Philosophy: The Meaning of Life

[bendog]

My church reading group is currently on the Brothers Karamazov. While I'm still uncertain exactly where my group is taking me on this journey, I recall studying the book decades ago in undergrad, and the themes of belief in God and Doubt, and gaining self-knowledge through suffering.

I think we are focusing on the conflict between nilhism and belief ... which is not what I recall being the subject of undergrad studies. However, as to your original poll, one theme is that without God giving people free will, there would not be evil.

 

[Uncensored2008]

A thread in the CDZ bombed badly because the OP was determined that 'family' is the answer no matter what the question. I have come to the conclusion that passion is actually the right answer - and not in the tunnel-vision sense, but rather in the "Pleasantville" sense. Whatever you are passionate about, if you follow that passion, that is where you find fulfillment and happiness.

So - the next questions would be:

1) what is your passion, and

2) are you making an effort to fulfill that desire?

In my mind, that leads to my next question. Are you so single-mindedly following that chosen path that you are blind to what else life has to offer?

My passions are my guitars and my guns, playing music and shooting. My great loves are my wife, my dog, my kids, my grandkids.

And I think you are close, these are the things that make life precious. Are the "the meaning?" How can they be? They are relevant only to me. Is passion itself the meaning? Maybe, but Siddhartha claimed the opposite, that a mellow disinterest was the key to life.

 

[BDBoop]

A thread in the CDZ bombed badly because the OP was determined that 'family' is the answer no matter what the question. I have come to the conclusion that passion is actually the right answer - and not in the tunnel-vision sense, but rather in the "Pleasantville" sense. Whatever you are passionate about, if you follow that passion, that is where you find fulfillment and happiness.

So - the next questions would be:

1) what is your passion, and

2) are you making an effort to fulfill that desire?

In my mind, that leads to my next question. Are you so single-mindedly following that chosen path that you are blind to what else life has to offer?

My passions are my guitars and my guns, playing music and shooting. My great loves are my wife, my dog, my kids, my grandkids.

And I think you are close, these are the things that make life precious. Are the "the meaning?" How can they be? They are relevant only to me. Is passion itself the meaning? Maybe, but Siddhartha claimed the opposite, that a mellow disinterest was the key to life.

Ack. Not sure I can do mellow disinterest. Not regarding anything that matters - which probably brings me full circle.

Anybody who has suffered a debilitating loss found out instantaneously what suddenly didn't matter anymore. Being right and having the last word, for instance.

 

[MisterBeale]

A thread in the CDZ bombed badly because the OP was determined that 'family' is the answer no matter what the question. I have come to the conclusion that passion is actually the right answer - and not in the tunnel-vision sense, but rather in the "Pleasantville" sense. Whatever you are passionate about, if you follow that passion, that is where you find fulfillment and happiness.

So - the next questions would be:

1) what is your passion, and

2) are you making an effort to fulfill that desire?

In my mind, that leads to my next question. Are you so single-mindedly following that chosen path that you are blind to what else life has to offer?

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxY31-FcDVA"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxY31-FcDVA[/ame]

 

[BDBoop]

My church reading group is currently on the Brothers Karamazov. While I'm still uncertain exactly where my group is taking me on this journey, I recall studying the book decades ago in undergrad, and the themes of belief in God and Doubt, and gaining self-knowledge through suffering.

I think we are focusing on the conflict between nilhism and belief ... which is not what I recall being the subject of undergrad studies. However, as to your original poll, one theme is that without God giving people free will, there would not be evil.

I'm sorry. I like you muchly, but you appear to be answering a different question than the one I asked.

 

[syrenn]

passions.... so many of them, and so little time.

The meaning of life could very well be to experience as much as you possible can.

 

[Uncensored2008]

Ack. Not sure I can do mellow disinterest. Not regarding anything that matters - which probably brings me full circle.

Anybody who has suffered a debilitating loss found out instantaneously what suddenly didn't matter anymore. Being right and having the last word, for instance.

I hear you.

I lost interest in Buddhism faster than any other religion I've looked it.

I'm with Syrenn, passion gives meaning to life.

 

[Unkotare]

there is no "meaning to life" It is just.... life.

the meaning is what you make it to be. Yes, that could be called your passion....or passions.

I don't think there is one answer.

The question is the answer.

 

[Unkotare]

My passions are my guitars and my guns, playing music and shooting.

So, if you could make a guitar that shoots you'd be in heaven!



http://www.officialpsds.com/images/thumbs/Gun-Guitar-Vector-psd34366.png

 

[syrenn]

Ack. Not sure I can do mellow disinterest. Not regarding anything that matters - which probably brings me full circle.

Anybody who has suffered a debilitating loss found out instantaneously what suddenly didn't matter anymore. Being right and having the last word, for instance.

I hear you.

I lost interest in Buddhism faster than any other religion I've looked it.

I'm with Syrenn, passion gives meaning to life.

Actually, boop is the one who came up with passion.... and ill agree with that too.

 

[syrenn]

My passions are my guitars and my guns, playing music and shooting.

So, if you could make a guitar that shoots you'd be in heaven!



http://www.officialpsds.com/images/thumbs/Gun-Guitar-Vector-psd34366.png

i am sure they are out there somewhere..... lol.

 

[Uncensored2008]

Actually, boop is the one who came up with passion.... and ill agree with that too.

All the beautiful women... I get them mixed up!

 

[BDBoop]

Actually, boop is the one who came up with passion.... and ill agree with that too.

All the beautiful women... I get them mixed up!

Awesome save! The Russian judge was especially impressed.

 

[ZenBubba]

I think fulfillment gives life meaning. I don't know if my word is any different than "passionate" is in this context.

It seems people go to great extremes and make great sacrifices to arrive at a state of fulfillment.

On the other hand it could be an excellent way to distract yourself from realizing that life has no meaning.

 

[Delta4Embassy]

I'd say in order to believe our lives must have a meaning because we exist is to believe some deity created us. Since that's not what I believe I think we all find some meaning for ourselves, but it isn't a universally applicable meaning, just our's. Our ego is what makes us think we're special but as if often the case, as soon as we die in an accident of some sort we realize, for however brief a moment we're in fact meaningless.

The universe can support life given the right conditions. So Earth having those conditions sees life spring up and flourish. But it doesn't mean that the life here was put here by design. Simply that given the right conditions life will occur everywhere those conditions are present. And in a universe as big as this, even a 1 in a billion chance of something occuring, like life springing up from lifelessness ensure life will spring up millions of times. It's the law of large numbers in action.

 

[Uncensored2008]

I'd say in order to believe our lives must have a meaning because we exist is to believe some deity created us. Since that's not what I believe I think we all find some meaning for ourselves, but it isn't a universally applicable meaning, just our's. Our ego is what makes us think we're special but as if often the case, as soon as we die in an accident of some sort we realize, for however brief a moment we're in fact meaningless.

The universe can support life given the right conditions. So Earth having those conditions sees life spring up and flourish. But it doesn't mean that the life here was put here by design. Simply that given the right conditions life will occur everywhere those conditions are present. And in a universe as big as this, even a 1 in a billion chance of something occuring, like life springing up from lifelessness ensure life will spring up millions of times. It's the law of large numbers in action.

As far as I can tell, once we die, what we are is gone forever. It may be that on a quantum level, we reform into other configurations, but only in bits and pieces as atoms and particles disperse into the great sea of energy. Thus, what is us, is gone for good.

I admit that this does make "meaning" a bit tough. I live my life as a quest to experience, but anything I am will be gone in a short while. What is the meaning of it all? Sadly, I think there is no meaning. Some seek a god to give meaning to this, but there is nothing to suggest that such a god actually exists. Our desire for meaning is not enough to change reality.

Perhaps there is some cosmic reality in dimensions unseen, in brane-worlds unfathomed. But there is no evidence that conscience survives the physical host.

 

[Unkotare]

Some seek a god to give meaning to this, but there is nothing to suggest that such a god actually exists.

An awful lot of people disagree with you on that.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

42

 

[Uncensored2008]

An awful lot of people disagree with you on that.

Basing the disagreement on faith, not evidence.

 

[JakeStarkey]

For me the essence involves being actively aware of the struggle between rationalism and empiricism in comprehending form. Yet I believe that a dead in death wrappings sat up in a tomb 2,000 years ago. So, no, I don't have the answer.