The Purpose(to life.. the universe... everything!)

[Girder of Loins]

[Extra credit if you catch the movie reference in the title]

I would love to start a discussion on the topic of "purpose". Mainly, whether "purpose" is objective or subjective.

There is no ultimate purpose to anything. Now say your job is to sell cars then selling cars would be your purpose.

I will start it off with this quote. I completely disagree. If you sell cars simply for the purpose of selling cars, that is circular reasoning. Therefore, there must exist other reasons for this "purpose" beyond "selling cars".

Once again, this is a discussion on the existence of "purpose", not specific "purposes".

 

[Chris Blanks]

In that quote Shane is referring to a specific purpose, you work at a car dealership so your purpose there is to sell cars. But I agree with him there is not ultimate purpose to our existence. We are a intelligent species on a giant rock in the middle of a galaxy that is in a universe that has other intelligent species. That is all. But I would say that purpose is subjective to each individual.
No idea what movie is referenced Haha

 

[Girder of Loins]

the answer to life, universe and everything - YouTube

Anywho, isn't that an objective answer? "A person's purpose is up to him."

 

[Chris Blanks]

I would consider that a subjective answer because it would change from person to person.

 

[Girder of Loins]

But the idea behind it is objective. While the end is subjective(maybe), the beginning is nonetheless objective, is it not?

 

[Chris Blanks]

No I don't think so. I would say it was objective if most people thought one way or another but everyone develops their own thoughts.

 

[motherprayer]

The purpose to life is to serve God. Lol I do realize some may disagree with me there. That's okay =)

 

[Shane Plew]

No I don't think so. I would say it was objective if most people thought one way or another but everyone develops their own thoughts.

I would argue that their environment is what develops their thoughts.

 

[Shane Plew]

[Extra credit if you catch the movie reference in the title]

I would love to start a discussion on the topic of "purpose". Mainly, whether "purpose" is objective or subjective.



I will start it off with this quote. I completely disagree. If you sell cars simply for the purpose of selling cars, that is circular reasoning. Therefore, there must exist other reasons for this "purpose" beyond "selling cars".

Once again, this is a discussion on the existence of "purpose", not specific "purposes".

I wouldn't call it circular reasoning, but I would call it a redundant statement. Beyond that I don't think that there is any purpose besides what we give ourselves or what we subject ourselves to. I hope I put that right.

 

[Shane Plew]

But the idea behind it is objective. While the end is subjective(maybe), the beginning is nonetheless objective, is it not?

I agree that a person's purpose is up to the person. However, that would not be ultimate purpose.

The closest thing I can think of as being ultimate purpose would be that I'm programmed to continue genetic line just like every other animal. I would however argue, and this should be obvious, that humans can break away from that and change their purpose entirely. This kind of goes back to the freewill thing for me, so this kind of depends on how I look at it seeing as I'm not sure about free will. I would like to believe that free will exists, but comfort is no good reason to believe anything.



Also, do I use the word "however" too often?

 

[Chris Blanks]

I would argue that their environment is what develops their thoughts.

I think it is some of both. The way their brain acts and their environment

 

[Girder of Loins]

Also, do I use the word "however" too often?

Not at all! I hope I don't use words too much... Lol.

Anywho, to Chris,

But in the end, it is an objective statement. Let's say your right, that purpose is up to the person. That is an objective statement with a subjective premise. Is it not? To say it, it must be said absolutely.

To Shane,

So there is "ultimate purpose"? But like you said, some people choose celibacy. So I would call it your "biological purpose" rather than an "ultimate purpose".

To motherprayer,

I am in agreement that serving God is our ultimate purpose, but how do we even know that it is true? Does our purpose come from the Bible, and therefore it is subjective to each human, or is it an intrinsic quality shared throughout humans? Basically, is there an "ultimate, unchanging purpose"? One that no human can ignore?

 

[Forge3]

Sounds like something Carl Sagan would have done. The physical purpose is to be fruitful and multiply. THe spiritual purpose is to be fruitful and multiply in the works of the Spirit.

 

[Chris Blanks]

Not at all! I hope I don't use words too much... Lol.

Anywho, to Chris,

But in the end, it is an objective statement. Let's say your right, that purpose is up to the person. That is an objective statement with a subjective premise. Is it not? To say it, it must be said absolutely.

How would that be an objective statement?

 

[Girder of Loins]

Because it is a statement that applies to all people at all times.

 

[Chris Blanks]

I guess you are right. But the important part is that in the end it is subjective to each person if there is a purpose to their life. But life in general has no ultimate purpose as Shane said.

 

[Shane Plew]

Yes, genetic purpose was the term I was looking for. Even if a person truly decides they have no purpose then at the very least they will act as a vessel to carry their genes into the next generation which would be their purpose. I do not believe that it is possible to have no self given purpose because in order to do so you would have to not hav developed consciousness or you must have lost it in order to not have a self proclaimed purpose.

 

[Chris Blanks]

Yes, genetic purpose was the term I was looking for. Even if a person truly decides they have no purpose then at the very least they will act as a vessel to carry their genes into the next generation which would be their purpose. I do not believe that it is possible to have no self given purpose because in order to do so you would have to not hav developed consciousness or you must have lost it in order to not have a self proclaimed purpose.

Someone could even decide to not act as a vessel to carry their genes into the next generation. But then I guess their purpose would be to impede the progress of the human race

 

[Shane Plew]

Someone could even decide to not act as a vessel to carry their genes into the next generation. But then I guess their purpose would be to impede the progress of the human race

Or to just stop their genetic line, but you get what I'm saying.

 

[Gath]

I would say that there isn't any objective purpose to life. In my view, there isn't any reason you are here. If you want to create a reason for yourself and call that your purpose, that's cool.