What is the difference between a soul and consciousness?

In traditional Abrahamic faiths, and in other major faith traditions such as Hinduism, soul is a developing expression of God.

To the degree that a soul expresses, reflects, and embodies qualities such as divine Love, Mercy, Truth, Mind, Justice, Life, and so on, that soul is electing becoming a permanent "atom of Being" in the "Body of God."

Consciousness is variously described; some hold that the true consciousness is of Mind. Plotinus realized "One Mind Soul" as the sine qua non and ultimate of human awareness. Husserl realized "Pure Ego" as God-consciousness.

And, reductive materialists use the Kantian schema of phenomenon and 5-sense data flow building upward toward "consciousness."

Interchangeable use of the two terms is a typical example of what A. N. Whitehead called the most common error in logic and philosophy: overgeneralization. A similar error of logic is termed conflation.

Semi-source: A Philosophy of Universality, Omraam Aivanhov.

The soul is a religious concept denoting a kind of essence that dwells within all humans. Consciousness is the scientific term for the relationship between the mind and the world it interacts with. They are used interchangeably because of how often consciousness is confused for soul. Another difference is that according to religion, the soul leaves the body when the body dies, whereas consciousness dies with the body.

What is the difference between a soul and consciousness?

~~~ A Soul is a Conscious Perspective of the One Reality that is the Universe/existence/God/Consciousness...!

Existence = the complete Universe = Reality = Consciousness = Truth = 'Self!' = God = Brahman = Tao = ... etc....

ALL INCLUSIVE!!

'One'!

"Consciousness is the ground of all existence!" - Copenhagen interpretation of QM

Everything Exists!

Everything is Real!

Everything is True!

Existence/Reality/Truth is all inclusive!

'One'!

That which is perceived exists!

That which exists is perceived!

Not a thing exists that is not perceived!

Not a thing is perceived that does not exist!

(There is no, nor can there be, any evidence to the contrary!)

All inclusive!!!

"The complete Universe (Reality/Truth/God/'Self!'/Tao/Brahman... or any feature herein...) can be defined/described as the synchronous sum-total of all Perspectives!" - Book of Fudd

ALL INCLUSIVE!!!

Consciousness is the complete 'Set'! that is Known (perceived) through us unique Perspectives (Souls).

There is, in essence, no 'difference' between a Soul and Consciousness.

A Soul is the perception of 'Self!' Knowledge!!

Consciousness is the sum-total of all Perspectives, Souls!

(As per Fudd's quote above!)

tat tvam asi ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tat_Tvam_Asi)

And why do people use them interchangeably?

A soul is the individualized consciousness of the Universal Cosmic Consciousness. That is how we are "made in God's image and likeness".

The Divine Centre, or God, or Cosmic Consciousness, is emanating rays of Its consciousness outwardly.

God breathed into Man (i.e., the physical form, or Adam) the breath of Life and he became a "living soul" - individualized consciousness.

Well, consciousness means that I was able to answer this question. I don't believe in souls as I find organized religion to be a farce at best.

You should treat people as you wish to be treated, help those you can and try to live a life that you wouldn't be ashamed to look back upon. That's basically all religion is or should be about is getting people to behave, but as we've seen with the Catholics, altar boys aren't and haven't been treated with that kind of respect, have they?.

A tree has a soul, but an Ent has both a consciousness and a soul

Soul is your inner being (at least that's what I think).

Consciousness is how you interpret life, what's right/wrong, etc. It's like the brain of the soul.

Souls produce thoughts. Consciousness listen to those thoughts.

If you lose consciousness you're sleeping or passed out, if you lose your soul you're dead. In any case, I don't like using those words for most things.

The pope says: "soul". Scientist Steve says: "consciousness". That is all