what is a soul?

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How can you prove the existence of a non physical thing? To the satisfaction of those requiring physical proof?

Here are some of the things that cannot be physically proven to exist:

Mind
Soul
god or gods
computer programs
autism
electricity
higgs boson
gravity
zero point energy
alternate realities
parallel dimensions

And the list goes on, and on...

Wait, before you flame me, think about it...
You can often show the proof of symptoms, and effects, but you cannot show the thing itself.

As an example of what I mean, dissect out of a computer the operating system.
Hand it to me.
You can't do it. You can print out a listing, show me a listing on a computer monitor, but that's not the program. I want you to hand me the program itself, not a disk with the program on it. The medium is not proof. The thing itself, that I can feel, taste, smell, and see is the only proof of existence I will accept.
It can't be done.
You can counter that it has to exist, because it can be shown to do such and so on when it is invoked (sounds witchcrafty to me).
In that case, I can prove that god exists when I pray for the sun to rise in the morning, and it does. All that proves is that either god answers prayers or you are gullible.

So, in the end, it all comes down to belief in what somebody else tells you.

And, too many of us have heard the old line of authority before:

I'm the teacher and I am teaching you the truth.
I'm the priest, and the church tells you what truth is.
I'm from the government, and I'm here to help you, and that's the truth
Vote for me, and I'll give you what you want, I promise.

Which is more to your liking?
A faith based religion or an experience based religion or no religion at all?


________________________________________________________________
Don't believe anything anybody tells you, especially me.

Computer programs exist. I have written them.

Electricity exists. It lights me lights and I have gotten an electric shock.

Gravity exists. it is holding me in my chair.

The others might or might not exist.

ruveyn

If you have written programs, hand them to me.
(I don't see them.)

10 Print "Hello world."
20 End

OK, it's a program. (claim)
It doesn't seem to work. (my observation)
What do I do? Poke it with a stick? (my attempt to be fair, and give it a chance)
So, since it's not doing anything except taking up two lines on my screen, it isn't a program.
It's not doing anything.

I'd like a bottle of gravity please, so I can test your assertion.
(Show it to me, don't tell me what you think it does.)
(Can you prove that your chair doesn't suck?)
So, can you point to this electricity?
(Actually, it's the aether that lights your lights, and lightening that gave you the shock.)
(Franklin proved it with a leyden jar.)
You have made physically unprovable assertions linking something with an effect.

My point is this:
You cannot prove a virtual thing exists using only physical proofs.
You can only theorize that x is responsible for y. But in the final analysis - I have to take your word for it (as an accepted authority).

I take it on faith that
Teacher knows the subject they teach and can teach me.
Dr. knows about the cancer I have. And an effective treatment.
Scientist knows how to safely smash atoms.
Fireman knows how to protect my home in case of fire.
Police will ticket me if I speed while driving.

Well done!! !

How do I know you exist?

ruveyn

You don't. Especially with the internet.

Hey ruveyn surely if a computer program exists (you have written them) then surely your mind exists aswell because the computer program was a product of your mind.

Do I exist?
I've been asking that question for a long time.

So far, I have discovered I exist in 4 different realities.

How are you doin' with your existence?