What do some atheists think of using the term "Soul"

[Moira]

Like breating life. I have always wondered what the scientific usage of it is. If there is one. When i am referring to a soul, i mean
Body + Life = You
Without a soul, there is only a lifeless body. Sorta like a shell with no life, reaction, movements. Basically it.
What do you people think about it?

[Fidel_Castronaut]

I think the concept of a soul, and the description of 'it', depends very much on the person you're talking to and where they were raised.

For me, the self is inseparable from the brain (and a fully functioning one at that, although arguably it could be stated that the self changes as the brain does). This is evidenced quite easily upon viewing people who have had a degree of brain damage, or who suffer from a degenerative condition such as dementia whereby they begin to lose a sense of 'self'. We've mapped the brain pretty extensively (though arguably not fully), and we know what areas of the brain more or less govern aspects of emotion, interpretation of sight, even the belief in a deity. Physically affecting these can have demonstrably effects on the person.

I don't think the soul exists because I've never heard a uniform description of it, and am yet to see any evidence of its existence.

[Minimalist]

I'd be astounded if there was a "scientific usage" or even definition of the term soul.... which applies to the fantasies of believers and not anything in the real world.

I'm sure some creatard with a PH. D. in wiping his ass has concocted one but that really doesn't count.

[Ryantology]

The only 'soul' which actually exists is in the form of either panty-blasting love anthems or fried food.

[Mr Greene]

There isn't a scientific definition for this sort of concept, though I would generally translate it to mean 'Personality' and in a similar vein 'Spirit' tends to translate as 'Emotion'.

[Walking Void]

"A brain without a body is a life without function".

[Violet]

'Personality', the material synonym of 'soul'.

[pineapplebunnybounce]

it's one of those words that fall into the category of words that have a lot of "meaning", but no one really knows what it means. Like "supernatural", "god", etc. etc. Until someone can define it, yea, I don't give a shit about it and I know there are PhDs in psychology and/or neuroscience who strongly believe in it but they're honest enough to say they have no evidence for it. How can you have evidence of something you can't really define?

[genkaus]

Like breating life. I have always wondered what the scientific usage of it is. If there is one. When i am referring to a soul, i mean
Body + Life = You
Without a soul, there is only a lifeless body. Sorta like a shell with no life, reaction, movements. Basically it.
What do you people think about it?

I think 'soul' is a handy way to refer to one's consciousness or atleast a part of one's consciousness. The specific function of the brain which relates to self-awareness - awareness of all the inputs, processing and outputs of the brain - that I'll happily call a soul because all the other terms referring to it are too damn long.

[Minimalist]

I think 'soul' is a handy way to refer to one's consciousness or atleast a part of one's consciousness.

It may be handy but it comes with so much religious baggage that it becomes useless.