How do you reconcile believing in evolution and that only humans have souls?

Question

I know each religion is different wrt animals and souls but I think a *lot* of organized religions are pretty clear. I'm very spiritual, although my church is math and geometry and physics. I know we are not capable of remotely understanding the universe, and that mystery is my religion. Humans are a special species, but so are dolphins and each other really. Is the idea that God chose humans when meandering evolution put us here? Ok finally, hair on top, that’s my people. Here take your soul!

Answer 1

Hello. I don't think that you can reconcile believing in evolution and also that humans have a soul. If you are a Christian, then the belief in a soul is derived from the divine creation of humans; in other words, God's divinity is the origin of our souls. The closest physical explanation for a soul is a neurobiological one, whereby people think that what they are experiencing is a "soul" when really is is the experience of the meta-level of our brain function. When we examine how our brain functions on a pure physical level, we can explain how we see and recall information and process a math problem, but there exists a meta-level (above and beyond) of thinking that rises above the specific physical workings of our neurons. Many cognitive biologists and philosophers (like Heidegger) thought that because we cannot fully explain how our brain works to produce what we call "thinking" that people have mistakenly attributed all that unexplained stuff to a "soul." Besides, evolution is a physical explanation that may not be applied to an abstract concept like a soul. Either accept that the two ideas are not reconcilable, or believe in both and simpy understand that you do not have explanations yet as to how the two ideas can exist simultaneoulsy within you. And humans are different because we are the onlly species that are truly "world-builders." Other species may create homes, relationships, tools, even a culture to a degree; but humans are the only species to create a world on our planet that is a unique endeavor that no other species engages in. Thank you and I hope that provoked some thoughts!

Dr. Kim B.