Or should it merely be considered a constituent physical entity of the brain? The question has been considered by all leading religions and many secular philosophers, with no consensus reached to date, or perhaps even possible. Why are humans the only animals to possess an innate self-consciousness, and can the indicators of individual personality such as emotion, logical reasoning and imagination really merely be considered the firing of neural synapses? How can the circle be squared between the various religious hypotheses, such as ascent into an afterlife, the transmigration of souls and being a component of a divine being? Does the body influence the mind, the mind affect the body or like cogs in a machine, do they mutually interact?

Not Only Does Our Gut Have Brain Cells It Can Also Grow New Ones, Study May help a little if it does not give you indigestion.

Originally Posted by FloatingVoterTralee

Or should it merely be considered a constituent physical entity of the brain? The question has been considered by all leading religions and many secular philosophers, with no consensus reached to date, or perhaps even possible. Why are humans the only animals to possess an innate self-consciousness, and can the indicators of individual personality such as emotion, logical reasoning and imagination really merely be considered the firing of neural synapses? How can the circle be squared between the various religious hypotheses, such as ascent into an afterlife, the transmigration of souls and being a component of a divine being? Does the body influence the mind, the mind affect the body or like cogs in a machine, do they mutually interact?

Answers on a postcard?

Originally Posted by FloatingVoterTralee

Or should it merely be considered a constituent physical entity of the brain? The question has been considered by all leading religions and many secular philosophers, with no consensus reached to date, or perhaps even possible. Why are humans the only animals to possess an innate self-consciousness, and can the indicators of individual personality such as emotion, logical reasoning and imagination really merely be considered the firing of neural synapses? How can the circle be squared between the various religious hypotheses, such as ascent into an afterlife, the transmigration of souls and being a component of a divine being? Does the body influence the mind, the mind affect the body or like cogs in a machine, do they mutually interact?

Have you ever done floatation tank therapy?
It is something which has given me a real idea of what the mind is. I think Eckhart Tolle description of your own two identities is the best way I can describe it. I know this is abstract, but it is the best I can do at this time in the morning!

Originally Posted by FloatingVoterTralee

Or should it merely be considered a constituent physical entity of the brain? The question has been considered by all leading religions and many secular philosophers, with no consensus reached to date, or perhaps even possible. Why are humans the only animals to possess an innate self-consciousness, and can the indicators of individual personality such as emotion, logical reasoning and imagination really merely be considered the firing of neural synapses? How can the circle be squared between the various religious hypotheses, such as ascent into an afterlife, the transmigration of souls and being a component of a divine being? Does the body influence the mind, the mind affect the body or like cogs in a machine, do they mutually interact?

I'd be very interested in some definitions. What do you mean by

• Mind
• Soul
• Body

for starters? Then we can talk about

• Existence.

Once we agree what we mean by these terms we can start to talk about the question in the OP.

Are they obliged to turn up at work?

Originally Posted by FloatingVoterTralee

Or should it merely be considered a constituent physical entity of the brain? The question has been considered by all leading religions and many secular philosophers, with no consensus reached to date, or perhaps even possible. Why are humans the only animals to possess an innate self-consciousness, and can the indicators of individual personality such as emotion, logical reasoning and imagination really merely be considered the firing of neural synapses? How can the circle be squared between the various religious hypotheses, such as ascent into an afterlife, the transmigration of souls and being a component of a divine being? Does the body influence the mind, the mind affect the body or like cogs in a machine, do they mutually interact?

And Morrissey -

"Does the body rule the mind
Or does the mind rule the body ?
I don´t know...."

Originally Posted by greykettle

And Morrissey -

"Does the body rule the mind
Or does the mind rule the body ?
I don´t know...."

People are still quoting that insufferable,talentless bore? Did he rip that line off of some writer,like he always did with his lyrics?

Well considering that so much of our thought processes are heavily influenced, if not outrightly controlled by emotion, which is controlled by hormones, which originate in various glands around the body, it's fairly difficult to say that our intellect/mind/'soul' is 'independent' of the body.

In short, the answer in my own humble opinion, is no.

Originally Posted by statsman

I'd be very interested in some definitions. What do you mean by

• Mind
• Soul
• Body

for starters? Then we can talk about

• Existence.

Once we agree what we mean by these terms we can start to talk about the question in the OP.

I should add that I'm an irredeemable materialist, myself.