Are humans animals? Do animals have souls?

[Warpspace]

Well for one, there is no evidence to support the existence of souls in the first place.

Secondly, yes humans are animals. Obviously.

[The Nuclear Fist]

My dog is a wonderful creature. He is intelligent (for a dog), loyal, affectionate to a bizarre level, and a generally comforting presence.

I have a bond with him. If god created such a beautiful creature, so innocent and pure and loving, and created heaven, where the souls of good folk go to live in peace for eternity, but won't allow me to spend eternity with my dog at my side. . .

Then I'm not really sure that's a heaven worth going to.

[Dyakovo]

One out of two isn't bad...

That's what I thought when I read your post. Though I would guess we don't define soul the same wY.

Definition 1… Now, since there is absolutely no evidence that such a thing exists, it is ridiculous to claim it does.

[Ethel mermania]

That's what I thought when I read your post. Though I would guess we don't define soul the same wY.

Definition 1… Now, since there is absolutely no evidence that such a thing exists, it is ridiculous to claim it does.

All I see is a broken link. Here is one that work's
http://www.thirteen.org/soul/

And since it's from Merican, PBS it must be true.

Oh poo, you fixed it before my post. Soul by definition does not have to be immortal, with that stipulation, I can accept your brit definition.

[Dyakovo]

Definition 1… Now, since there is absolutely no evidence that such a thing exists, it is ridiculous to claim it does.

All I see is a broken link. Here is one that work's
http://www.thirteen.org/soul/

And since it's from Merican, PBS it must be true.

The link worked just now, but here ya go:
"The spiritual or immaterial part of a human being or animal, regarded as immortal."

[Ethel mermania]

All I see is a broken link. Here is one that work's
http://www.thirteen.org/soul/

And since it's from Merican, PBS it must be true.

The link worked just now, but here ya go:
"The spiritual or immaterial part of a human being or animal, regarded as immortal."

Lose the immortal, and we agree.

[New DeCapito]

Humans are mammals who happen to have a little more brain capacity than a monkey.
As for souls... no.

[Zottistan]

Humans are animals and I have seem no data to suggest that animals have souls.

[Vox populi est autem Vox de Humus]

www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MtEsu0mBAA

[Assorted Sucrose-Based Lifeforms]

Well, due to the fact that we're alive, we're lifeforms, or living organisms, which means that we belong to one of two 'Empires'; 'Prokaryota' and 'Eukaryota'.
Seeing as our cells have membrane-bound organelles, including a nucleus and mitochondria, (THE POWERHOUSE OF THE CELL) we must belong to the domain Eukarya. We cannot belong to either the domain 'Bacteria', or 'Archea' (subsets of Prokaryota), as they do not have membrane-bound nuclei and are predominantly single-celled organisms.
Now, seeing as we are motile, multi-cellular organisms whose cells do not contain chloroplasts, nor a chitinous or cellulose cell wall, nor a permanent vacuole, and whose cells are separated into various tissues, we cannot belong to the Kingdoms 'Fungi' or 'Plantae', and we must belong to the Kingdom 'Animalia'.
Therefore, we are demonstrably animals.

[The Grey Wolf]

No, I do not believe that animals have souls, and neither do humans. I believe that both humans and animals have a mindstream.

[Exxosia]

Animals have immaterial, upper-transcorporeal energy regarded as immortal – so yeah, they have souls.

Humans are a living organism that feeds on organic matter, typically having specialized sense organs, and nervous system and able to respond rapidly to stimuli – so yeah, we're animals.

But then again, I am an adherent to spiritual physics, so everything is actually just sharing parts of the same, singular "soul" technically.

[Syndicapolis]

Humans are technically animals, fulfilling all of the biological characteristics and being classified as part of the animal kingdom and all that. And neither have souls, because the very concept of a soul is metaphysical, meaningless, abstract nonsense.

[Fortschritte]

Humans are by definition, animals. To say that humans are not animals is objectively false.

Furthermore, souls are a concept we've created. I do not believe they exist, I view it as a term devised by humans to refer to the spiritual and immaterial side of humans. Ergo, animals don't have souls.

[Mpwetif]

humans are animals that is true and the church says that animals don't have souls. If humans are animals that should mean we have no souls but the church says humans have souls but humans are animals so how does a statement from a guy in a black suit and a white collar make people any different to chimps and gorrillas

[Transyl]

Humans are in fact animals, though we may be more advanced and civilized we are still considered animals. It has been proven that we are related to homosapians, we share genes, and dna. And of course animals have souls, every living things has a soul, at least in my beliefs. Saying animals don't have souls is like saying World war 2 was good, which is obviously was not it was horrible.

[-Ebola-]

Well, due to the fact that we're alive, we're lifeforms, or living organisms, which means that we belong to one of two 'Empires'; 'Prokaryota' and 'Eukaryota'.

You forgot Viridae. Don't make me come over there and infect you!

[Rotovia-]

Yes, humans are multicellular, we ingest other organisms, our cells have a nucleus; ergo: animals.
To answer the second question I'd need to know how you defined a soul, and how you would propose to detect it.

[Pope Joan]

Different cultures, such as Native American and Japanese, have taught that animals have spirits.

Why not? What does it hurt us to allow them that much significance?

Are we that insecure?

I just read a fine novel by Neil Gaiman, Anansi Boys, and the whole premise was based upon animal achetypes and their power. It was a fine read.

[Salandriagado]

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.

Erm... I do all of those things, excepting blood, on a regular basis. Nothing to do with paganism, but still.

[Sun Wukong]

Different cultures, such as Native American and Japanese, have taught that animals have spirits.

Why not? What does it hurt us to allow them that much significance?

Are we that insecure?

I just read a fine novel by Neil Gaiman, Anansi Boys, and the whole premise was based upon animal achetypes and their power. It was a fine read.

Because truth is justified unto itself.

[The Seleucids (Ancient)]

Yes, Humans are animals.
No they don't have souls.

[Godular]

Yes to animals. No to souls.

Unless they're into jazz, then they definitely got soul.

And maybe fish... cuz they got Sole.

[Prezelly]

Well, humans aren't plants or rocks, so I will assume we are animals.
And it depends on your definition of a soul

[Calimera II]

Animals do not have souls.