Discussion If your parents hadn't brought you into this world, do you think your 'essence' or soul would still be here?

[Forever Sleep]

I tend to believe we are only our brains and bodies. That our minds create this sense of self and consciousness. I like the idea of a soul but, I don't really believe in it.

I also think that our sense of self and experience of life is massively influenced by our genes and upbringing. I suppose I find it hard to divorce our sense of self from those factors.

I'm curious though. For those who do believe in a soul and reincarnation even. If your parents hadn't been the ones to bring you here. If you had been born to other parents in a diffrent country, as a different gender with different genes and abilities/ vulnerabilities. If you had been born as a animal even- if you think that's possible- do you really think you'd have the same sense of self and perception of the world that you do as you?

For those who believe in reincarnation- do you really think it will be you coming back? Given that so many things about your new life will be different.

 

[Yeao]

I don't believe in souls too, or more like, I can't, because the evidence doesn't support it.
I believe 'consciousness' is an evolutionary ability, nothing magical, the "self" is an illusion.
But I wonder if we are all equally conscious though? The question is a bit extreme, maybe even insulting.
The split brain experiment proved that each brain functions and takes decisions by its own, and then the other half makes up a reason why, but to the person, they believe they are the one who came up with that decision.
Anendophasia is a clear example of different conscious experience between humans, that inner world, functioning differently.