With the interest in modern science growing in the western world, so does the amount of questions we have. The belief in a non-material entity, such as a spirit or a soul, was not to be questioned for a long time in human history. However, now that people can openly doubt religion and thus the existence of such entities, a big question has been raised: what exactly are we, if not a soul within a body? The body itself?
In case we are, there is a serious problem we have to deal with. Within ten years, all the cells inside of our body have been replaced by new ones. Even though we might look and feel more or less the same, physically we are a completely different person. This makes it hard for us to say that we can live on this planet for eighty years and remain the same person our entire lives. However, it does not make sense to claim that we live as eight different persons, for there is still a difference between the person I was ten years ago and, for example, my brother. I have no reason to doubt that I was not in control of my old self’s body, whereas I have never been in control of my brother’s body.
A possible solution for this problem can be found in a well-known philosophical thought experience. Let us say there is a river next to our house. Every morning when we look outside, the river seems to be the same as the one that was next to our house yesterday. In fact, the water that ran through the river yesterday has long been replaced by new water. The river might not be physically identical to the one it was yesterday, but we still speak of the same river.
Apparently, there has to be something that makes us feel as if we are more than just our bodies. After all, a twin can look identical to his sibling, but still be recognised by his authentic personality. This brings us to the question: what is this thing we call personality? If we believe in the absence of a spiritual entity, it is something that should be found within our body. Yet there is no part in our brains that can clearly prove the existence of such a thing as a personality. All that scientists have proven, are the neurological processes in our brain that lead to our thoughts and actions. Could all our thoughts, opinions and character traits simply be processes in our brains?
Philosopher Derek Parfit, known for his thought experiences that somewhat resemble the science fiction series Star Trek, took it even further. He stated that if our brains could somehow be transported to the database of a computer and thus lose our physical body, that there would be nothing to mourn about. After all, if all our thoughts and experiences are stored in our brains, there is nothing that we should miss. Even the love for our bodies would simply be a process in our brains. This leads to a whole new point of view. We are not just our bodies, we are even less than that. We are our brains. Even without our bodies, we should be able to be who we are.
This also solves the cell-replacement problem in the first paragraph. Even though our brains might be completely different from the ones it were ten years ago, the experiences and thoughts we had back then are safely stored within them. We might be completely different persons by now, but the attachment to our old selves is still present. This makes it almost impossible for one to feel as if he has completely changed from his older self during his life, unless he suffered from severe brain damage. Only if we lose the data stored in our brains entirely, we can start being a new person.
Another question we might want to ask ourselves: can we control these brain processes? We can not control other organs, such as our heart and liver, so are we able to control what is in our heads? Is the impression that we are able to think whatever, whenever we want, just an illusion? This would result into the absence of free will and thus the capability to be who we want to be.
Not a body, neither a soul. It is a conclusion that will probably discomfort many. The brain is still a very mysterious organ. Neurologists have yet to find out how exactly all these brain processes work. Until then we can only philosophize about what we are.
. Dankjewel! ^^
