What is the purpose/meaning of life?

[comana]

Why is there life on earth and human consciousness? Is there an answer and if not does it matter? What if there is no purpose? We are all still here and nothing changes.

I bring this up because I am currently embroiled in such a debate on another forum and thought it would be interesting here as well. The variety of responses should at least be more here than there if nothing else.

 

[John812]

For me, I would have to say it is to live a righteous life.


God Bless!

 

[James T]

Ultimately, I don't believe there is one.

Personally, what works , which means accepting that there is no ultimate reason and having my own reasons. These include things like family, shelter, food, social contact, learning, challenge and respect in my work. Simple stuff really.

 

[elman]

Why is there life on earth and human consciousness? Is there an answer and if not does it matter? What if there is no purpose? We are all still here and nothing changes.

I bring this up because I am currently embroiled in such a debate on another forum and thought it would be interesting here as well. The variety of responses should at least be more here than there if nothing else.

Paul in Acts 17 seems to indicate we were created for the purpose of seeking God. I think that is probably saying the same thing as Jesus in His summing up the law as loving God and man. I think we were created with the ability to respond to the love of God and if we do we can live with God after the physical body returns to to dust. I think the purpose was for God to have beings around Him who loved Him and who could be loved by Him.

 

[mepalmer3]

Why is there life on earth and human consciousness? Is there an answer and if not does it matter? What if there is no purpose? We are all still here and nothing changes.

I bring this up because I am currently embroiled in such a debate on another forum and thought it would be interesting here as well. The variety of responses should at least be more here than there if nothing else.

Could "nature" produce "purpose" in us? I don't think so. At least we wouldn't normally speak of nature as being able to produce "purpose" in people.

If we create our own purpose, then it seems rather arbitrary. We could change it tomorrow, and again the day after. And certainly anyone's ideas of trying to create a purpose for everyone else seems nonsensical and irrational.

So the only way we would have purpose is if an actual God existed. But if God created us, then clearly the purpose would be God's. We would be here to serve God's purpose. Hmmm... that seems inescapable. Either we have purpose and it belongs to God, or we have no purpose except for an arbitrary, made-up purpose.

So then the question becomes, what is God's purpose?

 

[meebs]

sorry...i have to say it! i have to say it!

42.



ok: more seriously.

I dont think there is a meaning. I think we simply look for meaning as we would go insane just thinking about it. I think the universe "just is".

This doesnt depress me - i just wanna live a happy life (have kids and all) .

 

[James T]

... we have no purpose except for an arbitrary, made-up purpose.

Out of context I know, but I could not agree more.

 

[God Child]

IMO our purpose is in our relationships, ALL of em friends, acuintances, family etc. But especially our relationship with God.

 

[shataytay]

Everything that exists has a purpose. Whether lungs for humans to breath with, bacteria for things to decay, or clouds to release water on the earth, everything seems to have a purpose and a reason for its existance. I find it odd to think that the one creature in existance that we know of who can really 'think' has no purpose. All of the complicated systems in physics and chemistry and biology working in harmony to allow humans to exist and to think, and many say it's meaningless. Now perhaps many don't know what that meaning is, which is understandable. The whole world is a great mystery and we're driven this way and that by people shouting "this is it!" or "no, this is really it!", so alot of people just throw up there hands and recklessly say "there is no purpose."

Sometimes I think we think too logically. Even with my faith in God, if I think too much with a pure logical mind, I begin to think there is no meaning, no purpose. But then I relax a bit and hug my parents or laugh with a friend or pray, and when I feel the happiness and beauty and love of the world it suddenly has meaning again. And I thank God for my life even though I don't understand it.

 

[John812]

But then I relax a bit and hug my parents or laugh with a friend or pray, and when I feel the happiness and beauty and love of the world it suddenly has meaning again.

Yes, happiness, beauty and love are all things that give my life great meaning as well

And I thank God for my life even though I don't understand it.

Absolutely! David expresses this thought beautifully,

Psalm 131:1

I do not concern myself with great matters
or things too wonderful for me


God Bless!

 

[tcampen]

There simply is no one answer to fit everyone. It is up to the individual to figure this out for him or herself. Clearly, there is no one religious answer, since billions of people find different religious answers.

I believe the answers brought here are meaningful to those who made the statements, and that is the most important thing.

For me, it is to live a rich, fulfilling life as a good person, full of love, respect, curiosity, creativity and productivity. To be happy and help those around me be happy. Being sad sucks.

 

[Hungry Hungry Hippo]

My purpose is to construct a 40' tall monument of Kermit the from made entirely out of belly button lint.

 

[Randall McNally]

My purpose is to construct a 40' tall monument of Kermit the from made entirely out of belly button lint.

No, that's your goal. Your purpose is to eat as many little plastic balls as you can before the other hippos do.

 

[Danhalen]

Your purpose is to eat as many little plastic balls as you can before the other hippos do.

When I was a kid, those balls were made of glass. We called 'em marbles back then.

But I digress... There is no purpose to anything, really. It's all just arbitrary random chance, as far as I can tell anyway.

 

[:æ:]

Why does everyone always ask "what is the purpose..." instead of "what are the purposes..."? I don't see any reason to assume that there must only be one, yet everyone seems to assume exactly that when they frame their question.

:æ:

 

[mepalmer3]

Why does everyone always ask "what is the purpose..." instead of "what are the purposes..."? I don't see any reason to assume that there must only be one, yet everyone seems to assume exactly that when they frame their question.

:æ:

Occam's Razor I suppose. Why suppose there are multiple purposes when one is sufficient?

 

[:æ:]

Occam's Razor I suppose. Why suppose there are multiple purposes when one is sufficient?

But I don't see any reason to believe that one is sufficient. I know, for instance, that I have many purposes in my life. Should I pretend that the several do not exist, and just imagine that one of them is valid? Which one?

:æ:

 

[SorensScapegoat]

But Occam's Razor is merely one more assumption, i.e. that the explanation with the least assumptions or complexity is the correct one. Oddly enough, it is the physical sciences which have consistently shown that survival under Occam's Razor does not necessarily lead to truth.

If we were to take Occam's Razor seriously, I have to stay with "42".

 

[HRE]

I don't know.

Really, no bloody clue what my purpose is. I don't really think I have one.

I live because I do. I don't wonder why the potential humans from the thousands of other sperm and eggs didn't make it -- what matters is that out of all of them, I made it.

I live and others die because things really just happen. I know it could have easily been me that died in a car crash, and if I eventually die in a car crash, it will simply have happened. It will be utterly futile to wonder why I died and not you.

Now, back to the purpose. I have none but that which I create for myself. I choose to live because, to be quite honest, I'm really enjoying it. I choose to stick out the bad days because I really enjoy the good days, and odds are my days won't be bad forever.

 

[comana]

sorry...i have to say it! i have to say it!

42.

Ding Ding Ding.... we have a winner.