To be honest, I’m not even sure what “soul” is supposed to mean. If your definition of soul is an ethereal consciousness separate from your physical body than I can honestly say that i believe that doesn’t exist. We have plenty of evidence that your consciousness is a function of your brain, we can see this when people experience personality changes as a result of chemical influence or damage to the brain. Someone suffering a stroke can come out of it with changes to their temperment, tastes, even interests. Anyone who’s suffered chemical depression should be familiar with the way their neurochemistry effects their personally, and the effects of drugs on people is well known.

I’ve seen no useful evidence that a soul, based on that definition, does or even can exist. The evidence I do have looks very much like no such thing is happening.

I don’t think humans have souls. When we die, we do just that. I don’t think we are so special to have something other species don’t, so if we (humans) have them, then other species also can.

No.

I think that people are attracted to the idea of a soul because they would like to think that there is something unchanging about them. A desire for constancy in an inconstant world.

What I have experienced is wild changes in my own behavior, thoughts, desires, fears, drives, and whatever-might-have-you. Certainly, I am not the same person I was when I was an infant or when I was a child or when I was a young man or - I suppose in a more subtle way - I will be after I finish posting this and get some lunch.

I argue with myself. Blame myself. Bargain with myself. Pump myself up. All as though there are different selves within me at all times. By this I conclude that I don’t really have a self, but more of a collection of personalities, characteristics, and traits that are more or less dominant at any given moment. I am large, I contain (thank you Walt) multitudes.

I am comfortable with my inconstancy and inconsistencies. Generally at peace about having selves rather than a self.

I see no evidence of a soul. And I haven’t the need for one that would drive me to delude myself into thinking I have one nonetheless.

No. Soul is an imaginary concept for ideas and claims. And people think of different things when they think of it.

We are an inherently physical entity. A vastly complex system that very interestingly enables consciousness to arise from it.

But when you remove the body it lives in there is nothing left of it. Other than the influences it had in its past.

I’m agnostic, so obviously my view on that is that we simply don’t know.

I want to believe in the existence of souls, however ultimately we just don’t have the evidence to back it up.

No. I believe soul is a human construct that is meant to be self defense mechanism to feel like we are special instead of bunch of meat with chemicals.

As an atheist, I would love to be proven wrong - that there’s a benevolent all-knowing entity who guarantees eternal life in meadows lush with rivers of milk and honey (throw in the 72 virgins while we’re at it). If there’s any one thing that even remotely has a chance of changing my mind to accept this fantasy, it is the thought of being reunited with my pets when I die.

Nope. I think the idea of a soul, afterlife comes from humans deep seated need to be special. We’re just animals, enjoy your life while you can.

Word games. “God” and “Soul” are so ill-defined you can get literally anyone to agree that those “things” (thinks?) exist. If I define “soul” as “repeating emergent pattern of genetically and environmentally internal state and observable behaviour in a sentient species” I maybe could even get some people in this community to agree that such a concept exists. If I use a more religious definition like “magic non physical entity bestowed by an eternal god” all I would get is a resounding “NOO!”. It is the memetics strength of those concepts by being incredibly flexible and vague that will ensure their ongoing use and existence - and questions like this one.

No

No. Smell the flowers while you can.

No. Souls dont exist.

Well, I use the word “soul” to sum up what makes a person a person, their base values, moral standpoint, what they love and hate etc. The warmth of a person. In the same way I would say that somebody forfeits their soul because of their acts. And I’d argue that our soul “lives on” after we die in the people we’ve made an impression on or in general through the effects of our actions. But some magic person-container? No. We die and then we’re dead.

all these “deleted by creator” posts in a thread about atheism sound a bit ominous. @Jongaros@lemmy.ml are you ok?