The Purpose of Life

[RealityCheck]

Creationist Complaint: Theory of Evolution teaches that we're the result of random processes and life has no meaning or purpose.

This complaint is based on a false understanding of evolution theory but let's set that aside for now.

The real question is - if there is a purpose and meaning to life, what is it?

Oddly enough, if you go back to the creationist's version of how life began, there isn't an explanation there for what the purpose of life is. Genesis simply tells the story of creation and gives no rationalization for the creation of anything. The act of creation simply is - there is no deeper reason given for it.

Now, one can certainly read into the text whatever reason they wish - but that's bringing the reader's own sense of purpose and meaning to the text, not extracting purpose and meaning from the text itself.

So what is the Biblical "meaning and purpose" of life?

 

[Übermensch1]

The metaphysics of Christianity itself admits of no purpose: hence the nihilism innate within that religion. It projects as the source of all worldly values an otherworldly root, thus devaluing whatever purpose or meaning can be extracted from this life and rendering it subservient to another. Hence Christianity dies today of its own doing - it has devalued itself, by devaluing the world in which it is situated.

 

[Eudaimonist]

The real question is - if there is a purpose and meaning to life, what is it?

It's deceptively simple. The purpose and meaning of life is to live. Life is an end-in-itself.

But perhaps I should reframe this issue. Any purpose must be chosen in order for it to be one's own purpose. And so I think it is more accurate to say that one's existence is what matters to oneself, and so life is what is naturally choiceworthy as one's purpose.


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[DailyBlessings]

And so I think it is more accurate to say that one's existence is what matters to oneself, and so life is what is naturally choiceworthy as one's purpose.

So purpose requires a consciousness then?

 

[The Nihilist]

So purpose requires a consciousness then?

oh, not at all. my garden shears have no consciousness, and they have a purpose

 

[Eudaimonist]

So purpose requires a consciousness then?

Yes, in that having a purpose means having a goal-in-mind. No mind, no purpose.

Keep in mind here that meaning in life is at issue, and so consciously held purposes are going to be the most relevant. I suppose that there can be nonconscious purposes, such as one's heart having the purpose of pumping blood, but this isn't one's own purpose as a person until one accepts it as one's own consciously. (E.g., by watching one's cholesterol and exercising to keep one's heart healthy.)

oh, not at all. my garden shears have no consciousness, and they have a purpose

Sure, your garden shears have a purpose for you, a conscious entity.


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[The Nihilist]

oh, of course

 

[MorkandMindy]

So purpose requires a consciousness then?

'Purpose' means 'the intended result this helps achieve'.

The purpose of a toothbrush is to clean teeth. The purpose of a stone thrown into a pond could be to produce ripples, make fish move, or to skip on the surface.

The stone did not have a purpose for the millennia before it was thrown nor perhaps will it ever again.

 

[MorkandMindy]

If we get enough data on a planet that is currently near by and tailor life forms for the conditions there and send them in a probe to populate the planet,

that planet orbits a different sun and is travelling a different direction,

and our solar system goes into a thicker part of the gas it is presently travelling through and life here gets wiped out and every residue of civilization in the terrible storms

then all that is left is the life we put on the other planet, so that is the only thing left of us, so at that point is the only thing that could be used as our purpose for ever existing

 

[DailyBlessings]

Sure, your garden shears have a purpose for you, a conscious entity.

Then you might have a purpose that I have placed on you, even with your consent. If I enslave you to build a pyramid, my purpose for you is to build something?

 

[Eudaimonist]

If I enslave you to build a pyramid, my purpose for you is to build something?

Correct.


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[DailyBlessings]

Correct.


eudaimonia,

Mark

Suppose our consciousness is an illusion, but God is conscious. Would God's intent in creating life, then, be the only true purpose in the universe for us to "find"?

 

[Eudaimonist]

Suppose our consciousness is an illusion, but God is conscious.

I can't make much sense of this proposition. I think I understand what you are saying, but I don't understand how our consciousness can be only "an illusion", and that makes it too challenging to answer your question.


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[billwald]

Maybe our purpose is to amuse our programmers and whomever is playing our simulation.

 

[Received]

There is no such thing as a singular purpose. You are who you are through becoming who you are -- that is, through actualizing your particular meaning or purpose. Religion should only aim at unveiling this meaning as handed down -- as from God, and as God (assuming, of course, that God exists). And I wouldn't say the goal of life is to live; rather, living is a symptom of consummating one's goals. Living, strictly speaking, is a product of becoming, not becoming itself.

 

[~Wisdom Seeker~]

Our purpose is to experience and learn (evolve) through adversity.

 

[Eudaimonist]

There is no such thing as a singular purpose. You are who you are through becoming who you are -- that is, through actualizing your particular meaning or purpose. [...] And I wouldn't say the goal of life is to live; rather, living is a symptom of consummating one's goals. Living, strictly speaking, is a product of becoming, not becoming itself.

This is well-stated. I was oversimplifying a bit, and I accept your restatement.


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[Aceofspades77]

It is appointed for man to die once. That is one of our purposes.

 

[Dogbean]

The purpose of man's life is to glorify God.

 

[Feminition]

I don't see why people need purposes. It seems childish; I see it as someone needing support in life, as they are desperate-

'Oh, the purpose of life is to appease (Insert deities as needed here) . Oh, I go to (Insert place of worship here) every (Insert customary date). Thus, my life is going absolutely perfectly, if I ignore the fact that I am plain as a mayonnaise sandwich and that I blast (Insert religion here) rock in my workplace, causing my coworkers to put in earplugs. Fantastic.'

Can't one live life intelligently through simple life goals rather then one objective one?