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Theme Changer

 Poll

  • Question: What is the meaning of life
  • to leave the world a better place than when you entered it - 2 (5.6%)
  • to have fun/enjoy oneself - 0 (0%)
  • there is no meaning - 12 (33.3%)
  • we are in charge of creating our own meaning - 12 (33.3%)
  • to serve god - 1 (2.8%)
  • to find out what the meaning is - 0 (0%)
  • to be the best person you can be - 0 (0%)
  • to find true happiness - 0 (0%)
  • to love and be loved - 0 (0%)
  • to reproduce, evolve, and propogate our species - 1 (2.8%)
  • there is one, but it can't be known - 2 (5.6%)
  • there may or may not be one, but it can't be known - 0 (0%)
  • other (elaborate) - 2 (5.6%)
  • to obtain "enlightenment" - 4 (11.1%)
  • to advance knowledge - 0 (0%)
  • Total Voters: 36

 Topic: The meaning of life

 (Read 13484 times)
  • 12 3 ... 5 Next page « Previous thread | Next thread »
  • The meaning of life
     OP - August 19, 2010, 07:39 PM
    So?
  • Re: The meaning of life
     Reply #1 - August 19, 2010, 07:42 PM
    There is no meaning. You can create your own meaning, but ultimately it's irrelevant and meaningless.
  • Re: The meaning of life
     Reply #2 - August 19, 2010, 07:54 PM
    Strictly speaking, there is no objective meaning, but I voted for leaving the world a better place - a truly noble aim.
    You need to read this book.
  • Re: The meaning of life
     Reply #3 - August 19, 2010, 08:06 PM
    To save the princess.
    So once again I'm left with the classic Irish man's dilemma, do I eat the potato or do I let it ferment so I can drink it later?
    My political philosophy below
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwGat4i8pJI&feature=g-vrec
    Just kidding, here are some true heros
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBTgvK6LQqA
  • Re: The meaning of life
     Reply #4 - August 19, 2010, 09:08 PM
    There is no meaning of life besides furthering the species and thus procreation but individual meaning exists, and studies show that those who have some purpose or meaning to their lives live longer, so the meaning of life, is what you make it Smiley
    "If intelligence is feminine... I would want that mine would, in a resolute movement, come to resemble an impious woman."
  • Re: The meaning of life
     Reply #5 - August 19, 2010, 09:17 PM
    I voted "we are in charge of creating our own meaning"

    Quote from: Abood on August 19, 2010, 07:42 PM
    There is no meaning. You can create your own meaning, but ultimately it's irrelevant and meaningless.

    +1

    Quote from: Godot on August 19, 2010, 07:54 PM
    Strictly speaking, there is no objective meaning, but I voted for leaving the world a better place - a truly noble aim.

    yeah, that is a truly noble aim.  Afro

    Another noble aim would be to make the most of your talents to advance civilisation, (whilst living life to the full).  Smiley
    "Many people would sooner die than think; In fact, they do so." -- Bertrand Russell

    Baloney Detection Kit
  • Re: The meaning of life
     Reply #6 - August 19, 2010, 09:23 PM
    There seem to be two separate questions here - what is the meaning of life and what do you with your own life. Wanting to leave the world a better place than how you found it and other such responses are answering the latter more than the former.
    I would say you can only answer the original question by giving an over-arching aim of the whole universe itself as it's all so inter-related and to which, unfortunately,  I have no answer. Perhaps there is an answer to why the universe and life are but we don't know it and it's difficult to even know where to look. If I was to shoot in the dark and state the answer that I think sounds the best (but there is no proof of) I would say it is to reach enlightenment.

    However, in terms of the latter question, now that we know we are here but we don't know the teleology of the universe, I think wanting to leave the world a better place than how you found it and to be the best person you can be are the best answers.
    At evening, casual flocks of pigeons make
    Ambiguous undulations as they sink,
    Downward to darkness, on extended wings. - Stevens
  • Re: The meaning of life
     Reply #7 - August 19, 2010, 09:48 PM
    Not a sausage, I have.
    Each of us a failed state in stark relief against the backdrop of the perfect worlds we seek.
    Propagandhi - Failed States
  • Re: The meaning of life
     Reply #8 - August 19, 2010, 10:01 PM
    Quote from: deusvult on August 19, 2010, 08:06 PM
    To save the princess.


     Cheesy
  • Re: The meaning of life
     Reply #9 - August 19, 2010, 10:03 PM
    There is no strict meaning to life.  It's all a coincidence and we just happen to be in the thick of it.
    'The greatest glory of living lies not in never falling but in rising everytime you fall'
  • Re: The meaning of life
     Reply #10 - August 19, 2010, 10:03 PM
    Quote from: Ephemeral on August 19, 2010, 09:08 PM
    There is no meaning of life besides furthering the species and thus procreation but individual meaning exists, and studies show that those who have some purpose or meaning to their lives live longer, so the meaning of life, is what you make it Smiley

    How biological of you.

    EDIT: Wait, is it because the statistics include people so existentially depressed that they commit suicide?
  • Re: The meaning of life
     Reply #11 - August 19, 2010, 10:20 PM
    It's hard to answer this question as well, as we take this question from an egocentric viewpoint. Surely we mean, "what is the meaning of human life; existence," rather than what is the meaning of life existing at all. Does the meaning of human life differ from other life in it's purpose (that is, if there is a purpose for any life)? It seems odd to say that there is no meaning of life for a bacteria, and that it has to create it's own meaning. For the question to even come into play it perhaps seems that a life form has to have some sort of self-awareness in the sense that it knows what it means to exist.

    But then it leads to all sorts of questions about the nature of the human mind and our conception of the world. Perhaps the question is unintelligible to another life form that has some way of understanding the world that we are not privy to with our feeble human minds. I agree that the question of meaning (or lack thereof) is tied up within the most fundamental questions of the nature of 'all' and I cannot possibly answer, even in any simple sense of what meaning I would like to give to my own life.
  • Re: The meaning of life
     Reply #12 - August 19, 2010, 11:13 PM
    I personally find it a little strange that humans appear to have the capability/intelligence to figure out the deepest scientific laws of the universe and describe them using incredibly elegant and beautiful mathematics. I don't know for sure whether this happened by accident or not, but the more spiritual side of me makes me think that this depth of human intelligence/creativity has some 'higher purpose'. I therefore would vote 'to obtain elightenment'/'to advance knowledge'.

    (i was meant to be on self-ban but realised they're a bit gay  Smiley)
    ''we are morally and philisophically in the best position to win the league'' - Arsene Wenger
  • Re: The meaning of life
     Reply #13 - August 19, 2010, 11:16 PM
    In what way are human minds "feeble"? Do you think insects and other species understand the world better than us? By all means, I'm anti-speciesism, but I believe that humans became more self-aware as a result of evolution and are thus "fitter" as a result. It's just that other species are more superior than us in other ways. I really don't think animals understand the world better than us, because they don't need to for them to survive and evolve.

    Other species have a set meaning of life because their routine is their life. Humans have that as well. Only when and if they realize the irrelevance and meaninglessness of their routine do they start wondering what the meaning of life is. And that's exactly why religious people are happy; because they have meaningful routines. When Muslims pray five times a day, they believe that there's a god out there listening to them, so it's a meaningful routine; their routines are not a mindless waste of time; they never wake up wondering why they repeat the same thing over and over and over again, because they know exactly why. And remember that Islam is connected with everything, so whatever you do, you do it for God. It's true that Islam provides the most meaning to life, and I think that partially explains why there are many Muslim converts, especially recently, in the age of commercialism and postmodernism.

    But if you stop believing in God, if you stop believing in  the one thing that keeps you anchored to the meaning of life, a day comes when you're suddenly hit with the realization that you're doing everything for absolutely no purpose; your routine is meaningless and irrelevant and you might as well not be doing anything. I personally woke up many days with absolutely no motivation to get out of bed, wondering why exactly I should, why it matters whether I get up or stay in bed my entire life. I just wanted to end my life, right there, without even leaving the room.

    It's like humans evolved too much for their own good. It's like our self-awareness and our questioning why is negatively affecting us as a species. Will it lead to people committing suiciding? Perhaps. But as Albert Camus says, killing yourself ends the Absurd, because the Absurd is a relationship, between human life, human questioning, and the universe, the relationship -- the paradox -- of wanting to understand, but being unable to. And beauty becomes the meaning of life. You stop trying to understand the universe, knowing very well that you never will, you stop deconstructing the universe, and instead enjoy its beauty, its oneness. The world is beautiful, the universe is beautiful, and you can only truly appreciate it when you know you can never understand it.

    I've tried many times as a Muslim to look at the sky and see the majesty of God's creation, but I was never awed. I always felt that there was a block between me and the universe. Today, every time I look at the stars or the horizon, it's like a mystical experience. My relationship with the universe is my religion, my meaning, my source of happiness. And knowing that it's because I'm alive that I can experience this -- that's what keeps me alive.
  • Re: The meaning of life
     Reply #14 - August 19, 2010, 11:22 PM
    Quote from: abuyunus2 on August 19, 2010, 11:13 PM
    I personally find it a little strange that humans appear to have the capability/intelligence to figure out the deepest scientific laws of the universe and describe them using incredibly elegant and beautiful mathematics. I don't know for sure whether this happened by accident or not, but the more spiritual side of me makes me think that this depth of human intelligence/creativity has some 'higher purpose'. I therefore would vote 'to obtain elightenment'/'to advance knowledge'.

    (i was meant to be on self-ban but realised they're a bit gay  Smiley)


    Hey why are you abuyunus2? What happened to the first one?
  • Re: The meaning of life
     Reply #15 - August 19, 2010, 11:27 PM
    Quote from: z10 on August 19, 2010, 09:23 PM
    There seem to be two separate questions here - what is the meaning of life and what do you with your own life.

    OK, here's another question:
    What is the meaning or purpose of evolution?

    In a sense one can say that it is meaningless, and in another sense one can say that it is to develop more complex creatures.

    This kinda reminds me of Robert Wright's TED talk on "How cooperation (eventually) trumps conflict".  It's almost as though it was all pre-planned.  All the non-zero sumness thing.
    "Many people would sooner die than think; In fact, they do so." -- Bertrand Russell

    Baloney Detection Kit
  • Re: The meaning of life
     Reply #16 - August 19, 2010, 11:28 PM
    Quote from: Prince Spinoza on August 19, 2010, 11:22 PM
    Hey why are you abuyunus2? What happened to the first one?


    he died. may he rest in peace. amen
    ''we are morally and philisophically in the best position to win the league'' - Arsene Wenger
  • Re: The meaning of life
     Reply #17 - August 19, 2010, 11:28 PM
    life has meanings, depending on the knowledge and beliefs of the sentient being thinking about it.
    apart from that, it's meaning is not known for certain.

    I personally think the meaning of human life is to calculate the answer to life the universe and everything, which may or may not be 42.  Tongue
  • Re: The meaning of life
     Reply #18 - August 19, 2010, 11:38 PM
    Quote from: ateapotist on August 19, 2010, 11:27 PM
    OK, here's another question:
    What is the meaning or purpose of evolution?

    In a sense one can say that it is meaningless, and in another sense one can say that it is to develop more complex creatures.

    Why are you assuming that evolution needs to have a meaning? What's the meaning of gravity? What's the meaning of air pressure? What's the meaning of all the scientific forces?... Why do they need to have meanings for them to exist? The big bang happened, and here we are. If it didn't happen, and if those forces didn't exist, we wouldn't exist and would thus not be able to ask those questions. We exist because forces acted and made us exist. We should stop asking why and instead just ask how. Things don't need a meaning, they just need a cause.
  • Re: The meaning of life
     Reply #19 - August 19, 2010, 11:46 PM
    @Abood:  ^^

    That's why I used the phrase "in a sense".  It's depends on what someone means by "meaning" or "purpose". Smiley
    The purpose of a missile is to hit its target.  That's its meaning of existence, in a sense. Or raison d'etre.  Smiley
    "Many people would sooner die than think; In fact, they do so." -- Bertrand Russell

    Baloney Detection Kit
  • Re: The meaning of life
     Reply #20 - August 19, 2010, 11:47 PM
    Yes, but the missile was created by humans. Who created the universe and humans? You see, asking for the meaning of life is inherently a religious question. Not only did someone create the universe and humans, but he created them for a purpose.

    If a bunch of chemicals and metals came together to make a missile, it wouldn't have any meaning.
  • Re: The meaning of life
     Reply #21 - August 19, 2010, 11:52 PM
    OK, here's another example: What is the purpose/meaning of a flower?

    In a sense, meaningless;  in another sense, to attract insects for pollination. Smiley
    "Many people would sooner die than think; In fact, they do so." -- Bertrand Russell

    Baloney Detection Kit
  • Re: The meaning of life
     Reply #22 - August 19, 2010, 11:57 PM
    @ abood, so the meaning of life is to enjoy the experience (or beauty)?
  • Re: The meaning of life
     Reply #23 - August 20, 2010, 12:05 AM
    Quote from: ateapotist on August 19, 2010, 11:52 PM
    OK, here's another example: What is the purpose/meaning of a flower?

    In a sense, meaningless;  in another sense, to attract insects for pollination. Smiley

    Yes, but a flower is part of a plant, which is part of the ecosystem. You can say the purpose of a heart is to pump blood and ensure oxygen is delivered all around the body, but outside the body, a heart is meaningless. Likewise, outside a plant, a flower would be meaningless. And outside an ecosystem, a plant would be meaningless. So basically, using that logic, the point of human life is to ensure there's a balance in the ecosystem, and even in our death, there'd be a balance in the carbon level in the ground. Essentially, we have to realize that our lives are only meaningful insofar as we are interdependent on what's around us. Life per se is meaningless. If our ecosystem didn't exist, then we wouldn't need to exist.
  • Re: The meaning of life
     Reply #24 - August 20, 2010, 12:11 AM
    Quote from: zoomi on August 19, 2010, 11:57 PM
    @ abood, so the meaning of life is to enjoy the experience (or beauty)?

    Enjoying the experience and beauty is a constructed meaning that results from our relationship with the universe. Someone can enjoy the beauty or they can kill themselves. Ultimately, what does it matter? Like I just said in my previous post, our lives are only meaningful insofar as we're interdependent. And other than the fact that we're biologically interdependent, we don't commit suicide because we have relations who care for us and depend on us.
  • Re: The meaning of life
     Reply #25 - August 20, 2010, 12:18 AM
    Quote
    Yes, but a flower is part of a plant, which is part of the ecosystem. You can say the purpose of a heart is to pump blood and ensure oxygen is delivered all around the body, but outside the body, a heart is meaningless. Likewise, outside a plant, a flower would be meaningless. And outside an ecosystem, a plant would be meaningless. So basically, using that logic, the point of human life is to ensure there's a balance in the ecosystem, and even in our death, there'd be a balance in the carbon level in the ground. Essentially, we have to realize that our lives are only meaningful insofar as we are interdependent on what's around us. Life per se is meaningless. If our ecosystem didn't exist, then we wouldn't need to exist.


    The meaning you are trying to imply is some sort of religious or higher meaning. That doesn't have to be the case.  From what you've described, i'd say that our lives are very meaningful. It's all a matter of perspective. You may see the fact that we are interdependent on whats around us as  making our lives meaningless by themsleves , but the fact that our death would even balance carbon levels doesn't  make it appear to me as if life is meaningless . Life has meaning insofar as each organism has a way of making a living, whether that is with their brains or ears or whatnot. Everything serves some purpose in its position and just because it could not make a living or have a purpose outside of that , its not meaningless because the fact is that flowers ARE a part of an ecosystem and thats where they are rightly meaningful and where they should be judged. Planets, stars, galaxies, maybe even the universe is all a part of something (and the universe could be based on the multiverse theory). Nothing is meaningful in and of itself, why should it be? Things do stuff (lol). They serve some purpose, negative or positive and removing something from its point of meaningful work/way of life is just pointless IMO.


    dunno if that made any sense...
    "If intelligence is feminine... I would want that mine would, in a resolute movement, come to resemble an impious woman."
  • Re: The meaning of life
     Reply #26 - August 20, 2010, 12:23 AM
    I didn't say being interdependent is meaningless. On the contrary, what I said is that we only have meaning insofar as we're interdependent. And as you said, life itself is meaningless and doesn't need to have meaning. Smiley
  • Re: The meaning of life
     Reply #27 - August 20, 2010, 01:11 AM
    Yeah  nothing really means anything when removed from the environment It serves some purpose in.

    Life is meaningless in the sense that we serve no "higher" purpose, and we weren't designed by some benevolent being to do something specifically. It has some meaning/purpose in other ways but these aren't things that give people that feel-good mentality. Life just is, and we just create models and explanations to suit us depending on the lenses we are looking through at a particular period of time and the context. Smiley
    "If intelligence is feminine... I would want that mine would, in a resolute movement, come to resemble an impious woman."
  • Re: The meaning of life
     Reply #28 - August 20, 2010, 01:30 AM
  • Re: The meaning of life
     Reply #29 - August 20, 2010, 01:49 AM
    Haha, I love that picture.
    Quote from: Mount A Bison on September 26, 2010, 03:19 PM
    Is your grammar defective? Just askin'.


    "The wound is the place where the Light enters you." - Rumi

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