--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If there is a soul, what is it, and where…" description: "\"If there is a soul, what is it, and where did it come from, and where does it go? Can anyone who is guided by his reason possibly imagine a soul indepe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70f/clarence-darrow-1714_atheism_if-there-is-a-soul-what-is-it-and-where_303569.png" --- # If there is a soul, what is it, and where did it come… ![“If there is a soul, what is it, and where did it come from, and where does it go? Can anyone who is guided by his reason possibly imagine a soul independent of a body, or the place of its residence, or the character of it, or anything concerning it? If man is justified in any belief or disbelief…” quote by Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70f/clarence-darrow-1714_atheism_if-there-is-a-soul-what-is-it-and-where_303569.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70f/clarence-darrow-1714_atheism_if-there-is-a-soul-what-is-it-and-where_303569.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70f/clarence-darrow-1714_atheism_if-there-is-a-soul-what-is-it-and-where_303569.png) > “If there is a soul, what is it, and where did it come from, and where does it go? Can anyone who is guided by his reason possibly imagine a soul independent of a body, or the place of its residence, or the character of it, or anything concerning it? If man is justified in any belief or disbelief on any subject, he is warranted in the disbelief in a soul. Not one scrap of evidence exists to prove any such impossible thing.” [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote questions the existence of a soul, demanding evidence and suggesting disbelief is justified without proof. **In simple terms:** Questioning soul existence without evidence. Key Takeaway Seek evidence before belief. Themes skepticism philosophy existence religion reason Mood inquisitive critical skeptical Type philosophical skeptical When to use this quote - debates on afterlife - philosophical discussions - academic lectures - personal reflection Key Concepts metaphysics epistemology atheism materialism Questions to Reflect On - What evidence would convince you of a soul? - How does lack of proof affect belief? A Different Perspective Lack of empirical proof makes the claim untestable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Disbelief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disbelief/) [Impossible things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impossible-things/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Positive atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/positive-atheism/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) ## Related quotes > [Knowledge is justified belief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-bruner/knowledge-is-justified-belief/) [Jerome Bruner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-bruner/) > [The aim of dis-incumbence is a hubristic one, for it requires confidence in the ability of men and women to live in the belief…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-cooper/the-aim-of-dis-incumbence-is-a-hubristic-one-for-it-requires/) [David E. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-cooper/) > [I start off with the obvious, that it makes no sense either to believe or to disbelieve in God until a substantial and intelligent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-smith/i-start-off-with-the-obvious-that-it-makes-no-sense-either-to-believe/) [Kenny Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-smith/) > [Belief and disbelief creates the balance of our existence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-victor-paskavich/belief-and-disbelief-creates-the-balance-of-our-existence/) [Stanley Victor Paskavich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-victor-paskavich/) > [“Belief and disbelief were the same creature within me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-nordan/belief-and-disbelief-were-the-same-creature-within-me/) [Lewis Nordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-nordan/) > [Certainly the affirmative pursuit of one's convictions about the ultimate mystery of the universe and man's relation to it is placed beyond the reach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-frankfurter/certainly-the-affirmative-pursuit-of-one-s-convictions-about-the/) [Felix Frankfurter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-frankfurter/) > [Man who is created alone should be aware that he will also die alone. Yet during his life, he lives almost addicted to possessions...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harun-yahya/man-who-is-created-alone-should-be-aware-that-he-will-also-die-alone/) [Harun Yahya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harun-yahya/) > [Our belief or disbelief of a thing does not alter the nature of the thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tillotson/our-belief-or-disbelief-of-a-thing-does-not-alter-the-nature-of-the/) [John Tillotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tillotson/) > [Nothing, absolutely nothing, has a more direct bearing on the moral choices made by individuals or the purposes pursued by society than belief or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/nothing-absolutely-nothing-has-a-more-direct-bearing-on-the-moral/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [A disbelief in God does not result in a belief in nothing; disbelief in God usuallyresults in a belief in anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-lynch/a-disbelief-in-god-does-not-result-in-a-belief-in-nothing-disbelief-2/) [Arthur Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-lynch/) > [A disbelief in God does not result in a belief in nothing; disbelief in God usually results in a belief in anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-lynch/a-disbelief-in-god-does-not-result-in-a-belief-in-nothing-disbelief/) [Arthur Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-lynch/) > [The battle that never ends is the battle of belief against disbelief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/the-battle-that-never-ends-is-the-battle-of-belief-against-disbelief/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [As long as God does not intervene in the contemporary universe in such a way as to violate physical laws, science has no way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/as-long-as-god-does-not-intervene-in-the-contemporary-universe-in/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [So little is actually worthy of belief or disbelief. Better to strive to coexist than seek to disapprove . . .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/so-little-is-actually-worthy-of-belief-or-disbelief-better-to-strive/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) > [ The fundamental principle \[of settlement work\] remains: that people shall take up their residence in industrial communities, giving what they may have of public… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-wald/the-fundamental-principle-of-settlement-work-remains-that-people/) [Lillian Wald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-wald/) ## More by Clarence Darrow > [We know life is futile. A man who considers that his life is of very wonderful importance is awfully close to a padded cell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/we-know-life-is-futile-a-man-who-considers-that-his-life-is-of-very/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [Great wealth often curses all who touch it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/great-wealth-often-curses-all-who-touch-it/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [Punishment as punishment is not admissible unless the offender has had the free will to select his course.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/punishment-as-punishment-is-not-admissible-unless-the-offender-has/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [“One of the bravest, grandest champions of human liberty the world has ever seen. {Darrow on the great Robert Ingersoll }”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/one-of-the-bravest-grandest-champions-of-human-liberty-the-world-has/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [I cannot tell and I shall never know how many words of mine might have given birth to cruelty in place of love and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/i-cannot-tell-and-i-shall-never-know-how-many-words-of-mine-might/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [“As long as the world shall last there will be wrongs, and if no man objected and if no man rebelled, those wrongs would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/as-long-as-the-world-shall-last-there-will-be-wrongs-and-if-no-man/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [I have never killed a man, but I have read many obituaries with great pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/i-have-never-killed-a-man-but-i-have-read-many-obituaries-with-great/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [Lost causes are the only ones worth fighting for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/lost-causes-are-the-only-ones-worth-fighting-for/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [One believes in the truthfulness of a man because of his long experience with the man, and because the man has always told a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/one-believes-in-the-truthfulness-of-a-man-because-of-his-long/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [Physical deformity, calls forth our charity. But the infinite misfortune of moral deformity calls forth nothing but hatred and vengeance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/physical-deformity-calls-forth-our-charity-but-the-infinite/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [Men have always been obliged to fight to preserve liberty. Constitutions and laws do not safeguard liberty. It can be preserved only by a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/men-have-always-been-obliged-to-fight-to-preserve-liberty/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [“ Robert G. Ingersoll was a great man. a wonderful intellect, a great soul of matchless courage, one of the great men of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/robert-g-ingersoll-was-a-great-man-a-wonderful-intellect-a-great-soul/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [Everybody is a potential murderer. I've never killed anyone, but I frequently get satisfaction reading the obituary notices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/everybody-is-a-potential-murderer-i-ve-never-killed-anyone-but-i/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [The first half of our lives are ruined by our parents and the second half by our children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/the-first-half-of-our-lives-are-ruined-by-our-parents-and-the-second/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [Do I need to argue to Your Honor that cruelty only breeds cruelty? That hatred only causes hatred; that if there is any way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/do-i-need-to-argue-to-your-honor-that-cruelty-only-breeds-cruelty/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) [Explore all 213 Clarence Darrow quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) ## More Atheism quotes > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. 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Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The inner defenses are unconscious. They consist of a kind of magic aura which the mind builds around cherished belief. Arguments which penetrate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-inner-defenses-are-unconscious-they-consist-of-a-kind-of-magic/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [God speaks through me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/god-speaks-through-me/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, of the manifestations of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/a-knowledge-of-the-existence-of-something-we-cannot-penetrate-of-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [You cannot ... transmute some incoherent mixture of words into sense merely by introducing the three-letter word "God" to be its grammatical subject.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-flew/you-cannot-transmute-some-incoherent-mixture-of-words-into-sense/) [Antony Flew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-flew/) > [Many humanists have argued that happiness involves a combination of hedonism and creative moral development; that an exuberant life fuses excellence and enjoyment, meaning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kurtz/many-humanists-have-argued-that-happiness-involves-a-combination-of/) [Paul Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kurtz/) > [If, with all the time at my disposal, with all the wealth of the resources of this vast universe, to do with as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/if-with-all-the-time-at-my-disposal-with-all-the-wealth-of-the/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [Do you think that was kind? 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