About this video

• Video Title: Haben wir eine Seele? [Ganze Doku] | Harald Lesch | Terra X: Die Großen Fragen
• Channel: Terra X Lesch & Co
• Speakers: Harald Lesch
• Duration: 43:17

Overview

This documentary explores the concept of the soul from scientific, philosophical, and religious perspectives. It examines historical attempts to prove the soul's existence, delves into near-death experiences and their implications, and investigates the possibility of consciousness and soul-like attributes in animals and even plants. The video questions whether modern science can definitively prove or disprove the existence of a soul, and considers the subjective experience of consciousness and connection as potential indicators.

Key takeaways

• Historical and Scientific Investigations: The video traces early attempts to scientifically measure the soul's weight (McDougle's 21-gram experiment) and discusses archaeological findings like cave paintings that may suggest early beliefs in a soul.
• Near-Death Experiences (NDEs): It explores accounts of NDEs, including a personal testimony and a scientific study (Dr. Sam Parnia's research), to investigate whether consciousness can exist independently of the body.
• Animal and Plant Consciousness: The documentary examines research on self-awareness in animals (e.g., elephants, magpies) and communication in plants, questioning the traditional human-centric view of consciousness and soul.
• Philosophical and Religious Perspectives: The video touches upon various philosophical definitions of the soul (Aristotle, Descartes) and its role in different religions, highlighting the enduring belief in an afterlife or a spiritual essence.
• The Unconscious and Subjective Experience: It discusses Sigmund Freud's concept of the unconscious and explores the idea that our subjective experiences of connection, love, and self-awareness might be the closest we get to understanding the "soul."

The video presents several examples of animal and plant research that challenge traditional definitions of consciousness:

• Mirror Test: Animals like elephants, chimpanzees, dolphins, and magpies have passed the mirror test, where they recognize their own reflection. This is seen as an indicator of self-awareness.
• Problem-Solving in Insects: Experiments with bumblebees showed they could learn to pull a string to access sugar water, and some even engaged in rolling balls for what appeared to be play. This suggests a level of intelligence and complex behavior beyond simple instinct.
• Plant "Vision": Research on the Boquila trifoliata vine suggests it might be able to "see" its neighbors. It alters its leaf shape to mimic surrounding plants, a behavior that occurred even when the only cue was a photograph of another plant's leaves, implying a visual perception mechanism without eyes.
• Plant Communication and "Care": Some research indicates that plants can communicate through complex networks, potentially show signs of "fear," care for weaker individuals, and learn from older plants.