The purpose of life??

[Nammy]

My purpose is to live a life worth living; a life that contributes love and reason to the world that I will eventually leave behind.

 

What's your purpose? :phones:

 

It's not a question of what my purpose is (I am well living that). Its just a radical viewpoint that I am currently reviewing-why should we keep reproducing and populating until extinction? Agreed, a 1000 years from now, humans will be much more evolved but to what "purpose"?

 

Anyway-I think I'll let it rest, just wanted to share this radical thought...

-cheers

[pgrmdave]

Your question is misleading though - it presupposes that life must have a meaning, a purpose. It's like if I asked why you joined the army? Or why dogs don't like to sleep? Or what the purpose of the number 4 is? Those questions all have hidden presuppositions (although not very hidden).

[infamous]

Many of us end up wondering-Why? What is the purpose of life?

 

It really all depends on from which angle one is observing. For the chicken, it is to lay eggs. For the human, it is to eat the eggs. And when the chicken stops laying them, it is the purpose of we humans to heat up the frying pan. This is when the purpose of life for the chicken is to run like the dickens................................Infy

[Nammy]

Your question is misleading though - it presupposes that life must have a meaning, a purpose.

 

If there is no presupposition of must have a meaning-does it not prove my point? That life is meaningless anyway? :phones:

[Buffy]

If there is no presupposition of must have a meaning-does it not prove my point? That life is meaningless anyway? :shrug:

That's why I ask you who the subject of "aim" is. My life has meaning to me, and that's good enough! To be recursive,

 

The meaning of life is to put meaning into life.

 

Howzat?

 

Cause there's bugger all down here on Earth, :phones:

Buffy

[pgrmdave]

If there is no presupposition of must have a meaning-does it not prove my point? That life is meaningless anyway?

 

Ah, and here you are using dictionary slight-of-hand. The word "meaningless" has a very negative conotation, and is closely associated with the word "pointless", and comes with the idea that it is not worth doing anything. However, in the sense that I used it, I simply mean that there is no meaning to it, no connotations. It is a similar fallacy to the sentance "Anything which people desire is a desireable thing". Desirable means something is deserving of desire, not just that it is desired.

[Nammy]

 

The meaning of life is to put meaning into life.

 

Howzat?

 

:phones:

Buffy

 

And what will putting 'meaning into life' acheive when you're dead? Some legacy for others to benefit from-thats all... Anyway-discussing this subject is moot...what I'm trying to say is that we will all die someday till the point of extinction-why carry on?

[Boerseun]

Word games.

 

We are here because any combination of elementary particles that will expedite the flow of enthropy will have the upper hand.

 

We, as Earthlife, have evolved to the point where we're not content with simply eating our neighbours anymore. We now have to dig into the ground to extract energy trapped in carbon millions of years ago to quench our energy craving - we're even splitting atoms for no other reason than abstract energy.

 

We are the crescent wrenches in the toolbox of the Laws of Thermodynamics. And from here on forward, we're deflating the universe, energetically speaking. And who and what can do it better and quicker, will survive.

[Buffy]

And what will putting 'meaning into life' acheive when you're dead? Some legacy for others to benefit from-thats all...

And there's something wrong with that? If you successfully create memes in your lifetime, you have created meaning that lives on! Many of us do, and it really doesn't matter if people remember the source! It advances civilization.

Anyway-discussing this subject is moot...what I'm trying to say is that we will all die someday till the point of extinction-why carry on?

Not at all moot. I think we got quite a few purposes jumping around here. I wouldn't dismiss them so quickly....

 

1-800-273-8255,

Buffy

[infamous]

what I'm trying to say is that we will all die someday till the point of extinction-why carry on?

"Why carry on?" you say. Because the alternative is not very pleasant! And besides, life can be very rewarding and enjoyable. Are you suggesting we throw in the rope, pull the plug, and give up the ghost? If you are, I'll make a suggestion of my own. Please seek professional help with your depression. Life will be wasted if spent in total pessimism. Optimism will increase opportunity and should be the only alternative. Cheer up my friend................opportunity is knocking.

 

.........................Infy

[Nammy]

And there's something wrong with that? If you successfully create memes in your lifetime, you have created meaning that lives on! Many of us do, and it really doesn't matter if people remember the source! It advances civilization.

 

1-800-273-8255,

Buffy

 

Thats what I'm saying all along here-okay, so the civilaztion advances with the benefits from the present generation-I'm not denying that-what I'm questioning is where will all this lead us to?

 

And on a more personal scale-I won't be here after a 1000 years to witness the fantastic changes. If I did contribute to betterment of the society and the society flourishes onwards-good. But since we have yet to acheive immortality, how am I going to witness the advancements?

 

"ours is but to do and die"?

[Nammy]

"Why carry on?" you say. Because the alternative is not very pleasant! And besides, life can be very rewarding and enjoyable. Are you suggesting we throw in the rope, pull the plug, and give up the ghost? If you are, I'll make a suggestion of my own. Please seek professional help with your depression. Life will be wasted if spent in total pessimism. Optimism will increase opportunity and should be the only alternative. Cheer up my friend................opportunity is knocking.

 

.........................Infy

 

Hey-I'm not depressed-just disenchated (I live my life very fully actually)

[Nammy]

Are you suggesting we throw in the rope, pull the plug, and give up the ghost?

.........................Infy

 

Had that evil idea too! :phones:

[Buffy]

I'm questioning is where will all this lead us to?...I won't be here after a 1000 years to witness the fantastic changes....how am I going to witness the advancements?

Maybe you will! Who knows? That's kinda what meta-physics are for, to find a fake excuse that says you will, because...you might! We don't know what happens after we die. Your line of reasoning can be used not only to give up and do nothing but also to justify doing evil.

 

Given the choice, with the life you've got, would you do good, nothing or evil? Given that you don't know for sure what's to come after death, are you *sure* you don't want to do good?

 

If you're just plain apathetic, you should look at what is motivating you here, and you might want to look for motivations beyond self-gratification!

 

Kill reverence and you've killed the hero in man, :phones:

Buffy

[infamous]

 

Kill reverence and you've killed the hero in man, :phones:

Buffy

Absolutely wonderful quote Buffy, if I could, I'd give you more rep for that one. Alas, I tried but I'll need to spread some more around first.

 

Excellent thought...............................Infy

[Nammy]

If you're just plain apathetic, you should look at what is motivating you here

Buffy

 

No motivations actually-just playing out a thought about where are we headed and is it worth heading towards?

[Zythryn]

-what I'm questioning is where will all this lead us to?

 

We don't know. But we are the ones that will shape where we end up.

There is no goal, we shape our own future. Our actions will lead to events that shape our lives, as well as the next generation or two.

Those generations will shape life in such a way that will affect them and the next few generations.

 

We can dream, we can consider how our actions will affect those around us and future generations. We can strive to improve life for ourselves and others.

 

However, there is no magic answer as it is not decided where we will eventually end up as a race.

 

The fun, is getting there:hihi:

 

Buffy, I wanted to give you rep too for the quote, but I am also unable to:( Is rep broken?