What is the Meaning of Life?

[StevenM]

I would be foolish if I thought I knew. But I only have questions.

We could ask "Why is there a universe?" or "What is the meaning of having many universes?" (If there are any).

But upon thinking some more, a universe is nothing without something conscious to realize it is there. So why is there consciousness? Asking outside the realm of the universe, and outside the realm that holds a universe, how and what decided that there should be life that can observe and experience a universe?

Why a world, with trees, and oceans? Creatures, plants, weather, and humans? Even if it could have turned out some different way, it is still quite amazing if you look around you, that it all happened to turn out this way.

But why any of it at all? Why is it not just a blank, null void where nothing exists, and nothing is even there to even know that the void exists.....why is everything we experience anything at all?

 

[Koosy]

Many coincidences and stuff evolving constantly. That's just my small opinion in the opinion sea.

 

[Variform]

I would be foolish if I thought I knew. But I only have questions.

We could ask "Why is there a universe?" or "What is the meaning of having many universes?" (If there are any).

Read one of my earlier posts.

Why a world, with trees, and oceans? Creatures, plants, weather, and humans? Even if it could have turned out some different way, it is still quite amazing if you look around you, that it all happened to turn out this way.

Yes, the format is random but the intent behind it is uniform.

But why any of it at all? Why is it not just a blank, null void where nothing exists, and nothing is even there to even know that the void exists.....why is everything we experience anything at all?

Read my posts and if you are unsatisfied with my answer, let me know.

 

[Cognisant]

How is this still going

 

[Nick]

@Nick - It would still turn regardless of the presence of life.

The simple truth of your statement made me think for a second...

...so I come back to the idea that... everything you know, you'll ever know, we'll ever know.. all exists within your head...your mind.

Can you entertain the idea that once you cease to exist that this material world you've become so enveloped in, disappears along with your consciousness.

I guess I'm straying here... the meaning of life, vs. philosophical existence.

 

[EvilBlitz]

An inevitable expression of the entropy of the universe.

 

[Nick]

An inevitable expression of the entropy of the universe.

Actually EvilBlitz, the more I looked into it, life is an expression of enthalpy and not entropy... this was a couple months ago when I was trying to figure out the impact biological life had on entropy of the universe....

Life itself is the creation of a new system within a current existing system... so we look towards enthalpy.

 

[EvilBlitz]

Thanks for picking that up Nick, that is actually what I meant. Good explanation as well. I am merely a layman, so merely reasoned it out.

If life is merely enthalpy of the universe, then in a way I think you could take it as the meaning of life is simply to express oneself.

 

[DelusiveNinja]

Firstly, there is no extrinsic "meaning" to life, but some people may develop some intrinsic "meaning" to it after experiencing something they find favorable.

Proof: Squash an ant. Now ask yourself, who cares? Then forget it happened at least 15 seconds later.

Warning Rant Ahead:

Spoiler

Secondly, why are we humans even asking this question? I know why. It's because the task of survival is too easy for us humans.

Look outside. Do you see the gopher(s), the squirrels, the birds, the bees, the flies, and the ants?

Now that you see them, think to yourself, what are they doing and why are they doing it?

What you'll notice is that they are trying to survive. Whether they are idle or busy scavenging, they all have the same mindset (if you can call it that). You will find that some even reproduce with others of their kind to bring rise to posterity, a larger scale form of survival for these creatures.

We humans are quite similar to these creatures. Except the fact that, contrary to popular belief, our "struggle" is not as "real" as theirs. As a result of how easy it is to survive, we humans are vulnerable to things such as boredom, escapism, materialism, nihilism, hedonism, and even certain savagisms. In fact, this very thing, combined with the natural intellect and physical abilities we have, are the very causes of every man-made creation.

Lets face it. Why do televisions exist? BECAUSE WE GOT FUCKING BORED!

There comes a point in evolution where survival no longer is a daunting task. Past that point you can do whatever the FUCK you want.

 

[MVNTE]

Life is meaningless. We are just a product of chance, a mere coincidence within a chaotic and hostile (to us) universe. We're not special at all - in fact, considering the huge number of galaxies (an thus planetary systems) that exists out there, there are probably other self-conscious, sentient beings who might be asking themselves the same questions that we do.

However, most people can't and will never accept that their beliefs, hopes, ideas, actions and lives have no actual meaning whatsoever. They have to live for some kind of reason, otherwise they would commit suicide. Nihilism, despite being the only objective solution to the problem of the meaning of life, if embraced - and that's almost impossible - by the majority of people on planet Earth, would lead to the extinction of the human race in less than a century.

As for the evolution of our Universe, if we see it as a constant increase of order and complexity, eventually it is bound to end, because of the limits and the physical laws that caused it to happen in the first place. It will probably take billions and billions of years, but that will happen, and chaos will prevail again.

 

[nexion]

Evolution.

That is, the process of self correction that prefers, and so creates, order out of disorder. This has been the name of the game in the universe since it's inception. At first we were simply a Baryonic cloud which later formed into Galaxies (more order), some of which evolved life (even more order) and some which produced intelligence - an order and complexity creating machine which takes over and accelerates the evolution process.

This is a fascinating idea that I have begun to take an interest in, chaos producing order. I'm not sure I would say that such a metastructure should be considered the purpose of it all, though, so much as an incident property of matter which happens to make these highly structured systems arise in the sea of chaos.

Then again, perhaps I am wrong about that, and matter is pushing its intrinsic will to be organized onto a universe whose physical constraints cause it to tend toward disorganization. That is an enormous thought that must be followed more thoroughly.

How is this still going

You underestimate exactly how much the people here can talk about these kinds of things. This thread will be going for months, at least.

 

[QuickTwist]

The purpose of life is to live. Its not really that complicated. If someone were to ask why do we live I would say that is a stupid question since both no answer is guaranteed to be correct and there is no point in asking.

 

[Grayman]

The purpose of life is to live. Its not really that complicated. If someone were to ask why do we live I would say that is a stupid question since both no answer is guaranteed to be correct and there is no point in asking.

The point of life is to live because if you did not want to live you wouldnt likely be here.

Maybe a good way to say it to them...

 

[Grayman]

@ quicktwist

Anyways I am glad someone else enjoys such simple logic as I do http://intpforum.com/showpost.php?p=390316&postcount=118

This was the statement I made some time ago on the other meaning of life thread. Something about it seems wrong although it makes logical sense. What is wrong?

 

[QuickTwist]

I believe I know what you are saying and we are on the same page on this one. The only discrepancy I would point out, and I am not saying I disagree with you, is that the question of the meaning of life, the purpose of life, the point of life -what have you, is a question that only complicates things and never really brings satisfaction, enlightenment, happiness, or any other feelings that could describe a fulfilling answer. Like the Nike commercial says, "just do it."