What is the meaning of life?
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Original post by emm4nuella
so you believe we just evolved to be like other animals? but why do we learn? why do we learn so much more than animals (in a way)? is seeking knowledge our purpose?
Great question. Thanks for tagging me, I think about this so much and i am often left thinking with no answers.
I am religious, and I believe in the hereafter, so in my opinion and beliefs, this life is a test. Its a test to see how we perform in this world which will affect the outcome of our afterlife.
The world is a path not a destination.
Love reading the different view points!
I am religious, and I believe in the hereafter, so in my opinion and beliefs, this life is a test. Its a test to see how we perform in this world which will affect the outcome of our afterlife.
The world is a path not a destination.
Love reading the different view points!
wow great perspectives everyone ❤️
There is no meaning to life other than that which we as humans individually decide to assign to it.
We are nothing more than an animal species. Our sole purpose is designated to procreate and perpetuate that species. Nature has a filter that will not allow any defects in genes to continue and favours good healthy offspring. We are territorial, aggressive and nurturing and part of a hugely complex balance of life, which all too often we overpower, abuse and destroy.
We are nothing more than an animal species. Our sole purpose is designated to procreate and perpetuate that species. Nature has a filter that will not allow any defects in genes to continue and favours good healthy offspring. We are territorial, aggressive and nurturing and part of a hugely complex balance of life, which all too often we overpower, abuse and destroy.
Original post by emm4nuella
In your opinion, what is the meaning of life? Why are we on this Earth? What's our purpose? Would love to hear your answers 
I put it in the educational debate section originally because we can use our knowledge from school and academia to perhaps disagree/agree with someone's point (but philosophy is the perfect section methinks!!). Want to turn this into a debate as well ❤️
I put it in the educational debate section originally because we can use our knowledge from school and academia to perhaps disagree/agree with someone's point (but philosophy is the perfect section methinks!!). Want to turn this into a debate as well ❤️
Spoiler
(edited 2 months ago)
42.
no but seriously, life exists just because of a few moments in the universe were perfect.
we are here because of chance.
some people say humanity are tiny specks because of this, but our relevancy to the wider universe doesn't matter. we are like the big bang, loud, creative and messy.
don't get too caught up with the meaning of life, just go ahead and do whatever you want to do.
no but seriously, life exists just because of a few moments in the universe were perfect.
we are here because of chance.
some people say humanity are tiny specks because of this, but our relevancy to the wider universe doesn't matter. we are like the big bang, loud, creative and messy.
don't get too caught up with the meaning of life, just go ahead and do whatever you want to do.
I got tagged and this discussion is so interesting! Personally I think the meaning of life is to do as much good as possible and make the world a better place. I think it can be quite difficult coming to terms with having to live as a human being, so the most important thing is to not live with regrets. In the grand scheme of things we live for such an infinitely tiny period we need to make the most of every moment.
Just my take on it
Ps. Do you have any philosphy book recs?
Just my take on it
Ps. Do you have any philosphy book recs?
Original post by milktee
being a religious person myself, like what @ Tatakae L said, i personally think it's for us to be the best human beings we can, always striving to help others and be good to those around us, following our religion and being morally right in whatever we do, in order to attain the beautiful afterlife that we're promised with <3
on a non-religious viewpoint, i think that life is all about exploring new things and just living it to your fullest, striving towards our future goals and doing the best in what we're gifted with 🤍
on a non-religious viewpoint, i think that life is all about exploring new things and just living it to your fullest, striving towards our future goals and doing the best in what we're gifted with 🤍
and to add to that, being kind and compassionate to others can only truly happen when you’re kind and compassionate to yourself - only then can we fully live life to the fullest 💓
Original post by shaw867
I got tagged and this discussion is so interesting! Personally I think the meaning of life is to do as much good as possible and make the world a better place. I think it can be quite difficult coming to terms with having to live as a human being, so the most important thing is to not live with regrets. In the grand scheme of things we live for such an infinitely tiny period we need to make the most of every moment.
Just my take on it
Ps. Do you have any philosphy book recs?
Just my take on it
Ps. Do you have any philosphy book recs?
Original post by aalimk
agreed !!
and to add to that, being kind and compassionate to others can only truly happen when you’re kind and compassionate to yourself - only then can we fully live life to the fullest 💓
and to add to that, being kind and compassionate to others can only truly happen when you’re kind and compassionate to yourself - only then can we fully live life to the fullest 💓
you've asked quite a few questions all wrapped in one imo, gotta distinguish between each one, but i love this debate ❤️
life encompasses everything from the littlest bacteria to humans like us so i think there isn't a specific reason that everyone could use. after all, life itself looks vastly different for different people let alone monkeys vs plants, consciousness may have just arisen as the most convenient solution to not being eaten, so i think more than a meaning per say, life's greatest aim is to survive for as well as we can (whether as individuals or as groups), an actual meaning could be just the right chemistry at the right time.
for me, i am on earth i was born here and realised that i was here before i got the opportunity to leave (elon musk hurry up so i can skeddadle pls💀), seriously tho, i don't think that earth is special, there is and have probably been hundreds of identical planets, probabilities are just like that, we can't assume there must be purpose to every chance
well purposes are a bit slippery too, but i think they're defined by what an individual sees and is exposed too, like without being exposed to organised society we wouldn't have highly specialised jobs like doctors or engineers or artists to commit to for our entire (and loads of people don't do one thing forever so i don't think our roles in society play a part in purpose at all)
maybe just to reproduce, keep the species going? i mean if we're doubting free will and consciousness it would make sense our only purpose is to keep the biology side of things running
1.
what is the meaning of life?
1.
Why are we on this Earth?
1.
What's our purpose?
maybe just to reproduce, keep the species going? i mean if we're doubting free will and consciousness it would make sense our only purpose is to keep the biology side of things running
I don't really care about this question at all. Along with the whole free will debate, it is for me probably among the most boring questions we waste time with. I think the existentialists basically had this figured out. If you're religious, you think it's that. If it's not, you effectively manufacture your own.
People get lost in between, I suppose. I don't think there's a singular answer and for that reason I'm not so interested in repeated ruminations on this theme. I acknowledge others find it interesting, but it's not really for me.
People get lost in between, I suppose. I don't think there's a singular answer and for that reason I'm not so interested in repeated ruminations on this theme. I acknowledge others find it interesting, but it's not really for me.
(edited 2 months ago)
Original post by emm4nuella
In your opinion, what is the meaning of life? Why are we on this Earth? What's our purpose? Would love to hear your answers
I put it in the educational debate section originally because we can use our knowledge from school and academia to perhaps disagree/agree with someone's point (but philosophy is the perfect section methinks!!). Want to turn this into a debate as well ❤️
I put it in the educational debate section originally because we can use our knowledge from school and academia to perhaps disagree/agree with someone's point (but philosophy is the perfect section methinks!!). Want to turn this into a debate as well ❤️
Original post by emm4nuella
In your opinion, what is the meaning of life? Why are we on this Earth? What's our purpose? Would love to hear your answers
I put it in the educational debate section originally because we can use our knowledge from school and academia to perhaps disagree/agree with someone's point (but philosophy is the perfect section methinks!!). Want to turn this into a debate as well ❤️
I put it in the educational debate section originally because we can use our knowledge from school and academia to perhaps disagree/agree with someone's point (but philosophy is the perfect section methinks!!). Want to turn this into a debate as well ❤️
Original post by emm4nuella
In your opinion, what is the meaning of life? Why are we on this Earth? What's our purpose? Would love to hear your answers
I put it in the educational debate section originally because we can use our knowledge from school and academia to perhaps disagree/agree with someone's point (but philosophy is the perfect section methinks!!). Want to turn this into a debate as well ❤️
I put it in the educational debate section originally because we can use our knowledge from school and academia to perhaps disagree/agree with someone's point (but philosophy is the perfect section methinks!!). Want to turn this into a debate as well ❤️
Personally, I don't really think there is a meaning to life, I believe it's different for everyone depending on who you are and what you value. Saying that, however, I think just the overall goal is to be happy with and find peace in your life, and help others to feel this as well, whatever form that may take.
Original post by gjd800
I don't really care about this question at all. Along with the whole free will debate, it is for me probably among the most boring questions we waste time with. I think the existentialists basically had this figured out. If you're religious, you think it's that. If it's not, you effectively manufacture your own.
People get lost in between, I suppose. I don't think there's a singular answer and for that reason I'm not so interested in repeated ruminations on this theme. I acknowledge others find it interesting, but it's not really for me.
People get lost in between, I suppose. I don't think there's a singular answer and for that reason I'm not so interested in repeated ruminations on this theme. I acknowledge others find it interesting, but it's not really for me.
As I always said: don't waste your time with doubts and ruminations and begin to live. The moment of time is now.
It's up to you. That said, that is far to open-ended an answer for most people to cope with, so most people look to their environment, their heritage and the people around them for direction. Nothing wrong with that, provided you look to the right people for advice.
It would seem logical to argue that the meaning of life, without which it would not exist in the first place, is for it to adapt and evolve by passing its genes on. Our cultures have tried to develop ideologies and religions that assist people in doing this competently, rather than bonking mindlessly like how animals do. But that's also rather subjective as well. So ultimately, it's still up to you to decide for yourself. You can play an equally fulfilling role in life by working a job that teaches kids important life skills, whilst never having kids of your own. Or by doing something else, provided that it is actually useful to other people and society, instead of being purely self-serving. For example, it is fairly well recorded in history that societies with self-indulgent and hedonistic tendencies tend to die out, arguably because people are mostly thinking of themselves and not passing anything useful onto others or the next generation. So that probably is not a good formula for the 'meaning of life'.
What is not subjective, is that life wouldn't exist in the first place if it didn't pass its genes on. So, anti-natalists are stupid if they think they have any useful answers to "what is the meaning of life". They're more likely to believe that it has no meaning. Also there's evidence to suggest that anti-natalist views are strongly correlated with Machiavellianism and psychopathy - not the sorts of people to rely on for "spiritual guidance" - who are often also extremely self-serving and hedonistic.
I actually find it poetic how all of these different variables and patterns slot into one another. You should be able to infer from what I wrote here, a sliding scale ranging from pro-life, to anti-life, and the sorts of attitudes and lifestyles that correlate with that. So if you want to figure out what the 'meaning of life' is, you'd probably be better off looking to people at the pro-life end of the scale, rather than hedonistic psychopaths running sex cults who can often seem very enticing (example: The free-love cult that terrorised America – and became Netflix’s latest must-watch | Television | The Guardian). Instead, find some people in your local community that seem to be living together reasonably happily and perhaps have a family of their own, and ask them. I don't think the answer to the question is complicated enough that it warrants us to chase dumb "gurus" for advice, like how some people do.
(P.S. I'm not trying to bring abortion into the discussion by using the words 'pro-life', although it might also be related now that I think of it)
It would seem logical to argue that the meaning of life, without which it would not exist in the first place, is for it to adapt and evolve by passing its genes on. Our cultures have tried to develop ideologies and religions that assist people in doing this competently, rather than bonking mindlessly like how animals do. But that's also rather subjective as well. So ultimately, it's still up to you to decide for yourself. You can play an equally fulfilling role in life by working a job that teaches kids important life skills, whilst never having kids of your own. Or by doing something else, provided that it is actually useful to other people and society, instead of being purely self-serving. For example, it is fairly well recorded in history that societies with self-indulgent and hedonistic tendencies tend to die out, arguably because people are mostly thinking of themselves and not passing anything useful onto others or the next generation. So that probably is not a good formula for the 'meaning of life'.
What is not subjective, is that life wouldn't exist in the first place if it didn't pass its genes on. So, anti-natalists are stupid if they think they have any useful answers to "what is the meaning of life". They're more likely to believe that it has no meaning. Also there's evidence to suggest that anti-natalist views are strongly correlated with Machiavellianism and psychopathy - not the sorts of people to rely on for "spiritual guidance" - who are often also extremely self-serving and hedonistic.
I actually find it poetic how all of these different variables and patterns slot into one another. You should be able to infer from what I wrote here, a sliding scale ranging from pro-life, to anti-life, and the sorts of attitudes and lifestyles that correlate with that. So if you want to figure out what the 'meaning of life' is, you'd probably be better off looking to people at the pro-life end of the scale, rather than hedonistic psychopaths running sex cults who can often seem very enticing (example: The free-love cult that terrorised America – and became Netflix’s latest must-watch | Television | The Guardian). Instead, find some people in your local community that seem to be living together reasonably happily and perhaps have a family of their own, and ask them. I don't think the answer to the question is complicated enough that it warrants us to chase dumb "gurus" for advice, like how some people do.
(P.S. I'm not trying to bring abortion into the discussion by using the words 'pro-life', although it might also be related now that I think of it)
(edited 2 months ago)
Original post by Kallisto
What if a great sum of money and the other thing were achieved? does life have still a meaning?
hey everyone, thank you all for contributing on this thread ! i think you'll really like the ramadan 2024 thread 
that @milktee has set up - definitely go check it out!! even if you don't celebrate ramadan, i think the thread is a very good way of learning more about it! 
emmanuella
! i think you'll really like the ramadan 2024 thread that @milktee has set up - definitely go check it out!! even if you don't celebrate ramadan, i think the thread is a very good way of learning more about it! emmanuella Quick Reply
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