5. On the SOUL again- My understanding of it again and the Utility of such a concept

I was trying to combat insomnia so I applied my mind as I lay in bed last night.

What is the SOUL? What is my personal definition and understanding of it?

The conception of the SOUL comes from self-consciousness which in turn gives birth to self-identity. Only then man think of "his" SOUL.

The SOUL to me is not necessarily real nor does it need to be. As before, "I find little reason to purport that we are spiritually privileged creatures. Indeed, we are the product of lucky exaptations and rugged ancestry. But given the power we hold over the rest of terran life, environment and this planet's possible trajectories." I still value it. Why? My moral-realist sociological stance is that many would understand it in terms of a religious viewpoint which is to be an intangible part of them. This conception of a SOUL survives beyond the perishable body and thus they behave according to a notion of good behavior so as to ensure a good rewards for their SOUL in the afterlife. This by and large aids the functioning of society which in turn renders the concept of the SOUL is definitely mechanistically useful (even if it may not be real).

The SOUL to me also requires going beyond the first step of self-awareness. If we are self-conscious but hold onto a biologically deterministic concept of man then the SOUL would just be survivalist notions invoked by the brain so as to allow for better self-preservation of the man as a species-being.

The SOUL requires an awareness of the emotive aspects of human experience. It is more than awareness in fact, it is the embracing and acceptance of the emotive aspects of human experience. And the idea that our existence is not so mundane and determined after all.

Now I shall delve deeper and state the difference between my understanding of the SOUL and IDENTITY for it seems both involve self-awareness. The SOUL to me is the emotive and true side of man and not his social ego/ identity for that is something which he acts out according to the social conditions that he is in in order to achieve various goals. The SOUL is the side of man which he knows to be his true self for man cannot lie to himself in his mind. He can deny himself but he cannot blatantly lie to himself. The SOUL has a voice. Some call it CONSCIENCE. I understand it to be the witness-consciousness. It shouts out the truth even when you do not want to hear it. That inner voice is the voice of your SOUL.

I am getting closer to my understanding of the SOUL. Therefore, please allow me to reiterate. The SOUL is my true and emotive self which is hidden away from social conditions. It is the true appreciation of all my experiences. Thus the SOUL can be nurtured through the experiences of life and meaningful expression and reflection. (On the other hand, identity is taught and perfected through social conditioning.)

I repeat myself on an important point. The SOUL may not be real. It may be and most likely is a survivalist notion invoked by the brain. But what are its other advantages to man? For although survival is the ultimate aim of all species-beings, I do not see it as a noble enough endeavor for a beautiful creature like man. Thus I should explore the benefits of the SOUL to man in a moral-realist individualist aspect more in depth.

The fact that the SOUL is hidden away from man makes it ideal for genuine, deep and personal reflection away from agents of social conditioning (which adds value to extended consciousness: the ability to add the awareness of the past and future into the mix and factor in such variables into decision-making). However, it can always be argued that one can never be entirely free from the influence of such agents (such as Semantics being the most influential and thus scary from a philosophically purist stance) but at least the SOUL allows for the possibility for such a beneficial enterprise. The other utility of the SOUL to man is that it allows for a development of his true individuality which allows for room for the assumption of responsibility for the consequences of his actions. This when coupled with the first advantage allows for the betterment of man's external actions. Lastly, the SOUL allows for men to connect to possibilities beyond the tangible world as the SOUL precisely exists in an intangible realm which is so real and vital to man. It allows his mind to expand beyond the purely biological and deterministic and to develop new mental horizons for all his actions.

I have dismissed it in the past and still see no reason why the SOUL is rightfully a spiritual entity. But I am curious: is it truly what I think it to be? And how beautiful it would be if indeed the SOUL had a spiritual utility? And what utility would that be?