul?

[DudeEMETIB]

I don't believe in the existence of an immaterial soul, but considering that some people consider the soul to be what makes you, you, as in your personality, your conscious, your emotion, and what not, well yeah of course we have that, but it comes from our brains, from our reactions throughout our lives to different circumstances and situations we've been in, from chemical reactions that occur, from the hormonal levels that fluctuate in our bodies....we have that...that is as close to a soul that we can get.

I think part of what gives us this sort of a "soul" is our self-awareness....so the real question would thus be, do the brains of animals have the ability to be self-aware, and if so, do they develop different personalities and ideas to be considered individuals?

If the answer is yes, which I don't know that it is for any animal, then yeah sure..animals "have souls" in the pragmatic sense, but no, not at all in the metaphysical sense...at least not in my opinion.

[Fourbid]

To me it depends on if you're religious or not. If you believe that there are soul, then yes animals must have them too. If you don't then they don't. It's a matter of perspective.

People will believe what they want to believe, and whoever has the most people on their side is right, that seems to be the way people work.

[Junkenstein]

Originally Posted by EastTexas

You have given me a genius idea. A person could probably make a lot of hay if they started a church specifically for people to take their pets to. People are excited about taking their dogs to Petsmart, imagine how popular a church for dogs would be.

Welcome to my worls, where someone always got my genius idea before me.



i wonder if muslims have similar issues, though. they do have pets right? (no irony, i really dont know)

[Junkenstein]

Originally Posted by DudeEMETIB

I think part of what gives us this sort of a "soul" is our self-awareness....so the real question would thus be, do the brains of animals have the ability to be self-aware, and if so, do they develop different personalities and ideas to be considered individuals?

Thats a good point. Scientists, while they were trying to avoid finding the cure for cancer and aids cause that would mean no more pharma, did some studies on the self awareness of animals. Most studies say that most animals (for example, monkeys) have a form of self awareness and behaviour pattern that is similar to the ones humans have. If that is what makes a "soul" or a spiritual existence, than yeah.

i think i even heard on a radiolab episode, that some tribes of apes develop all sort of usually human-related quirks, like depression, and riutualism.

I think the division is that a lot of people see that as the proof that animals have a soul and that they are as spiritually evolved as humans. i see it as the proof that men dont have anything and all we have is just a pretentious re-wording of animal behaviour.

[John Galt]

Originally Posted by Medium Brumski

Yes, it's what makes them so delicious.

It's true, the soul is the difference between delicious and merely meat.

[Fourbid]

Originally Posted by John Galt

It's true, the soul is the difference between delicious and merely meat.

The Japanese have actually learned to implant a extra soul into cattle, that's how they make Kobe beef. They lie about beer to make us look stupid.

[DudeEMETIB]

Originally Posted by Junkenstein

i see it as the proof that men dont have anything and all we have is just a pretentious re-wording of animal behaviour.

I kind of agree and disagree with that statement. I think what us homo sapiens have is pretty distinct and unique in the animal kingdom. We have the ability to think, rationalize, personalize, to feel emotion, sympathy, problem solve and then do something about all that in a way no other animal can. That unquestionably sets us aside. I don't think that makes us any "better" any more "dominant" than other species, but it gives us the power to really do shit....I think because of that it's our moral obligation to see to it that our earth and our world doesn't go to shit (but lol at humans, we suck at doing that).

Our brains and ability to do this is a product of evolution though, so in that way yes, we're just a reformation of a more "animalistic" (tricky word to use in science) behavior, brain, set of DNA....but it does give us an important distinction in the world.

I also don't think that makes us "more evolved" than any other species, and it bugs me when I hear people say that, evolution doesn't work towards getting smarter, just works towards "don't die out"..lol.

Anyway, so I think I heard that episode of radiolab, and if anything it means that perhaps other animals aren't COMPLETELY HERP DERP like we auto-assume all non-humans to be...but we're still by in large "superior" in the things I mentioned, but I think the main thing is the fact that we can "do something"...in part thanks to our KICK ASS THUMBS...even if say, Dolphins could think and have civilizations and personalities...wtf can they "do" really to make any difference? They can't "Build" (or can they!?!?! lol) they can't really affect much in the way humans can, and that, is what I think really makes us special, our ability to do, based on what we think...not just our ability to think alone.

[Junkenstein]

Originally Posted by Fourbid

The Japanese have actually learned to implant a extra soul into cattle, that's how they make Kobe beef. They lie about beer to make us look stupid.

i could point out that beer is liquid soul, then stare deeply into the horizon while cheesy music plays.

[Junkenstein]

Originally Posted by DudeEMETIB

I kind of agree and disagree with that statement. I think what us homo sapiens have is pretty distinct and unique in the animal kingdom. We have the ability to think, rationalize, personalize, to feel emotion, sympathy, problem solve and then do something about all that in a way no other animal can. .

i dont know, the result of all those studies on ape tribes (i think simians are as close as you can get when you talk about human-like intelligence. dolphin arent a big deal as everyone says) was that most of what are recognized as unique traits of mankind are present there too.

depends on how you definte "thinking" too. if you take said animals, put them in front of a problem, theyll solve it. they manifest reactions that are exactly like our emotions. they have forms of communications, language and creativity.

our only distinguishing trait is our sense of superiority and our supreme cruelty /which i guess its the way nature has to make up for the lack of any other form of self defense)

[DudeEMETIB]

Not to repeat my self or sound douchey, but in that part you quoted of me, note that (at least as I meant it) the important part is not the thinking, because I do think it's possible and as the same studies we're talking about show, it is likely, that some animals are close to as smart as us in some cases...but "and then do something about it..." is the important part that makes us superior to animals.

And then as far as the soul thing goes, I think it comes down to individuality and personalitiy and self-awareness, if an animal shows that, it can be as dumb as balls, but I'd say it has a "soul" in the way I can make a "soul" a worthwhile term.

I think we're kinda on the same page though, I just don't think you're giving humans as much credit as I am. lol