What is the meaning behind existence, in your view?

[quatona]

The emphasis would completely change from a focus on "existence" to the "fact that you exist".

If by "existence" you don´t mean "the fact that you exist", please define "existence", for purposes of your questions and responses.

 

[Eudaimonist]

Better to believe in eternity w/God & be wrong than to be an atheist, die, awaken & stare up at an extraterrestrial/Angel (frowning)

Why is that better? Why jump at shadows out of fear instead of having honest convictions?

Yes, you may have decided not to make the proper temple sacrifices to the arch-god Drab'i'guluk, the divine inspiration of the True Religion of the galaxy-spanning civilization of the Andromedan Confederacy (or so they say), but if one doesn't believe that this is the True God, is it really preferable to live spinelessly and inauthentically just on the off chance that this god might be real? What would be the value of such an existence?


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[ananda]

Meaning would reasonably have to be generated by individuals for it to be fulfilling, rather than to have one thrust upon you from outside yourself. As subjective as it may be, it's more realistic as to meaning in its essence rather than reducing us to a function, something teleological in a mechanical sense rather than a purpose which can be provisional and change as goals are met or priorities adjust.

My meaning of life is different than a meaning behind or underpinning life itself. The latter has no meaning, it merely has existence. Those who have the capacity to comprehend can discern that meaning is a motivator factor to actions and the will as well. Animals don't have a purpose to life, they serve functions as they experience life much faster in comparison and don't have the seeming ability to contemplate their life's meanings. They shouldn't, however, be reduced to a means, which is another thing entirely that connects to ethics more than whatever one might call the study of the meaning of life (teleology, perhaps?)

So you are differentiating between "purpose" and "meaning" to life, as well, then?

 

[ananda]

If by "existence" you don´t mean "the fact that you exist", please define "existence", for purposes of your questions and responses.

I define "existence" in this context to mean "the totality of reality, including self-consciousness".

 

[muichimotsu]

So you are differentiating between "purpose" and "meaning" to life, as well, then?

Purpose and meaning seem synonymous in the sense of fulfillment in life through existential considerations rather than function, which is more mechanical and reductionistic in nature.

 

[Davian]

?

"I don’t think anything gives your life joy and meaning. I think your life simply has joy and meaning. The love for my children, the love for my parents and the love for my friends is the end in itself. The meaning is life.” ― Penn Jillette

 

[pakicetus]

I don't see any evidence that there's a "meaning" behind existence. And that doesn't bother me.

People think they care about the purpose of their lives because they imagine it must be something happy or inspiring, like to love God or have fun or create art. But that's just wishful thinking; there's no guarantee your purpose is interesting or pleasing or even important. What if you discovered that your purpose in life is to eat lots of glass? Would you start doing it?

 

[pakicetus]

I also think asking the meaning behind "existence" is misleading. It reflects the assumption that the meaning of our lives and the meaning of the universe has to be the same. Why? There are so many other things the universe could be about, I seriously doubt it's about us.

Maybe the universe has a purpose, but humanity doesn't. It could even be that humanity has a purpose, but the universe doesn't—say, if the universe is just a cosmic accident, and humanity was created by superpowerful aliens so that we could make plastic. And if humanity does have a purpose, it doesn't have to be central to our everyday lives. Maybe we've already fulfilled our purpose, so our existence right now is just inertia. Or maybe we were created just to exist, or as an experiment, so there's no way to "fulfill" our purpose by doing anything in particular.

 

[AphroditeGoneAwry]

God made us simply to be in love with Him, to be in relationship with Him.

To populate His Heaven with His chosen people.

 

[Davian]

God made us simply to be in love with Him, to be in relationship with Him.

To populate His Heaven with His chosen people.

And his Hell with everyone else.

 

[ananda]

"I don’t think anything gives your life joy and meaning. I think your life simply has joy and meaning. The love for my children, the love for my parents and the love for my friends is the end in itself. The meaning is life.” ― Penn Jillette

Good quote, thanks for sharing!

 

[1213]

Is love the meaning .. or the purpose?

I think it is both.

Purpose is to love and reason for existence is love. Meaning for this particular "life" here is that we learn what good and evil means. And that lesson is provided by Love. And as many may already understand, evil is all Godless things and good is when God takes care and people love as God has commanded and don’t reject God and that commandment. That is how I understand this.

 

[Eudaimonist]

As fine a value as love might be, I don't see how it should have the status of a purpose or meaning of life. There are many other important values.


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[quatona]

I define "existence" in this context to mean "the totality of reality, including self-consciousness".

Is this "highest existence" you are speaking of real?

 

[ananda]

I think it is both.

Purpose is to love and reason for existence is love. Meaning for this particular "life" here is that we learn what good and evil means. And that lesson is provided by Love. And as many may already understand, evil is all Godless things and good is when God takes care and people love as God has commanded and don’t reject God and that commandment. That is how I understand this.

Why love, and not compassion, or peace, etc.?

 

[ananda]

Is this "highest existence" you are speaking of real?

I believe so, yes.

 

[bhsmte]

I believe so, yes.

Based on what exactly?

 

[ananda]

Based on what exactly?

Personal experience of higher realms, and the law of kamma, etc. I have not experienced Nibbana (the highest goal) yet, but (as he instructed us to do) my faith in what the Buddha taught grows as I personally examine and verify each step of the path he mapped out. So far, I have no reason to disbelieve that Nibbana exists.

 

[muichimotsu]

Buddhists aren't universally in agreement about nirvana anymore than they universally have a structure of how karma exactly works, from what I recall. You have divisions because of those disagreements of method and doctrine. If you have no reason to doubt, then you seemingly have no reason to think in general except when it becomes immediately relevant, which seems very lazy.

 

[quatona]

I believe so, yes.

So, if you define "existence" as "the totality of everything, including consciousness" and this "highest existence" is real (i.e. included in "existence" - what´s the "meaning behind existence", again?
(Point: You are equivocating "existence".)