Written by my brother Mudhudvisa Dasa
The Soul Theory opens up a vast field for research and study based on the
scientific method. It opens up the areas of past-life-recall and out-of-body
experiences to rigorous scientific research and it also enables science to study
all manner of previously unexplained phoneme from a new angle.
THE SCIENTIFIC THEORY OF THE SOUL
INTRODUCTION
The intention of this paper is to put forward a scientific theory stated according to the currently accepted “scientific method” which provides a verifiable and falsifiable theory establishing the existence of an eternal spiritual particle present within every living entity. The symptom of the presence of the soul in a body is consciousness. This scientific theory makes predictions and can be tested experimentally.
DEFINITION OF THE “SOUL THEORY”
The “soul” is defined as a non-material, eternal spiritual entity present within any living being. The symptom of the presence of the soul within a body is consciousness. The soul continues to exist after the destruction of the body and it existed prior to the creation of the body. The material body develops, changes and produces by-products [offspring] because of the presence of the soul within. The material body deteriorates in due cause of time and when it is no longer a suitable residence for the soul it is forced to leave the body. This we call death.
IS THE “SOUL THEORY” RELIGIOUS
The “Soul Theory” stands completely on its own. It says nothing about the existence or nonexistent of God. Although most religious people accept the concept of something other than matter that continues to exist after death and caries the person on to another life there are also atheists who accept such an entity exists. In India there are both theistic and atheistic philosophies accepting the presence of the soul. It is a compelling and convincing explanation of many things we experience.
THE “SOUL THEORY” EXPLAINED
There exists, within this material universe, three types of energy: gross material, subtle material and spiritual. The gross material energy consists of earth, water, fire, air and ether [defined as the "space" within the universe]. The subtle material energy consists of mind, intelligence and false-ego [defined as the identification of the body as the self]. The spiritual energy consists of the soul [the individual living entities] and the supersoul
The presence of the soul in any living entity is indicated by consciousness. Although we cannot actually see the soul, we can see its symptoms. We cannot “see” electricity but when we see an illuminated light-globe we can see the symptom of the presence of electricity. Similarly when we see consciousness we see the symptom of the soul.
Any material body inhabited by a soul will undergo changes. It will be created, it will grow, it will produce by-products [offspring], it will dwindle and ultimately it will die.
DEFINITIONS OF TERMS USED
The Soul:
A spiritual particle present within any living entity whose presence causes the entire body to be pervaded by consciousness, the symptom of the soul. The soul is eternal, it has no birth and it never dies. The soul is the “person within the body”, or “the ghost in the machine”. At the time of “death” the soul leaves the body and is transferred to the womb of it’s next mother’s womb according to it’s accumulated “karma”.
Any material body inhabited by a soul will undergo changes. It will be created, it will grow, it will produce by-products [offspring], it will dwindle and ultimately it will die.
Karma:
Karma means literally “actions”. It is described by the physical law that each action has an equal and opposite reaction. This universal law is not limited to physical actions, it works for any action. If we commit violence against another the reactions generated and we must experience violence upon ourselves in the future. This “karma” or the reactions to our actions is not immediate. The karma is stored in our hearts and it will mature and fructify in due course. If at the time of death there are still karmic reactions stored within the heart which we have not yet experienced then we have to take birth again in the material world in a body suitable to enjoy and suffer the stored karma.
False-Ego:
The “ego” is the identity of the soul. In reality the soul is a spiritual person possessing an eternal spiritual body full of knowledge and ever increasing bliss. However, because of misusing their independence the souls in the material world misidentify with the material body. They think, “I am an American man”, or “I am an Australian women”. But such identification is false. We are only temporarily in a particular body. It is for seventy or eight years only, then we have to change bodies again. Our next body may be completely different. There is no guarantee someone who now has an “American” body will be again born as an American. There is not even a guarantee of birth in the human form. One can take birth in any species of life. So this identification with the material body is “false ego”.
( I have cut short this article)
Originally posted by VoidSpiritI think he will bring up one point he made earlier: Dead people weigh less than living people and therefore the mass of the soul is less than the mass of the asss, something like that.
interesting, but where does the scientific method and falsification come into play?
How he intends to prove that, provide falsification I don't know. I'm sure we are all waiting with bated breath.
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Originally posted by DasaDasa, I like to think about things like this and don't think it needs to be argued whether it is scientific to be interesting, but have a little problem about this particular way of talking about it.
Written by my brother Mudhudvisa Dasa
The Soul Theory opens up a vast field for research and study based on the
scientific method. It opens up the areas of past-life-recall and out-of-body
experiences to rigorous scientific research and it also enables science to study
all manner of previously unexplained phoneme from a new angle.
THE SCIENTIFIC THEORY ...[text shortened]... this identification with the material body is “false ego”.
( I have cut short this article)
Quote....................................
"The subtle material energy consists of mind, intelligence and false-ego [defined as the identification of the body as the self]. The spiritual energy consists of the soul [the individual living entities] and the supersoul
The presence of the soul in any living entity is indicated by consciousness. Although we cannot actually see the soul, we can see its symptoms. We cannot “see” electricity but when we see an illuminated light-globe we can see the symptom of the presence of electricity. Similarly when we see consciousness we see the symptom of the soul.
Any material body inhabited by a soul will undergo changes. It will be created, it will grow, it will produce by-products [offspring], it will dwindle and ultimately it will die.
DEFINITIONS OF TERMS USED
The Soul:
A spiritual particle present within any living entity whose presence causes the entire body to be pervaded by consciousness, the symptom of the soul. The soul is eternal, it has no birth and it never dies. The soul is the “person within the body”, or “the ghost in the machine”. At the time of “death” the soul leaves the body and is transferred to the womb of it’s next mother’s womb according to it’s accumulated “karma”."
end of quote.............................
Others here are questioning the idea that this soul can be studied by the scientific method. I have a different problem with it.
The text quoted refers to "false-ego [defined as the identification of the body as the self]" but then seems to fall for the same error here: "The Soul: A spiritual particle present within any living entity whose presence causes the entire body to be pervaded by consciousness, the symptom of the soul." and here: " The soul is the “person within the body”, or “the ghost in the machine”." and here: "We are only temporarily in a particular body." There are other examples of limiting the soul, in this way.
My opinion is this: If it is an error to identify the body as the self, then I think it is an error to identify the body as being the boundary of the soul. The body may provide the senses through which we experience things, but this does not necessitate that the soul is restricted in space to be within the body. Instead it may be posited that each soul (or the One Soul, or just plain Soul) permeates or coincides with the physical universe while receiving information about the world and acting on the world through the physically limited and physically located body (or bodies) of all living things. In short, the universe is conscious here and there, and that's where it gets its ideas. 🙂
At any rate, once I start on this path of thought, that's where I end up. I always find myself unable to stop short of the idea that there is one soul, with many temporal manifestations or instantiations (or some word like that.)
Originally posted by JS357JS357
Dasa, I like to think about things like this and don't think it needs to be argued whether it is scientific to be interesting, but have a little problem about this particular way of talking about it.
Quote....................................
"The subtle material energy consists of mind, intelligence and false-ego [defined as the identification of the bod soul, with many temporal manifestations or instantiations (or some word like that.)
In a way their is actually one soul the soul of God which is all pervading and is in all places at all times but this one soul has ejected US into individual souls with our unique identity hence ego.
Why has God done this?
Because there can be no relationship if God is one.
There must be two for relationship to exist so God has expanded himself into individual souls for his pleasure.
Now this doesn't mean we are God but instead part of God just like the sunshine is part of the sun but when the sunshine comes in our room through the window the sun is not actually in our room.............but the sun is connected to the sunshine which is in our room.
Likewise we (the soul) is part of God......a little piece of God and God being eternal and spiritual we are eternal and spiritual.
Now when we play-up in the spiritual world we come here to this temporarily material world and are injected into a material body to play King of the Castle.
Playing King of the Castle after many millions of births and deaths becomes tiresome and when we get fed up with the repeated suffering of birth and death we can take to the spiritual life and return home back to Godhead with our spiritual body instead of a temporal material body...........then the real fun begins.
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Here is a cut and paste from the Veda.with some more info of the soul
The atomic soul can be perceived by perfect intelligence as floating in the five kinds of life airs (prana, apana, vyana, samana and udana). When the consciousness (that pervades from the soul through the entire body) is purified from the contamination of the five kinds of material airs, its spiritual influence is exhibited.""
Prana is one but acts in different ways. Lower pranas control the senses and are under the control of main prana controlled by the Paramatma (super-soul) according to desire and karma of the jiva. Vedanta-sutra, Bhagavata Purana 4.25-28 (serpent analogy), Prasna Upanisad and other scriptures contain elaborate descriptions of prana. Various Eastern healing methods and martial arts work with prana.
Prana is mentioned in many Upanisads as well as Vedanta-sutra. A story in the Chandogya Upanisad describes how the senses had a dispute who among them is the most essential. The ear left for one year, returns and asks the others how they were doing without him. In a similar way the other senses also quit for a while. When the breath (prana = life) gets ready to leave, the other senses all understand that he is most essential. Without breath the body can't live.
Ten pranas "life airs" - Prana, Apana, Samana, Udana, Vyana, Naga, Krkara, Kurma, Devadatta, Dhananjaya (for definitions see below the commentary to SB 3.6.9) and their actions are mentioned by spiritual masters (acaryas) in their commentaries to Bhagavad-gita 4.27. The life airs circulate in the 72.000 nadis and meridians of the human body.
The Veda has much information about this but space prevents me from posting.
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Originally posted by SuzianneMaybe not. Perhaps Dasa in an expert in Sankrit and feels that his transliteration is better.
The author of this article is given in at least two places on the web as "Madhudvisa Dasa".
I'd think that IF this was your brother, which I doubt, you'd at least spell his name right.
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Originally posted by DasaWell, my primary little concern is the boundary of the individual soul/self/spirit... I don't think of it as being the physical body It's sort of centered in the body but with a distribution throughout the universe. So the oneness/several-ness aspect is fine by me. If the several-ness is a temporary or illusory thing, that's the way it is.
JS357
In a way their is actually one soul the soul of God which is all pervading and is in all places at all times but this one soul has ejected US into individual souls with our unique identity hence ego.
Why has God done this?
Because there can be no relationship if God is one.
There must be two for relationship to exist so God has expanded himsel ...[text shortened]... an body.
The Veda has much information about this but space prevents me from posting.
Originally posted by DasaThat ain't no soul talk, shoot man, fool don't know nothin'.
Written by my brother Mudhudvisa Dasa
The Soul Theory opens up a vast field for research and study based on the
scientific method. It opens up the areas of past-life-recall and out-of-body
experiences to rigorous scientific research and it also enables science to study
all manner of previously unexplained phoneme from a new angle.
THE SCIENTIFIC THEORY ...[text shortened]... this identification with the material body is “false ego”.
( I have cut short this article)