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Soul

Doug Hawley

    All of the following news articles appeared in the Daily Northwest News.
    February 10, 2043 Copenhagen, Denmark. Using new detection equipment built by Nobel Prize winner in physics Magnus Albreck, Frank Smelling and the staff at the National Physics Laboratory has discovered electromagnetic waves previously detected nowhere in the universe. The wavelength of these newly discovered waves are shorter than any previously observed.
    The discovery excited physicists around the world. At this time, the source of the waves is unknown and there has been no independent verification of Albreck’s and Smelling’s results. The practical use of the results is unknown at this time.
    February 27, 2043 Copenhagen, Denmark. In a follow up to an earlier discovery, Magnus Albreck and associates at the Denmark National Physics Lab have identified the source of previously unrecorded electromagnetic waves originally discovered in late 2042. The waves originated from lab technician Helga Stein. Stein was in close proximity to measuring device, Extended EMW, when the waves first registered. Whenever no one was close to the Extended EMW, no S (for Stein) waves were recorded. Subsequent experiments recorded S waves for other laboratory personnel with slightly differing wave lengths and amplitudes.
    March 1, 2043 Nashville, TN. Chester Ogilvie, leader of Baptist USA claims that Danish scientists have discovered the human soul. After years of religious and spiritual claims to a distinctly human soul as an unmeasured driving force in all humans, he sees the S waves discovered at the Denmark National Physics Lab in late 2042 as proof of the soul’s existence. “They have not found S waves anywhere but in humans, so I think that it is obvious that the human soul has finally been quantified. Those who have never taken religion seriously now have scientific proof that we uniquely have souls and are not just more atoms in a materialistic universe.”
    Neither Magnus Albreck nor Frank Smelling of the Denmark Lab were immediately available for comment. Bhati Nempali of the Halide Institute of Chicago responded that “A new form of electromagnetic wave may have been discovered. The Danish Lab work has not been peer reviewed at this time. Whatever they discovered is just another physical phenomenon, not the basis for superstitious claptrap.”
    March 3, 2043 Chicago. Professor Bhati Nempali of the Halide Institute of Chicago, who two days ago questioned the nature of S waves, and indirectly cast aspersion on religious leader Chester Ogilvie of Baptist USA in Nashville, TN, apologized saying “In my earlier remarks I did not intend to offend anyone of any religious belief.” Mr. Nempali’s contract with the Halide is up later this year and congressional hearings are scheduled next month on Federal research funding.
    March 5, 2043 Interactive Listing - Today at 5PM on Channel IA4322: Daytona Brown will moderate a chat with guest experts on the S waves. Are they real? Do only people have them? Are they a manifestation of the soul? Are there any commercial applications?
    Daytona Brown – Let me introduce the participants. We are honored to have the discoverer of S waves, Magnus Albreck, imminent theologian Chester Ogilvie, Jeremy Atkins of PETA, abortions rights supporter Sue Feldman and biologist and well-known atheist Roger Sawkins. Do you have opening statements?
    Albreck – First, let me spread the credit around. The waves were discovered coming from Helga Stein, a very important colleague. Many at the Danish National Lab have worked on the equipment that did the recording. I’m just the first among equals. Second, we have lots of work to do before we can draw hard conclusions.
    Ogilvie – I say it is not too early to draw conclusions. Do S waves come from coffee cans? Do they come from lab rats? No, I don’t think so. Despite some of the negatives I have heard, we have evidence of the human soul. Now, I’m not saying my particular brand of religion has all the answers, but I think that Professor Albreck’s work has proven that there is a spiritual plane of existence beyond the physical.
    Feldman – Before anyone suggests that this in anyway invalidates abortion rights, let me remind everyone that some abortions may still be best for society and for women who are not prepared to give birth.
    Atkins – If we have a spiritual existence, I think that we will find that our animal brothers are on the same plane and deserve the same respect that humans deserve. We need to test chimps, dogs, cats and other animals to see if they have S waves.
    Sawkins – Let’s go back to what Professor Albreck said. It is too early to draw conclusions. Can we all just keep an open mind and go by what is proven rather than conjectured.
    Brown – Hypothetically, let us say that S waves are exclusive to humans. What does that mean?
    Ogilvie – Why, clearly we will have scientific proof that man is God’s crowning achievement and is uniquely suited for a heavenly paradise after death.
    Feldman – It doesn’t change anything for me.
    Albreck – From the point of view of physics, I don’t think that we are prepared to conclude anything.
    Sawkins – I agree that we will not know exactly why only humans have S waves, if that is in fact correct, but I could suggest that it relates to some unique human feature. There are subtle, but real differences between the human brain and those of other animals.
    Atkins – Regardless of the presence or absence of S waves in non-human animals, I think that all animals deserve our respect. In fact, if indeed we are different from our animal brother, that implies that we should show them the treatment that our greater consciousness allows us.
    Brown – How has the discovery of S waves changed any of your opinions?
    Sawkins – I am now open to the belief that humans are a unique form of animal.
    Albreck – I am just amazed at the progress we are making in understanding ourselves and our universe. I did not think that this big a discovery would be made in my lifetime.
    Ogilvie – A lot of people, including myself, have thought that science and religion were at odds. We now have a case where science is now clearly supporting religion.
    Atkins – I now accept the possibility that humans may be unique, but it does not change in any way my opinion about the treatment of animals.
    Feldman – The existence of S waves convinces me more than ever that we need to do research on the physical and emotional aspects of abortions and find ways to make most of them unnecessary. Much as we eliminated smoking, we have the technology to avoid unwanted pregnancies. I would much rather stop unwanted pregnancies than debate abortion.
    Brown – Closing statements?
    Ogilvie – I hope all of those who have rejected religion in their lives are now open to the real possibility that they were mistaken.
    Atkins – Whether we are the equals or stewards of non-human animals, they deserve our respect and humane treatment.
    Albreck – I think that we have just scratched the surface of S wave research, and I look forward to continued research and new revelations.
    Sawkins – I hope that the physics research from the Danish National Physics Lab is married with biological research to fully explore the implications of S waves.
    Brown – I think that this discussion has just started, but we are out of time. Perhaps we can reconvene in a year and talk about progress in the study of S waves. For now, I’d like to thank all of the participants for a respectful and insightful panel on the beginning of a new era.

Soul 2

    All of the following news articles appeared in the Daily Northwest News
    March 15, 2044 Copenhagen, Denmark. A little over a year ago, S waves were discovered at the National Physics Laboratory by Magnus Albreck. Originally they were only detected in humans, leading some to claim that they were a physical manifestation of soul. We just received news that weak S waves have been discovered in chimps.
    The same panel that discussed the original discovery has been reconvened to discuss this revelation.
    Daytona Brown: As we indicated during the panel of March 5, 2043 which I led, we are now having the follow up discussion of S waves. The timing is great because of the news that S waves have been found in chimps.
    We have a panel with some of the original members and some new ones. Unfortunately, Chester Ogilvie, leader of Baptist USA died recently and abortion supporter Sue Feldman is unavailable, but we have Jason Evans of the Los Angeles Universalist Church and Mary Proctor from Planned Parenthood to replace them. Biologist and atheist Roger Sawkins, Magnus Albreck the discoverer of the S Waves and Jeremy Atkins from PETA are back from last year’s panel.
    Brown – Opening Statements?
    Evans – I don’t know how Mr. Ogilvie would have felt about these results. Maybe that there are many mansions in the Lord’s heaven? Chimp mansions and human mansions? I don’t think that these waves necessarily represent soul, but I’m keeping an open mind.
    Sawkins – No matter how many animals or objects give off S waves, I don’t believe in God or heaven. However, finding another source of S waves is intriguing.
    Proctor – This has no effect on me. We don’t get much call for chimp abortions.
    Atkins – I think that we have more evidence that higher apes are our brothers and sisters and should be treated with respect equal to humans. In fact, that respect should be accorded to all non-human animals.
    Albreck – I was amazed at the discovery of S waves in humans. Now that they exist in at least some animals, I wonder what will find tomorrow.
    Brown – In what way do these later results affect your thinking?
    Sawkins – Before when S waves were only found in humans, I believed that there was a qualitative difference between humans and animals. Now I have to questions that. What will we find with more sensitive machines?
    Evans – We Universalists are divided about a supreme being. If we can identify S waves as representing the soul, I believe that will tip the debate.
    Proctor – Until S waves are confirmed to exist is fetuses, I think that the majority of the US will still favor allowing abortions as now permitted by the law. If S waves are found in the fetus, we have a whole new ballgame.
    Atkins – It doesn’t change my thinking at all, it confirms what I thought all along
    Albreck – It makes we want to see if we can refine our EMW machinery to find any S waves anywhere else, perhaps with lower amplitude than those presently detectable.
    Brown – Closing statements?
    Proctor – Regardless of whom or what has S waves, let’s use science and education to keep abortions safe and rare.
    Evans – Whether or not you believe in God, any person or animal with S waves is special.
    Atkins – I concur with Mr. Evans.
    Albreck – I’ll be back in the lab. I’m elated to be living in these times with the progress we are making.
    Sawkins – I hope that Dr. Albreck will collaborate with my fellow biologists to see what the implication of S waves is in the animals that have them.

 

Soul was originally published in Wi-Files and Soul 2 in Oblong.

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