What is the purpose of life.

[Rebiu]

What is the purpose of life? From a philosophical perspective what is the purpose of an individual’s life and how does it shape ones goals and actions.

[InfiniteNow]

The purpose of life is specific to the life itself. The easy answer? The purpose of life is to live. Bam.. there ya go. However, I'm not a big fan of self-referencing definitions.

 

Life is what you make of it. The purpose of my life? To be happy and to be understood, and to perhaps share some of both with those around me. That's the cliff's notes version anyway.

 

It'd be a good starting point to first define life adequately, no easy prospect. Plus, your version and someone else's might not line up perfectly. I think life is anything that exists... even the most seemingly lifeless objects. I'm pretty sure there are plenty of folks who will disagree with that one! :)

 

Life (and it's purpose) is what you make of it.

[Turtle]

___One of my purposes in life is helping new members learn how to use the Search the Site function on the top menu bar in order to not duplicate threads while finding just what they wish to discourse on.:)

http://hypography.com/forums/philosophy-humanities/1848-what-true-purpose-our-life-here.html?highlight=purpose+life

[Rebiu]

Thank you for responding to my post.

 

Your post shows you to be a person of experience and intelligence receptive to nuance and context.

 

The purpose of life is specific to the life itself. The easy answer? The purpose of life is to live. Bam.. there ya go. However, I'm not a big fan of self-referencing definitions.

Well put. I agree that life is its own purpose.

Life is what you make of it. The purpose of my life? To be happy and to be understood, and to perhaps share some of both with those around me. That's the cliff's notes version anyway

I agree here as well though I call it happiness and contentment. How would you describe these emotional states and how does one achieve and maintain them?

[Rebiu]

Thank you for responding to my post.

 

___One of my purposes in life is helping new members learn how to use the Search the Site function on the top menu bar in order to not duplicate threads while finding just what they wish to discourse on.:)

http://hypography.com/forums/philosophy-humanities/1848-what-true-purpose-our-life-here.html?highlight=purpose+life

I appreciate you desire to avoid thread duplication. I know how to use the search function as well. The post you have linked to would seem a bit mature or even stale given the number of responses. I do not think it contains everything to be said on the subject though.

[Turtle]

Thank you for responding to my post.

 

The post you have linked to would seem a bit mature or even stale given the number of responses. I do not think it contains everything to be said on the subject though.

You're welcome.

From a philosophical perspective what is the purpose of an individual’s life and how does it shape ones goals and actions.

The purpose is efficiency. :)

[Queso]

my purpose is to convert my energy into creative expression, in any form.

My purpose is also to reproduce.

 

What's yours?

[Boerseun]

The purpose of life? Hmmm... now that's a loaded question.

 

Life is, in essence, meaningless. We are just a semi-efficient tool to distribute energy. A slave to entrophy, if you like.

 

That being the case, and the prospects of sitting next to Thor at Valhalla's big fat feast being pretty slim, I suppose you should just enjoy the ride.

 

On your question regarding 'life':

 

Here stop and spend a lifetime

in harmless mirth and fun

let friendship reign

be just and kind

and evil speak of none.

 

...and then you, well, uh..., you know, er... DIE.:)

 

That's about it, I guess.

[Taraxanoid]

The purpose of life is to exist and to exist is the purpose of life.

Don't look for purposes beyond this as it will make you see life as a sort of tool to gain something. Life exists because it can and your life amounts to anything you want it to amount to. Create some goals, see if you can reach them, but as soon as you create a purpose, life cannot exist without it.

[hallenrm]

What is the purpose of life? From a philosophical perspective what is the purpose of an individual’s life and how does it shape ones goals and actions.

 

Yes;) Indeed I have contemplated for a while sometime back. The conclusion I reached was as follos:

 

" there is perhaps no purpose of an individual life, Bbut perhaps there is a purpose of life on a larger canvas. It is just like molecules in a substance, each molecule can hardly be ascribed a purpose, but the substance undergoes changes regardless of the transition in few molecules. Historically, we would have never met each, by that I mean exhanged our thoughts on a common issue, but the actions of many individuals, who cntributed to make internet and hence Hypography possible, has led to this particular moment. Our actions indeed lead to some macroscpic changes which cannot be reduced to personal level.

[Rebiu]

The purpose is efficiency. :eek:

How could this perspective be used to give an individuals life meaning.

[Rebiu]

my purpose is to convert my energy into creative expression, in any form.

My purpose is also to reproduce.

I understand the reproduce part but the other part is a little vague for me to grasp, please elaborate.

 

What's yours?

I agree with most that life is its own purpose. As an individual my purpose in life is to be happy and content. Happiness and contentment are the human minds reward for satisfying ones needs. These need exist in a hierarchy. You must satisfy the higher needs before gaining satisfaction from satisfying the less immediate needs. Here is a very short and incomplete list.

 

Breath

Drink

Eat

Security

Shelter

Human interaction

Physical challenge

Mental Challenge

Be a contributing part of a larger society that meets its needs

[Turtle]

Originally Posted by Turtle

The purpose is efficiency.

How could this perspective be used to give an individuals life meaning.

 

By an individual acting purposefully to improve efficiency.

[Rebiu]

The purpose of life? Hmmm... now that's a loaded question.

 

Life is, in essence, meaningless. We are just a semi-efficient tool to distribute energy. A slave to entrophy, if you like.

This may be true, however it is only true from a rather limited and nonhumancentric perspective

 

On your question regarding 'life':

 

Here stop and spend a lifetime

in harmless mirth and fun

let friendship reign

be just and kind

and evil speak of none.

 

...and then you, well, uh..., you know, er... DIE.:eek:

 

That's about it, I guess.

These are wise words yet incomplete sometimes confrontation, conflict, war, disparagement, and intimidation are necessary.

[Rebiu]

The purpose of life is to exist and to exist is the purpose of life.

I agree

Don't look for purposes beyond this as it will make you see life as a sort of tool to gain something. Life exists because it can and your life amounts to anything you want it to amount to. Create some goals, see if you can reach them, but as soon as you create a purpose, life cannot exist without it.

That sounds like good advise. I suggest that there is a mechanism built into the human mind that once understood holds the key fulfillment in life. They’re certain innate human needs or appetites whose satisfaction of offers the rewards of happiness and contentment. It is a matter of figuring out what needs you have and satisfying those needs that will provide the roadmap to a enjoyable existence.

[Rebiu]

Yes;) Indeed I have contemplated for a while sometime back. The conclusion I reached was as follos:

 

" there is perhaps no purpose of an individual life, Bbut perhaps there is a purpose of life on a larger canvas. It is just like molecules in a substance, each molecule can hardly be ascribed a purpose, but the substance undergoes changes regardless of the transition in few molecules. Historically, we would have never met each, by that I mean exhanged our thoughts on a common issue, but the actions of many individuals, who cntributed to make internet and hence Hypography possible, has led to this particular moment. Our actions indeed lead to some macroscpic changes which cannot be reduced to personal level.

This is and interesting perspective. I have always considered the individual to have a need to grow as a part of a larger society.

[InfiniteNow]

Well put. I agree that life is its own purpose.I agree here as well though I call it happiness and contentment. How would you describe these emotional states and how does one achieve and maintain them?

They find you when you let go and stop searching, then, they maintain you instead of the other way around.