Meaning of Life? Thread

Odd question, no answer, only guesses.

Funny how people assume the meaning of life actually exists? Surely survival is the meaning? Maybe struggling if the meaning? Maybe watching life suck as others live it us is the meaning? What do you think?

Well, I don't think there is a meaning of life. I think every individual sets their own goals and those goals are basically what they perceive as their meaning in life and how they consider a successful living.

The goals that you set are going to be determined by how you were raised and what you have experienced, thus, everyones goals will be somewhat different. We might say that we have the same goals as someone, but there are always differences in how we imagine them.

If you are talking about the meaning of life in terms of life as a whole, rather then individuals, then I don't think there is such a thing. It only exists if we believe that there is a big plan for us, that there is someone out there, someone more powerful then us, who is watching us and wanting us to live in a particular way, to achieve things that they have been anticipating.

I, for one, don't believe that that is true. I think that it's all science and the planets, sun, etc. were created with a big bang or some other theory and that we are all just evolving in this great universe, with no particular paths and no particular meaning.

I believe that we will continue in this way for many years to come. I think we will develop great things. I think we will have good times in the future, but also times that will not be so fondly looked back on. I think there will be great devestation and that it will all suddenly end for us. I also think that life will not be extinct, it will exist on some other planet elsewhere.

The question is, does anything actually have any natural meaning? The only things that have meaning are things that we have conjured up and put our own meaning to. We have created these materialistic meanings and, hey, it's all good, it makes our life more interesting and enjoyable, but is there a greater meaning? ...I don't think so.

Greg

- Edited By liquid On Fri 6th, Sep 2002 @ 11:47am

ahh yes the ultimate question.

Before I begin:

liquid wrote: created with a big band or some other theory

i believe it is 'big bang' not big band, though it sounds good

it is 2am so i'll only wack up my short take for the moment, but i am once again gonna side with Greg. As humans, we have an insaitable desire to answer the unanswerable, solve the unsolvable, and justify the unthinkable. Hence this question, which will never be viewed identically by two different people. Religion / cults is a popular way many choose to answer this question, but i mean that is just ignorant and well i choose not to follow.

I choose really not even, to guess or so much as justify my thoughts on this issue. I mean the only way i can attempt to respond is by raising more questions, many of which greg addressed such as, 'where did we ultimatly come from' / 'what is our purpose' All of these too are unanswerable, we know that so why try. Maybe I am the ignorant one denying the true picture but unless you can prove otherwise indefinatly be that through science or a miracle i shall continue living happily as a cynic. Remember the glass is only half full

(me hopes that makes sense, maybe the meaning of life is learning to express yourself in a manner that other people can actually understand!?)

Yeah, it was a big band, they were called Disaster Area.

As with liquid, I perceive two 'meanings of life'. There is the grand scale purpose of the universe, then there is the individual thing that makes every individual person tick.

As for the grand scale, I believe that there are patterns of nature (some of which we already know of) which could be perceived as the ultimate meaning. For myself, I am on a quest to discover and interpret these patterns. I hold little hope that I ever will understand enough of the universe, but it's a nice passtime that doesn't get anybody else killed.

As for personal drive, well that's another matter. Look at the creatures on this planet who don't have to worry about bills and jobs and all that sort of thing. What is the sole purpose of their existance? To pass on their genetic structure and continue the evolutionary process. Perhaps even to ascend into some evolutionary apotheosis, who knows, but that seems to be the main thrust (no pun intended) of all life (other than ourselves) on this planet.

Dunno if this fits in, but I just watched 'Ai' such a cool film, and the ending is a real eye opener. The meaning of life is kinda etched by aliens saying 'humans - always thing about there purpose and the meaning of life, thats why we decided to try and bring them, and there memories back'

it would be, of course. 42

It is a wicked movie. Enuff ssaid

If the answer is indeed 42, then what is the question?

The question is, 'how much will the mighty Bombers win the Grand Final by?'

:o

Greg

no its not...it is how many weeks will dustin fletcher get suspended for?

AdeptaCheese wrote: it would be, of course. 42

He read the book! Brilliant!

It's a book, not a movie!

Cheeseness wrote: If the answer is indeed 42, then what is the question?

It's "What do you get if you multiply 6 by 9".

And I know that's wrong, but read the book.

If you prefer the Terry Pratchett version it's just "Because".

Hijacked in cosmos, this isnt on

Hitchhiked, and the 5 book trilogy is worth a read if you haven't already.

^too much text
Meaning of life = Sax
no, wait! make that "love"...

isn't life full of peculiarities.

TOday's news...an 18 and 12 y.old die in a car crash after being chased by police. Waste of life, due to stupidity of youth....
THen, 2 men survive 2 weeks at sea in a life raft, with no food or water...how does that happen?

Matt

here is another thing to ponder ( i might start a new thread on this one)
how did life originiate?
how is it possible, even feasible that the incredibly complex structure of DNA might become randomly formed, and even then, how did life stem from it?
EDIT: created it, respond in this thread: Moddb.com

- Edited By PsychoFarmer On Thu 10th, Oct 2002 @ 9:18pm

i'm pretty sure we've discussed evolution here before

the meaning of life is to have fun, I don't put to much thought into questions nobody knows the answer to .-the end

You ar all asking the worng question. You shode not ask what is the meaning of life, You shod ask what is meaning. when you know what meaning is then you will quickly learn what is the meaning of life and any what is the meaning of X question.

It will be intersting to se if somone can find out what meaning is. (Is not that hard to find it realy )

"meaning" is in my dictionary

meaning (mee'ning): n 1. that which is intended to be, or actually is, expressed or indicated; signification; import: the three meanings of a word. 2. the end, purpose, or significance of something: What is the meaning of this intrusion? ..."

So the meaning of life is either death (def. 2) or "the condition that distinguishes animals and plants from inorganic objects and dead organisms, being manifested by growth through metabolish, reproduction, and the power of adaptation to environment through changes originating internally" (def. 1), right?

All definitions © 1996 by Gramercy Books

- Edited By robo_ronald On Wed 25th, Feb 2004 @ 4:25:57pm

I see someone got it .

In short meaning of somthing is just what you make of it. So it can be whatever you whant.

EX: The meaning of a car is A) to transport people from X to Y. B) to transport Goods from X to Y. C) to use for recration D) to use as a paperweight. And the list gose on and on.

So the meaning of life is variable (like letters in Algebra)?

More or less yes. But ther is not eqution to the meaning just the X.

Note: However how the univers works and all that can maybe be summed up in a eqution like some scietists belive. But this is not to be confused with meaning. How something works and what purpose something has ar two totaly difftent things.

- Edited By Yokto On Wed 25th, Feb 2004 @ 5:09:50pm

Bit of advice... it's not a good idea to make posts like that in Cosmos I'm not insulting... I'm just warning.