(Let everybody hash out "gay marriage")

Specifically? Obviously, we can replace arms and legs. Artificial organs rapidly approaching useability. Artificial skin, too.

So, 20-25 years from now, when we can replace the entire body...only one place left for the "soul"....

the brain, right?

So, WHERE in the brain? I mean, I doubt most would say that if a person suffers brain damage, even something radical like a hemispherectomy (see below)...."has no soul" or do we get into "half souls"?

Say a person, due to disease or damage, with a total body replacement, and only 50% of their brain matter, existed...do they have the same "soul" as they had before the surgery and replacements?

Hemispherectomy link--

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Since we have no evidence that a 'soul' exists I'll give you the same answer I grew up with when one of the young 'gentleman?' in my peer group had the misfortune of needing to ask another where something was...

If it was up your ass eatin' a peanut-butter sandwich you'd know where it was!

Who was that Big Petey, Little Petey, Regular Petey, Joey Bagadonuts, Vinnie the Ear?.....(Old Dom Errera bit).

Guido the killer pimp...(Risky Business)

It exists [ along with the trinity, hellfire etc.] in the imagination of all those who are associated with and practicers of the ancient mystery religions. The origin came from Satan's lie that Adam and Eve would not die if they ate from the fruit God designated as his alone.

BTW, welcome back slee.

SARI 2007:

BTW, welcome back slee.

Thanks, Sari.....btw, in fairness, Christians aren't the only ones who believe in a "soul"

But it sends me on a tangent to think of other things such as what might be your main motivation for asking such a question? Are you in search of God or are you looking for ways to trip up believers, I am not being cynical just curious? Have you figured out where your soul is (virtuously and eternally speaking) yet or is that of lesser concern than these tricky matters?

God can handle all the conundrums man can throw his way like artificial life, sex changes, frozen embryos, half man – half apes and so on. You work on that brain transplant and God will take care of the soul accountability question which is certainly beyond the scope of man.

I don't know what you mean by soul. If you mean "shade" as in that which might become a ghost, then it resides in the whole body (and artificial parts would be included as well). If you mean the spirit, then it resides in the breath (not in the lungs, but in the actual breath). I am not sure where Odhr (frenzied inspiration) resides. It seems to reside in the entire head.

I didn't mention christendom specifically, but only as a part of the whole of religious ideology.

Reptilicus:

Specifically? Obviously, we can replace arms and legs. Artificial organs rapidly approaching useability. Artificial skin, too....So, 20-25 years from now, when we can replace the entire body...only one place left for the "soul"....the brain, right?

Well now the answer clearly depends on several factors:

First, are we talking African or European souls?

See, African souls, much like swallows, are non-migratory..European souls on the other hand start in the left pinky-toe but can move around from there and are far trickier to pinpoint.

Secondly, there is the question of is this person ginger? In which case they have no soul so stop wasting your time looking.

If African souls are non-migratory, how do you explain the presence of the late James Brown, or Wilson Pickett, Aretha Franklin, et al in North America?

altamont:

But it sends me on a tangent to think of other things such as what might be your main motivation for asking such a question? Are you in search of God or are you looking for ways to trip up believers, I am not being cynical just curious? Have you figured out where your soul is (virtuously and eternally speaking) yet or is that of lesser concern than these tricky matters?

If by "trip up" believers, you mean get them to intellectually defend their beliefs....yes, that's exactly my point.

And no point in "searching for God" or worrying about my "soul"....since I see both concepts as unknowable at most, unlikely at least, and un-necessary at all.

If your soul weighs the same as a duck.....then it's made of wood....and therefore.....???

Th Paine:

If African souls are non-migratory, how do you explain the presence of the late James Brown, or Wilson Pickett, Aretha Franklin, et al in North America?

All were born in North America ;) That was easy.