At some point in history, humans became acutely aware of the impermanence of life.
They knew that everything in the world was subject to deterioration and eventual decay, and that one day they would have to part ways with the people and things they held dear.
It was natural and understandable then that they wanted to believe there was something special about them that transcended the physical body, something that could live on beyond the material realm and enable them to reunite with their loved ones someday in the future.
Out of this innate longing for immortality, the idea of the soul emerged.
It offered a glimmer of hope for their longing and helped them make sense of the mysteries of existence.
As beliefs about the soul evolved, the concept gradually became a supernatural belief embraced by various cultures and religions, providing comfort and solace to people as they confronted the transience of life.
Some time later, with the advent of modern philosophy, perspectives on the soul began to shift.
One pivotal moment came when René Descartes famously declared, "I think, therefore I am".
This statement sparked the birth of the field of neuroscience, as scientists started to explore the possibility that our soul may reside in the brain.
Despite years of research, however, scientists have yet to find the soul in the brain. This has led some to believe that it may be an impossible mystery to solve, given the complexity of the brain.
Likewise, parapsychologists have attempted to determine whether the soul exists independently of the brain, and yet, their efforts have yielded no conclusive evidence either.
Even though scientists and parapsychologists have yet to locate the soul, it does not necessarily mean it doesn’t exist.
There have been numerous reports on cases where individuals claimed to have past life memories, as well as out-of-body and near-death experiences, which have indicated the existence of the soul.
Perhaps the reason for our failure to understand the soul is that everyone tends to compartmentalize the body, brain, and soul as distinct entities instead of recognizing them as a unified experience, while to truly understand the soul, we need a more holistic approach that acknowledges the interconnectedness of these aspects.
A completely new branch of science that recognizes the body, brain, and soul as a single entity could be the answer.
Rather than viewing the soul as a separate, elusive entity, this approach would see it as an intrinsic aspect of our physical and mental existence.
Such a holistic approach could shed light on the mystery of the soul in ways that compartmentalization cannot.
Ultimately, it would be up to us to choose.
We can embrace soul as an enigma, acknowledging that it may never be fully understood or explained by science, or we can wait for science to prove its existence, although no one can predict when or even if science will solve all the riddles.
Regardless of which path we are going to take, we are all advised to maintain our curiosity.
That way, we might keep making unexpected discoveries on the soul, either through scientific inquiry or through our own spiritual beliefs.