Do animals have souls?

Do animals have souls? Mar 11, 2019 10:45:17 GMT goz and rachelcarson1953 like this

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Post by phludowin on Mar 11, 2019 10:45:17 GMT

Mar 10, 2019 17:19:39 GMT rachelcarson1953 said:

So, to bring the theological debate over here where it belongs, the question, to me, is not 'do animals have souls?' but 'are animal souls immortal?'

Yes, I am an agnostic atheist, I believe that when we die, there is no afterlife. But does a soul have to be immortal?

Just because I do not believe that there is a creator or a god, does that mean no one has a soul? I might get roasted for daring to state that I think every sentient being has a soul, given my atheism. But how different is a soul and sentience?

I'd say: The "soul" (for want of a better word) is the personality. Meaning: A sense of self, and of time (past, present and future), and the ability to have plans and expectations for the future.
I don't know if there are animals that have it. But what I do know, thanks to Benjamin Libet, is that body and "soul" are a unit. So when the body dies, so does the "soul".

Therefore, no afterlife, and no immortal "soul".