durangodawood
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Its not determining your own meaning that makes you rare. Its being sure of it.
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Its not determining your own meaning that makes you rare. Its being sure of it.How do you conclude bringing meaning to your own life makes one rare?
Ken
Again; Why do you consider this rare? If you are the decider of something, why would you consider it rare to be certain of what you have decided?Its not determining your own meaning that makes you rare. Its being sure of it.
I consider it rare because of my experience with other people. For most people it seems self-made meaning is just "where theyre at now", the current best-assessment.Again; Why do you consider this rare? If you are the decider of something, why would you consider it rare to be certain of what you have decided?
Ken
... not all religions.Science undermines religion mainly because religion tends to be allied with tradition, and science introduces change, through new technologies and new understandings of the world.
I can't speak for your experiences; but it seems to me, only a slave would have a predetermined meaning/purpose to life; and that is to serve his master. A free man will create his own meaning to life; that which he finds importantI consider it rare because of my experience with other people. For most people it seems self-made meaning is just "where theyre at now", the current best-assessment.
Well, I agree. But its the work-in-progress aspect of it that makes certainty impossible, I think. Once you are certain, you have ceased creating.I can't speak for your experiences; but it seems to me, only a slave would have a predetermined meaning/purpose to life; and that is to serve his master. A free man will create his own meaning to life; that which he finds important
Ken
Before modern science, it seems it would have been much easier to be an atheist. People used to believe the universe was eternal, until science discovered the Big Bang
I disagree! A work in progress simply means as you grow and learn, you update and improve your direction and purpose in life. A lack of maturity doesn't mean uncertainty, it simply means you continue to improve.Well, I agree. But its the work-in-progress aspect of it that makes certainty impossible, I think.
Does that mean because you are certain; you no longer create?Once you are certain, you have ceased creating.
I think of certainty as antithetical to change. Or at least an attitude not disposed to change.I disagree! A work in progress simply means as you grow and learn, you update and improve your direction and purpose in life. A lack of maturity doesn't mean uncertainty, it simply means you continue to improve.
As far as the slave-thing, my ancestors spent too much time forced into that stuff; they would turn over in their graves if I were to sign up for it!
No thank-you
Does that mean because you are certain; you no longer create?
Ken
I think of certainty as antithetical to change. Or at least an attitude not disposed to change.
I think of certainty as antithetical to change. Or at least an attitude not disposed to change.
Theism and atheism are the same when it comes to whether meaning is assigned to your life or whether you choose it. In both cases, one's belief places certain limits on what purposes in life are available, and there is plenty of room within those limits to choose or find one's purpose and meaning. Atheists do not have the option of including meanings in their life that depend on a god or afterlife; if anything their freedom regarding which meanings are possible is more limited than theists'.
This is exactly why the Big Bang weakens atheism.
Until it was discovered, one had the option of seeing what we know exists, the universe, as what is eternal.
Now, however, one must posit either an 'unknowable and unintelligible' multiverse or something of the sort, or an equally unknowable Creator.
The advantage of the Creator is that he explains a wide variety of other phenomena, from religious experience to the origin of life, that all have to be explained independently otherwise.
Then this happened!
What if the universe had no beginning? | Science Wire | EarthSky
And it was good...
Before modern science, it seems it would have been much easier to be an atheist. People used to believe the universe was eternal, until science discovered the Big Bang, so the Cosmological argument wouldn't have been as strong in the past.
People used to believe in spontaneous generation; that maggots automatically appear in decaying meat and mice in straw, until science disproved that, which you'd think makes a creator more necessary now than one would have thought then. Science has discovered that the universe is much more complex than previously thought. Even the problem of evil would have been a more powerful argument against theism in the past, before science began solving many of the specific evils in daily life, giving hope that more will be solved in the future. A problem without a solution is bigger than if there is one.
Science undermines religion mainly because religion tends to be allied with tradition, and science introduces change, through new technologies and new understandings of the world. Religions' alliance with tradition is not a necessary one though, and new religions have always challenged tradition in much the same ways that science does.
Science may also challenge specific religions beliefs, but a religion having some details wrong does not mean religion's main thesis is wrong.
Atheism does not preclude belief in an afterlife. I have known at least one such individual.Theism and atheism are the same when it comes to whether meaning is assigned to your life or whether you choose it. In both cases, one's belief places certain limits on what purposes in life are available, and there is plenty of room within those limits to choose or find one's purpose and meaning. Atheists do not have the option of including meanings in their life that depend on a god or afterlife; if anything their freedom regarding which meanings are possible is more limited than theists'.
A road trip is a poor analogy, as it implies one is capable of deciding on one's destination; belief is not a choice.Certainty can be a help or a hindrance to change. A road trip is a decent analogy; if you are certain of your destination and the roads to it you will be more successful in changing your location by going there, unless you are wrong on any part of that, in which case certainty may get in the way of correcting the mistake.
Originally Posted by juvenissunView Post
Mostly, because you will never be sure about the meaning of your life.
I am sure.
Of course, most people can say something about the meaning of his/her life. But look at it this way: The meaning as you know it CHANGED and WILL CHANGE AGAIN (at the time you know better).
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