Human Knowledge Acquisition

Jenni Potts

September 17, 2002

The Mystery of Consciousness and the Soul

I remember certain moments from my childhood with the utmost clarity. One of those moments happened when I realized that I was the only Jennifer Elizabeth Potts born on September 29, 1983 in Albuquerque, New Mexico to Stan and Nicki Potts and the only girl who had experienced what I had up to that point in my life. I remember being in elementary school and being taught that everyone is special and there are no copies of any of us out there. Why is each and every human in the whole entire world unique? What is it inside us that causes our differences? What is it outside of us that causes our differences? The concepts of consciousness, a soul, and individuality have haunted people for ages. With scientific discoveries bringing us more knowledge about ourselves and the way our brains work, each day brings us closer to understanding. But…will we ever fully answer these questions? Is it possible to know everything about the human body and mind and how they work? Maybe some things are meant to be mysteries, or there is some sort of barrier keeping us from reaching the truth. What would happen to the world if we discovered that the "soul" did not exist? If we could prove without a doubt that we were in fact just a bundle of flesh and nerves driven solely by hormones and chemicals, serious consequences would arise throughout the world.

Damasio describes the moment when we become conscious beings as "stepping into the light" (page 3). He believes that we have experiences which engage our senses, but only when we are aware that we felt, saw, heard, tasted, etc. are we considered conscious. I agree with this point to a certain extent. If what Damasio says is correct, does that mean that babies are unconscious? Do babies have a sense of self? These questions are very difficult to answer. I definitely don’t remember those early times in my life and have never met anyone who does. These questions are almost impossible to test because babies cannot communicate. So, based on this definition of consciousness from Damasio, I am tempted to say we are not fully conscious during those first months of life. It is also possible that we are conscious but unable to communicate and also unable to remember. However, the fact that we don’t remember being babies brings up another issue. When a person is knocked unconscious, generally, he doesn’t remember being unconscious and wakes up in a state of confusion. I’ve seen this before when a friend of mine fainted. This leads me to conclude that since we don’t have memories from the first few months of our lives that we may not be conscious then.

I know my concept of self came about before that moment in elementary school that I mentioned earlier. I just had never given it any thought before that point in my life. Damasio speaks of our consciousness and concept of a self as very subtle presences in our lives. He considers it the key to our life experiences. Consciousness allows us to be aware of ourselves while going through life. On page ten, he directly speaks to the individual as she reads the book. Damasio points out that as we read, we each recall not only the images the words on the page produce, but also images unique to each individual person. Each one of us experiences the book in a different way. We all glean different information from the same exact words. That amazes me! That also shows the concept of self and consciousness and how they are always with us, always exerting their subtle influences over everything we experience. With such thoughts and observations, I find it difficult to deny the existence of a soul in every person. Perhaps soul is not the correct word, but it works for me.

I find it impossible to believe that we are all made up just of molecules, cells, and chemicals. If that were the case, how is it that every person is so unique? We all have the same basic molecular make up, the same cell structures, the same chemicals and hormones coursing through our bodies. Why is it then, that we each do something completely unique when faced with various situations and various choices in life? If we don’t have a soul, then do our genes determine our every move? That thought scares me. I believe if we could blame everything on our genes, no one would ever be held accountable for his actions. We could go around committing crimes left and right, treating others without respect, and just "blame it on the genes!" How could we ever instill values in our children? Discipline would be non-existent. I can see it now : children all around bringing notes from the doctor to give to their teachers that say "Please allow Bobby to run around, make all the noise he wants, pull all the girls’ hair, and never concentrate on his school work…It’s his genetic disposition…He can’t help it." Where would we be? Laws would then be written stating that we could not put anyone in jail for committing a crime that was due to their genes. We could not discriminate against those with certain DNA make ups. This cannot work. We must have something in us, be it a soul, or whatever that may not be detectable to science’s strongest tests but that exerts its influence over our actions, thoughts, and beliefs.

Tom Wolfe, in his essay, "Sorry, But Your Soul Just Died" discusses many of these issues as well. He points to neuroscientists who believe that "given computers of sufficient power and sophistication, we could predict the course of any human’s life moment by moment." I just do not agree with this. I think the only "computer" with that much sophistication is that one inside each of our heads, our brain. Even then, each person’s brain is completely unique. Even with my family and best friends, I can’t predict their next moves or reactions to events.

Someday we may be able to prove that there is no soul, but I hate to think about the consequences. Wolfe discussed the philosopher, Nietzsche and his statement that the twenty-first century would bring "a time of the total eclipse of all values". I don’t want to believe that, but looking around at our society and some of the horrors that go on, it may actually be a true prophecy. After September 11, I felt that the world as I knew it was coming to an end. This held true to some extent. Many parts of our lives changed. I know I changed in the way I perceive others. I no longer trust everyone as I once did. If we throw into that mix of crimes and post 9/11 America, the discovery that there is no soul, we just might have that "total eclipse of all values". These thoughts are all quite scary to me, and I expect it strikes fear in many others as well. This contributes to why the issues surrounding consciousness and the soul are not popular to be studying. Most people probably wouldn’t want to know if we were just driven by chemicals and science.

However, after reading Andrew Sullivan’s "The He Hormone", I can definitely see more evidence pointing towards the absence of a soul and the presence of many chemical reactions that drive us. The testosterone injections Sullivan took on a regular basis had very dramatic effects on his personality and behaviors. I was amazed while reading this article at the extent to which these hormones influence our lives. I was also fascinated by the extensive research that has been done on the subject of hormones, testosterone in this case, and their serious effects on men. Information like this and research which has been done on other hormones definitely leads us to question the concept of a soul. If we say the soul determines personality and actions, how then, do we even begin to explain Sullivan’s experiences with the hormone injections? I find it difficult to say there is no soul. I also find it difficult to say there is one that determines who we are completely when I am faced with undeniable facts like those presented in this article. I will continue to believe that there is a soul; I’m not saying this article changed my mind, but it did make me think twice. This also shows why this type of research is not too popular. It leads from one question to another. It makes us rethink aspects of our lives that we may have been absolutely certain of before. I know I don’t enjoy second guessing my beliefs. I like them to be set and sturdy.

This brings up one more point. Why do we need the concept of a soul? Why do we want something in our lives, inside of each one of us that is steadfast and unwavering? Damasio answers that and I completely agree with him. It is a sort of defense mechanism. We live in a world and an environment that is constantly changing. Some environments may go through more change than others, but even in the barest desert, one has to contend with the changing wind and temperatures. In order to survive in such a disorderly world, we need that soul within us to bring order to our lives, (page 24).

These issues continue to haunt us. Some people will persist in the search for the soul and the definition of consciousness. Many authors have brought these questions to light. Damasio points out his definition of consciousness and explains why we need a soul. Sullivan recounts his experiences with hormones and their effects on his actions and his personality. Wolfe questions the soul and brings his readers to ponder "Where would we be if we actually discovered there was no soul?" We may never fully answer or agree upon these issues. Some of my own personal opinions don’t even agree with each other. However, with the passing of time and the gain of more and more knowledge, we open a sort of Pandora’s Box. We all, as human beings, have a responsibility to look out for one another and to hold each other accountable to ensure that we don’t carry this too far.