It is easier to prove the soul exists then the physical body

Rebuttlals I. Phyical bodies can be dected by human senses, and infared signitures My basic refutation is that: You cannot absolutely know for certain that anything is real through the 5 major senses. How do you know that the body that you have is physical through the senses? How do you know anything is material through the senses? All the 5 major senses (Sight, sound, smell, taste, touch) can be faked in dreams or hallucinations. We hit a roadblock when it comes to proving what we observe as reality is real through these senses because they can be shown to be wrong on occasion, it’s a reliability issue with these major senses. So we have to look for evidence that isn’t reliant on sight, therefore invisible. Likewise it cannot be touched, smelled, heard, and tasted. I think the evidence needs to be immaterial. Also the soul can be detected through awareness. For example, you are aware that you think, you are aware that you understand. Thoughts, understanding, knowledge are all immaterial things. If you experience any of these then you are experiencing immaterial parts going on in your body, this is what is called a “soul” the immaterial parts of the body. II. Souls cannot be deceted through senses, or infared signituress. (Or any other valid method of dectection) My refutation is that “the soul can be detected through self-awareness.” Now bear in mind I don’t know if I can prove your soul exists or my neighbor’s because my knowledge of the soul is derived from self-awareness. I know my own soul exists because I’m self-aware that immaterial experiences (knowledge, understanding, will, etc) happens within me. I’m aware that my soul exists like I’m aware that two plus two is four, and I’m more confident that it exists then I do with the flesh or any other physical object. I’m not saying that I don’t believe in the physical world, as I think there is sufficient reason to believe these things are real, but I think the evidence is better. I should point out that self-awareness is the most valid form of detection known to man, if you don’t have awareness, then you can’t be aware that your very own senses, or any other form of detection for that matter, is valid. If don’t believe in yourself, why believe your senses? If you think, you have a brain. Good, you see how immaterials (thoughts), implies material (brain)? Which is why I think one can prove a materialistic world from immaterials (thoughts -> Brain) because some immaterials imply physical. It’s a little bit more difficult to deduce the brain’s existence absolutely starting from a physical world (brain -> thought), because you would have to work it out with your senses, which then the question pops how do you know what you see is not a dream or hallucination absolutely? You can’t, not with your 5 major senses. But starting from immaterials such as thoughts, it seems a little bit more reliable because your simply aware that you experience things like thinking, and it’s not from the 5 senses, but by internal awareness. Thoughts can be dected through electrical impulses through activity in brain, souls cannot. The idea of souls holds no backup evidence, making it MUCH harder to prove souls than physical bodies. I don’t see how thoughts are detectable through electrical impulses is relevant, the question is if that thoughts are immaterial themselves or not. If thoughts are immaterial, then it’s conclusive that you have a soul, for that’s all you need to prove its existence, something immaterial in the body. The argument could be spun in different ways, “if you understand, you have a soul”, “if you know, you have a soul”, “if you have a will, you have a soul” “If you have ambitions, you have a soul”. The fact that you have anything immaterial means you have a soul. I feel I should comment on thoughts again, as I’m not sure if you’re thinking that matter and thoughts are somehow one, so I point this out in anticipation of an argument you may or may not make. Saying matter and thoughts are one is like saying rocks can think because they are matter, which is absurd. Therefore I think that thoughts are external from matter, meaning they are immaterial. It might be possible for materials to represent thoughts like how numbers are represented in ink and symbols, but thoughts like numbers aren’t material themselves. PointsThe Reliability Issues Showing that both the soul and the flesh to exist is pretty easy as there are sufficient reason to believe both. The question that is posed as to which is easier to prove? I as a debater tend to seek evidence that is stronger, and try to avoid the more difficult position. The difficulties in proving the physical body exist is evident because it’s existence is based on the 5 senses, which can be faked within say a dream (questioning it’s reliability). But from the point of view of a soul, souls don’t really have any problem with existing in the dream-world, after all souls are immaterial (and the non-physical is native to dreams), and plus the dreamer is potentially a soul when manifested in the dreamscape. But all and all, I think you should vote in favor of my position because the other position is more difficult to defend. I think I would recommend the position that the soul exists to a more of a novice debater, and probably recommend the position that the physical body exists to a more advanced debater.