Rules for determining the meaning of life.

[Syd the Human]

It's a question that comes up every once in a while. But I have yet to see anyone define the rules of what constitutes an acceptable answer as to what it means. So just off the top of my head:

- Can there be only one meaning, or can there be multiple meanings. Why or why not?

- Can the meaning change. Why or why not?

- Can the meaning be different for different people, or does it have to be the same. Why or why not?

- Does the meaning of life matter? Why or why not?

Don't just say Because God/Allah/Flying Spaghetti Monster said so blah blah blah.

If your answer is too long for this kind of thing and do not want to post, that's fine. Just don't go: "This and this and this are wrong, but I don't want to explain it because it would take too long."


To me that is trolling a thread, which I would appreciate if no one did that.

If you answer it first, and then the conversation gets really complicated so much that you can't fully explain, then that's fine.

 

[Paradoxum]

The question itself is weird, so perhaps that is part of the problem. I'm not sure if the question even makes sense.

So in my opinion, we are better off not asking 'what the meaning of life is', since it's a confusing way to phrase whatever it is you mean.

I think the question either means, 1) Why are we here?/ Were we put here with a purpose?, or 2) What should we do with our lives that is significant and meaningful?

If you mean the second question, then I think there could be a whole range of ways to live a meaningful life. It depends how specific you think the answer has to be.

Broadly, perhaps you could say that a meaningful life is one where you live in light of something bigger than yourself.

For religious people that might mean relation to God. For others that could mean bringing up children, contributing great art, improving the lives of others, reforming laws, seeking truth (eg: science), etc. Perhaps loving relationships could also important.

 

[Received]

For the four questions you posed, I would say yes, yes, yes, and there is no singular meaning. You might say it's a metameaning: to find a meaning or set of meanings to your life is the meaning to the meanings of your life. But that would sound too fancy.

 

[Feldon]

Very nice post. Provocative too.

I think there can be a personal meaning to life, and also a spiritual one. The personal one is unique to you, and can change over time. It's your destiny, your life, your decision. Your "meaning" can be profound or repugnant. (Like Curly said in City Slickers, the meaning to life is ONE THING.... and that's up to you to figure out.)

But if there IS a God, and if He made us for an explicit reason that's common to the human experience, then there can only be ONE spiritual meaning of life. And this is the heart of Christianity.

Peace!

 

[durangodawood]

Not sure I even understand the concept "meaning of life".

 

[Emmy]

Dear Syd the Human. Paradoxum gives two rules/ways, why are we here/were we put here with a purpose? I like to answer what the Bible says about both ways. We know that God made us in His image, God made us for a purpose. In Genesis God made Man and Woman, and God Blessed them and told them:" Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the Earth."
We are told in the Old Testament what happened then, we( Mankind) moved ever farther away from God our Heavenly Father.
In time Jesus our Saviour came and told us that God Loves us and wants us back again, we had allowed Sinning to take hold of us completely, and there was no-one to pay God`s Eternal Law, for all our sins and transgressions.
But Jesus who had become Man, ( as we were) died for us that we might
Live Again. Jesus`s Blood was shed, to cover all our Sins and transgressions.
We are free again to return to our Heavenly Father, and become the sons and daughters which God wanted us to be all along.
What does God want from us? the Bible tells us: "Repent," and "be Born Again." We have to give up our selfishness and become loving as God is Loving: GOD IS LOVE. In Matthew 5: 48: Jesus tells us: " Be ye therefore perfect as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect. God wants our Love,
freely given and NO CONDITIONS tagged on. Jesus our Saviour will help and guide us: JESUS IS THE WAY. I believe that God wants us to be with God for eternity, and Love is our key to Heaven. We have much time on Earth to learn, and Love is very catching. I say this with love, Syd the Human.
Greetings from Emmy, sister in Christ.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Emmy is right. It is the duty of all men, religious or atheist, to repent of sin and evil.

 

[terryjohn]

Men have so much potential and they waste so much of it on the mundane. I see and sometimes admire people who are passionate about sports. If we could now just become passionate about all things good we would really living.

 

[quatona]

It's a question that comes up every once in a while. But I have yet to see anyone define the rules of what constitutes an acceptable answer as to what it means. So just off the top of my head:

- Can there be only one meaning, or can there be multiple meanings. Why or why not?

- Can the meaning change. Why or why not?

- Can the meaning be different for different people, or does it have to be the same. Why or why not?

- Does the meaning of life matter? Why or why not?

I don´t know that there´s such a thing as "meaning of life".
All I can talk about is "meaning in life". Meaning is there if something means something to someone.
In regards to "meaning in life":
There can be multiple meanings, the meaning(s) can change, they can be different for different people, they do matter to them.
I hope this needn´t be explained - it´s what we observe.

 

[Eudaimonist]

- Can there be only one meaning, or can there be multiple meanings. Why or why not?

Meaning, as I see it, is about answering the question: "What should I doing with my life?"

There can be more than one meaning because there can be more than one pursuit that fulfills one as an individual. For instance, there's no reason why one shouldn't find fulfillment in one's career and in raising one's children. Human life is complex enough to have more than one meaning.

- Can the meaning change. Why or why not?

Yes, because individuals change. A person can be quite different than they were ten years ago.

- Can the meaning be different for different people, or does it have to be the same. Why or why not?

It can be different because individuals are different.

- Does the meaning of life matter? Why or why not?

Does personal fulfillment and self-actualization matter? Does finding major values that get you out of bed in the morning eager to meet the day matter? I'd say yes, it matters to your existence as a developing human individual.


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[Ken-1122]

It's a question that comes up every once in a while. But I have yet to see anyone define the rules of what constitutes an acceptable answer as to what it means. So just off the top of my head:

- Can there be only one meaning, or can there be multiple meanings. Why or why not?

An individual can have as many goals, hobbies, or what-ever it takes to bring meaning to his life

- Can the meaning change. Why or why not?

Of course! Goals and ideas change all the time.

- Can the meaning be different for different people, or does it have to be the same. Why or why not?

They are rarely the same, they are usually as different as each individual is

- Does the meaning of life matter? Why or why not?

Only if the individual values it

Ken

 

[GrowingSmaller]

Double Post

 

[GrowingSmaller]

Can there be only one meaning, or can there be multiple meanings. Why or why not?

I am tending towards the view that there may be formal and informal answers. Informal ones, which relate to liking doing this and that, are usually given. But there may be a formal answer which is true a priori, and belongs to the form of life. Just as for instance sensory intuition for Kant is spatio-temporal, so life may be "attraction to life" (which I have sometimes called "rational attraction to being" for us humans).

- Can the meaning change. Why or why not?

Well attraction to life can take the form of enjoyments, or washing the car for example, or even being sad. So maybe the contents may change but the form may not.
​

- Can the meaning be different for different people, or does it have to be the same. Why or why not?

See above.
​

- Does the meaning of life matter? Why or why not?

Well if this is true then it matters because without it we could be dead. Just as there would be no sensory awareness without space and time.

I am pondering the idea of strange attractors. Strange attractors IIRC are non linear chaotic systems which arrive at their destination in a unpredictable, roundabout way, like the weather arrives at winter via both warm and clold, wet and dry, windy and calm days. In fact we often use weather as an analogy for how things are going.

We may be "attracted to life" either foolishly or wisely, and either healthily or unhealthily. So our destination (more life, which we are attracted to) may be seen as a chaotic attractor. Or something similar?

I even got songs to back it up:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNkKq9mVeVc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ag8XcMG1EX4

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Men have so much potential and they waste so much of it on the mundane. I see and sometimes admire people who are passionate about sports. If we could now just become passionate about all things good we would really living.

Too many alligators.