Life force?

[C1ay]

Is there a life force, some kind of energy that is who we are or are we simple collections of matter driven by the same chemical and electrical reactions as the rest of nature. Religious people would call it the spirit and I don't really know what atheists would call it other than a life force. When someone dies is there a force that dies, a force that gives us life?

I personally tend to believe that there is some force that man cannot yet identify or understand. Perhaps a technology from the future will tell. At any rate, it is this force that I believe enables me to make freewill decisions that steer the course of my existence. What do you think?

This would probably have been a good poll question but I'd rather see discussion. This stems from the conversations on freewill vs determinism.

[Biochemist]

Originally Posted by C1ay

Is there a life force, some kind of energy that is who we are or are we simple collections of matter driven by the same chemical and electrical reactions as the rest of nature...I personally tend to believe that there is some force that man cannot yet identify or understand....it is this force that I believe enables me to make freewill decisions that steer the course of my existence. What do you think?

I certainly vote "yes" on the operative question. Goodness, C1- You are beginning to sound like a theist here. As I recall, that is a little at odds with your agnostic leanings. Am I reading too much into this?

[C1ay]

Originally Posted by Biochemist

I certainly vote "yes" on the operative question. Goodness, C1- You are beginning to sound like a theist here. As I recall, that is a little at odds with your agnostic leanings. Am I reading too much into this?

No, I am firmly rooted in the belief that there is/are NO god(s). I think we have a conciousness that is something more than simple chemical reactions though. I don't see one as implying the other.

[bumab]

Do you mean a life force that can alter reality (i.e. be an un-caused causal force) or something that simply operates under natural laws that we just don't understand yet?

I certainly think there is as well- a soul, in many peoples terms. That is a causal thing in the universe. (to answer the question).

[orbsycli]

aristotle said that if the eye was a living organism, it's soul would be sight. our souls are not ghastly haunting entities, just my opinion..i don't believe in the supernatural.

[C1ay]

Originally Posted by bumab

Do you mean a life force that can alter reality (i.e. be an un-caused causal force) or something that simply operates under natural laws that we just don't understand yet?

I certainly think there is as well- a soul, in many peoples terms. That is a causal thing in the universe. (to answer the question).

Why is a soul a causal thing? Are you claiminging it is not even possible that it is un-causal?

[bumab]

Originally Posted by C1ay

Why is a soul a causal thing? Are you claiminging it is not even possible that it is un-causal?

Apologies for being unclear. I was alluding to the free will thread you mentioned- does your definition of a soul operate outside of nature (i.e. causality)?

Those convoluted words were an attempt to say that your definition of a spirit (as I understood it, probably incorrectly) sounded a lot like God, or something similar. I doubted that was your intent , so I was looking for clarification. Sorry!

[Fishteacher73]

Shelly addressed this idea in Frankenstein. The "rage" in the science community was this idea that there was "component" that betowed life. It was also looked at in Mr. Jekyl and Dr. Hyde and the Island of Dr. Moreau.

There has been some resurgence in this idea, see such films as 21 grams.

[C1ay]

Originally Posted by bumab

Apologies for being unclear. I was alluding to the free will thread you mentioned- does your definition of a soul operate outside of nature (i.e. causality)?

Those convoluted words were an attempt to say that your definition of a spirit (as I understood it, probably incorrectly) sounded a lot like God, or something similar. I doubted that was your intent , so I was looking for clarification. Sorry!

My concpt of soul is an energy or force that gives us life, intelligence and free will. It is an energy or force integrated with nature in our nervous systems. It is what a theist would refer to as a spirit except that I have no belief in any God so I am reluctant to call it a spirit because of the religious connotations. I believe it is possible that we could have such a force of nature that we do not fully understand yet that was not endowed to us by God. For theists this question is easy since they believe in God and spirits. I'm wondering how many atheists believe we have some life force and which of them are inclined to believe in free will. I hope that clarifies things a bit.

[Biochemist]

Originally Posted by C1ay

No, I am firmly rooted in the belief that there is/are NO god(s). I think we have a conciousness that is something more than simple chemical reactions though. I don't see one as implying the other.

I admit I was playing with you a little here. But the philosophical point stands. I really think that if one assigns any uniqueness to humans, one has to wonder about the source for it, if it is not the naturalistic causality of the universe. For some folks (e.g., Francis Schaeffer, me) this is a strong argument for God.

I have no problem with folks that acknowledge the conundrum and leave it unresoolved, but it seems like you are suggesting there is no conundrum. Did I understand you correctly?