Are humans animals? Do animals have souls?

[Cetacea]

Science has not attempted to define 'soul' and as such is not equipped to measure or understand it and should not make statements about it. That includes statements to the effect that "the Soul does not exist" - just because you haven't defined something to the point where it can be measured doesn't mean it doesn't exist

Science doesn't have a working definition of Consciousness either and yet we know it exists, and the definition of Life is a very limited one based on the measurable functions of living things and not on any inherent quality of 'Life'.

Perhaps the soul is merely consciousness and that consciousness is an inherent trait of the universe

perhaps 'the mind' is a electromagnetic field generated by bio-electrical discharge within the nervous system and extending out beyond the limitations of the body.

don't let the limitations of rational materialism limit the possibilities of the Universe

[Dewhurst-Narculis]

You just say that cause you stepped on a cockroach, and were reincarnated as a virus.

That's all Ithe takes? I'm fucked.

... If it does I have a lot more to worry about....

[-Ebola-]

Of course humans are animals. Taxonomy has nothing to do with souls.

I can't tell which species have souls and which do not. Souls have no effect on viruses. TBH, I've never seen any evidence that they exist at all. I kind of think you guys just made them up.

You just say that cause you stepped on a cockroach, and were reincarnated as a virus.

I did what now?

[-Ebola-]

You just say that cause you stepped on a cockroach, and were reincarnated as a virus.

That's all Ithe takes? I'm fucked.

Don't worry. Being a virus is not so bad.

[Shaggai]

Please do! Make life more interesting. I love contemporary paganism.

Contemporary Paganism is awful.

If youre going to start a pagan cult resurrect an old as best you can, big tent revival. We have enough crystals and Motivational Speakers, give me sword dancing and may poles and winter fires, and blood and songs.

Give me a pagan I can get drunk and fight with.


Can a backsliding Christian get some Odinists or classical Druids up in here, not you Earth religions I mean you who venerate the Ancestors. !Thats a party!

also relevant:
http://youtu.be/6RBP8_QSg-c

Yes, well, the problem with that is that the main people who are both a. want paganism and b. glorify war are, in fact, Neo-Nazis. Also, the main religions that would fit your description also prescribe animal and/or human sacrifice, which is a bit of a barrier to acceptance and legality in the world today.

[Eleanor Ritas]

The real expert on this is a poster named Atheists4Animal rights.

[Planeia]

First of all, not even humans have souls. Humans are animals, so other species probably don't have souls either. They have life, however, as well as a brain, and individuality, just like we do.

[-Ebola-]

Contemporary Paganism is awful.

If youre going to start a pagan cult resurrect an old as best you can, big tent revival. We have enough crystals and Motivational Speakers, give me sword dancing and may poles and winter fires, and blood and songs.

Give me a pagan I can get drunk and fight with.


Can a backsliding Christian get some Odinists or classical Druids up in here, not you Earth religions I mean you who venerate the Ancestors. !Thats a party!

also relevant:
http://youtu.be/6RBP8_QSg-c

Yes, well, the problem with that is that the main people who are both a. want paganism and b. glorify war are, in fact, Neo-Nazis. Also, the main religions that would fit your description also prescribe animal and/or human sacrifice, which is a bit of a barrier to acceptance and legality in the world today.

Animal sacrifice is legal.

[Sun Wukong]

Science has not attempted to define 'soul' and as such is not equipped to measure or understand it and should not make statements about it. That includes statements to the effect that "the Soul does not exist" - just because you haven't defined something to the point where it can be measured doesn't mean it doesn't exist

Science doesn't have a working definition of Consciousness either and yet we know it exists, and the definition of Life is a very limited one based on the measurable functions of living things and not on any inherent quality of 'Life'.

Perhaps the soul is merely consciousness and that consciousness is an inherent trait of the universe

perhaps 'the mind' is a electromagnetic field generated by bio-electrical discharge within the nervous system and extending out beyond the limitations of the body.

don't let the limitations of rational materialism limit the possibilities of the Universe

Defending an idea by saying, "it's so poorly defined, I literally can't tell you what the fuck I'm talking about," seems like an odd way to go about it.

There's a difference between keeping an open mind, and listening to every wackjob who goes, "WhoooOOOoooOOOooo."

[Threlizdun]

Of course humans are animals. There is no need asking a question when the answer is a well-known scientific fact. No, animals don't have souls because souls don't exist.

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

If you're going by the interpretation in the bible about the soul meaning "life", then yes, animals definitely have souls. If you're interpreting it as a glowing ball of light that abandons your body when you croak and floats up to heaven to play the harp for God, then no. Neither humans nor animals posses such a thing.

[Sun Wukong]

If you're going by the interpretation in the bible about the soul meaning "life", then yes, animals definitely have souls. If you're interpreting it as a glowing ball of light that abandons your body when you croak and floats up to heaven to play the harp for God, then no. Neither humans nor animals posses such a thing.

Only fungi.

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

If you're going by the interpretation in the bible about the soul meaning "life", then yes, animals definitely have souls. If you're interpreting it as a glowing ball of light that abandons your body when you croak and floats up to heaven to play the harp for God, then no. Neither humans nor animals posses such a thing.

Only fungi.

Fungi are gods.

[MERIZoC]

Of course humans are animals. There is no need asking a question when the answer is a well-known scientific fact.

He's actually debated otherwise before.

Ah, but the Bible separates humans from animals, thus, humans are not animals.

[Trollgaard]

Yes and yes.

[Soldati Senza Confini]

If you're going by the interpretation in the bible about the soul meaning "life", then yes, animals definitely have souls. If you're interpreting it as a glowing ball of light that abandons your body when you croak and floats up to heaven to play the harp for God, then no. Neither humans nor animals posses such a thing.

A glowing ball of light? WUt?

[Sun Wukong]

If you're going by the interpretation in the bible about the soul meaning "life", then yes, animals definitely have souls. If you're interpreting it as a glowing ball of light that abandons your body when you croak and floats up to heaven to play the harp for God, then no. Neither humans nor animals posses such a thing.

A glowing ball of light? WUt?

Hadoken!

[Eastern Equestria]

If you're going by the interpretation in the bible about the soul meaning "life", then yes, animals definitely have souls. If you're interpreting it as a glowing ball of light that abandons your body when you croak and floats up to heaven to play the harp for God, then no. Neither humans nor animals posses such a thing.

Only fungi.

Archeuland and Baughistan is gonna shit his pants out of sheer giddiness when the cordyceps infection hits mankind.

[Natapoc]

Yes humans are a type of animal called Homo sapiens sapiens. We have a well documented genetic relationship to every other known animal on earth.

If humans have souls then animals must also.

[Soldati Senza Confini]

A glowing ball of light? WUt?

Hadoken!

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

If you're going by the interpretation in the bible about the soul meaning "life", then yes, animals definitely have souls. If you're interpreting it as a glowing ball of light that abandons your body when you croak and floats up to heaven to play the harp for God, then no. Neither humans nor animals posses such a thing.

A glowing ball of light? WUt?

What Sun said.

I'm just making fun of the notion some people have that when we die a glowing something (I use ball cause you all have seen one, the soul) abandons the body and goes up into heaven to prance around fluffy clouds with little chubby angels.

[Soldati Senza Confini]

A glowing ball of light? WUt?

What Sun said.

I'm just making fun of the notion some people have that when we die a glowing something (I use ball cause you all have seen one, the soul) abandons the body and goes up into heaven to prance around fluffy clouds with little chubby angels.

"Chubby angels"

I imagine a fat little angel with small wings struggling to fly across the heavens

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

What Sun said.

I'm just making fun of the notion some people have that when we die a glowing something (I use ball cause you all have seen one, the soul) abandons the body and goes up into heaven to prance around fluffy clouds with little chubby angels.

"Chubby angels"

I imagine a fat little angel with small wings struggling to fly across the heavens

Huff huff. Puff puff.
Drill sergeant: "I don't know but I've been told chubby angels are mighty slobs!"

[New haven america]

Are humans animals? Yes, we are. We probably wouldn't be here if we weren't.

Do animals have souls? Sure, why not?

[Benuty]

A glowing ball of light? WUt?

What Sun said.

I'm just making fun of the notion some people have that when we die a glowing something (I use ball cause you all have seen one, the soul) abandons the body and goes up into heaven to prance around fluffy clouds with little chubby angels.

Chubby?



Does that look chubby to you?