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I thought it was interesting in class how we only discussed which option we LIKED better: Descartes' or Dickinson's. In my case, the option I 'like' better and what I truly believe in contradict. Descartes' theory is more appealing to me because I believe it holds more comfort, which was mentioned in class. People prefer to believe in a soul, or anything besides the biological and chemical processes in the human mind. It is a comfort because if we really are only made of matter, we have the same ultimate fate as everything else on Earth. And while humans are selfishly known to believe they hold higher significance than other organisms and material objects, it is natural to want to find comfort in a soul not associated with matter, an afterlife, a higher power, or a significant purpose in our lives. I really want to believe in the human soul existing outside of matter because I prefer this option to the other. However, the logic in my mind is more persuasive than my hopes; I must admit that I actually believe in Dickinson's theory. Not everything humans achieve can be explained by science now, but I believe over time, we will gain higher and higher understanding of processes that many people attribute to the 'human soul.' But just because our minds are made of neurons does not mean that we don't have 'soul-like' qualities.  We didn't discuss what people actually mean when they refer to the 'human soul,' but I would describe it as an entity that encompasses our complete essence, existing after we die. I don't want to get into what happens to the soul after death, but I can certainly accept the soul as our 'total essence.' But why can't the soul be the outcome of the actions of matter, such as countless neuron firings?  In conclusion, I believe that the human soul does exist, but it can be explained through material things. This is not too discouraging to me because this statement doesn't disregard a higher purpose in our lives. While I would like to believe in the supernatural, I am forced by logic to believe everything can be explained through matter.