Dear Yuyutsu,

I don’t see much point in continuing this, but still. I really do think there is a qualitative difference between thoughts and actions, like there is between software and the mechanical actions of a machine-hardware operated by a software. Our hardware is biological, i.e. our body that to 95% (DNA) is identical to a chimpanzee’s, the software is our mind (producing thoughts) that distinguishes us from other living organisms, including chimpanzees, by much more than the 5%. (Your brain-dead person who moves his lips would correspond to a pre-computer mechanical automaton.)

So I don’t believe our thinking - and the achievements of human culture, arts etc - is reducible to only “certain neurons firing in the brain”, but I am aware that many people do, perhaps including you.

Dear George,

<<So I don’t believe our thinking - and the achievements of human culture, arts etc - is reducible to only “certain neurons firing in the brain”, but I am aware that many people do, perhaps including you>>

Actually I am, like you, of the view that neither our thoughts nor our "achievements" (I don't like that word for everything we do is by God's grace) are reducible to "certain neurons firing in the brain".

We are responsible for both, hence the difference is only quantitative, even while the civil legislator treats thoughts and actions as if they were qualitatively different, at times drawing the lines between thoughts and speech and at others between speech and action.

Dear Yuyutsu,

So let us agree that our difference - you claiming that thinking and acting are only quantitatively different, wheres I see the difference as qualitative - is minuscule, and seen as quantitative or qualitative depending on where you look at it from ;-))

Dear George,

Well we strayed quite a bit from the topic, so lets leave it at that.

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Dear Yuyutsu,

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Sorry I couldn’t get back to you earlier. I’ve been a bit busy the last couple of days.

You wrote :

« The concept of "soul" (or "spirit") is not necessary here - If I were to discuss it, this would only complicate things and take us away from the simple point that I made »
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I agree, but you were the one who brought up the subject when you wrote: « … only our bodies are conceived by their genitors … »

To which I commented that this appeared to be an allusion to your religious belief that we human beings possess a “soul” or a “spirit”, (or some other supernatural element), in addition to our physical bodies.

I pointed out that a religious belief should not be presented as an established reality. If you present it as your personal religious belief that's fine with me.

And no sooner had you declared that « The concept of "soul" (or "spirit") is not necessary here », you then added, in the same post :

« … all this does not explain your involvement with this particular body you call "yours" - what have you to do with it in the first place, especially as it could do the same without you? »

Here again, this is obviously an allusion to your religious belief that we human beings possess a “soul” or a “spirit”, (or some similar supernatural element), in addition to our physical bodies, and that the two are dissociable.

You keep bringing up (or, at least, alluding to) the subject that you say you don’t want to talk about.

I think I have already made it clear, Yuyutsu, that while I respect your religious beliefs, I do not consider that the concept of “soul” or spirit”, or whatever, corresponds to reality.

But, since you insist, once again, I feel obliged to repeat that it’s important, Yuyutsu, that you draw a clear distinction between “fact” and “belief” (of whatever nature). Otherwise, I’m afraid, it’s impossible for us to have a meaningful discussion about anything.

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Dear Banjo,

While it is true that I tend to believe that we have a "soul" as well as a body, this is redundant for this discussion and it was never my intention to even hint at that. You are what you are, neither a body nor a soul. While I have no evidence for the existence of souls, you need no evidence to know yourself (nor could any evidence help there).