The Human Soul weighs about...

**Steven the Victor** · August 09, 2007, 01:38 PM

12 oz. I was watching the discovery channel one day, and i heard this interview from this scientist who claims to know how much the soul weighs. He weighed a bunch of people, and when they died, he weighed them again. He found that they were on average, 12 oz lighter. Any thoughts??

**ajm317** · August 09, 2007, 01:48 PM

I think it's absurd. Even if I believed in a soul I wouldn't expect it to have a mass.

However without knowing more it is difficult for me to critique his experimental method (which I would guess is almost certainly somehow flawed.)

**Blau&Gruen** · August 09, 2007, 02:12 PM

Originally Posted by Steven the Victor

12 oz. I was watching the discovery channel one day, and i heard this interview from this scientist who claims to know how much the soul weighs. He weighed a bunch of people, and when they died, he weighed them again. He found that they were on average, 12 oz lighter. Any thoughts??

Corpses loose liquids, dehydrate and have therefore less weight as when they were alive.

**Trax** · August 09, 2007, 02:53 PM

Originally Posted by Steven the Victor

12 oz. I was watching the discovery channel one day, and i heard this interview from this scientist who claims to know how much the soul weighs. He weighed a bunch of people, and when they died, he weighed them again. He found that they were on average, 12 oz lighter. Any thoughts??

This as far as I know is an old urban legend.
snopes.com

**Chaigidel** · August 09, 2007, 03:52 PM

well your bladder and bowells immediately empty upon total relaxation (death)

**Steven the Victor** · August 09, 2007, 04:14 PM

yeah, that's what i thought about. that whole not retaining liquid. so i personally don't believe it, i thought it'd be interesting to hear opinions about this.

**Cluny the Scourge** · August 09, 2007, 06:46 PM

Since the very concept of the soul requires that it be entirely without 'material' presence that could be discovered and analysed, the man's "research" doesn't even need to be examined to be dismissed. It is as meaningless as announcing that you've discovered bananas smell angry.

**Steven the Victor** · August 09, 2007, 07:16 PM

then that would explain why today when i was angry about nothing to watch, i got the sudden urge for bananas. and when i was reaching for a banana, i suddenly felt angry.

**Medicus** · August 10, 2007, 04:43 AM

IIRC, I read about it in a book by Dr Karl (you won't know him unless you're Australian), but in it the soul supposedly weighed 23 gramms.

Anyway, its all bollocks - the doctor who did it had six subjects - and only one subject lost the above weight. In fact, one or two of the subjects gained weight!

So, in conclusion: shite. If the soul exists at all, it weighs nothing.