What is the Point of Life

Part of the problem with the philosophical question is that as posted it is so broad and vague that the intent of the question will be viewed differently from a range of widely different philosophical, religious, and personal perspectives. A favorite early subject in college Philosophy 101 courses that helps students learn to more narrowly ask questions. As a result, members are answering the question in so many different ways the result lacks focus. Accordingly for amusement, I answered the question on post #39 purely from an innate creaturely biological view.

The OP's question reads:

It seems we all get born, we grow to adults, we get old and suffer a lot with all kinds of illnesses. Then we die and totally disappear. Is there any meaning to it all?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meaning_of_life

Snippets:

Popular views
6.1 To realize one's potential and ideals
6.2 To achieve biological perfection
6.3 To seek wisdom and knowledge
6.4 To do good, to do the right thing
6.5 Meanings relating to religion
6.6 To love, to feel, to enjoy the act of living
6.7 To have power, to be better
6.8 Life has no meaning
6.9 One should not seek to know and understand the meaning of life

Questions about the meaning of life have been expressed in a broad variety of ways, including:

What is the meaning of life?
What's it all about?
Who are we?
Why are we here?
What are we here for?
What is the origin of life?
What is the nature of life?
What is the nature of reality?
What is the purpose of life?
What is the purpose of one's life?
What is the significance of life?
What is meaningful and valuable in life?
What is the value of life?
What is the reason to live?
What are we living for?

Captain Kirk >>> To go where no man has gone before! :)
 

Last edited:
We live because a sperm cell and an egg cell fused. At some point we simply cease to exist. There is no Heaven, no God and no Christ. Those concepts are just attempts to distract us from the bitter reality: NON-EXISTENCE. The important things in our life are not the years of our life but the life in our years.
 
Last edited:
RubyK said:
@Chris P Bacon said ~That's easy, we are here because we are not there, yet but we all are on the way!

How do you know there is a "there?" Has anyone come back from the dead and told you? I hope you are right, though, because my mother put up with a lot of crap from my father to gain a place in heaven.
Click to expand...
When I spoke of "there" I wasn't speaking of any supernatural place. When one looks at a map and sees an X, along with the words, "You are here", meaning you are not at some other spot on the map or "there". I didn't realize my words would be interpreted so many ways. I regret any misunderstanding.
 
Last edited:
Mitch86 said:
We live because a sperm cell and an egg cell fused. At some point we simply cease to exist. There is no Heaven, no God and no Christ. Those concepts are just attempts to distract us from the bitter reality: NON-EXISTENCE. The important things in our life are not the years of our life but the life in our years.
Click to expand...
And yet people talk of others "trying to play God in their lives", (though its just a phrase we used to hear, and not any kind of proof I admit). :unsure:
 
garyt1957 said:
Disagree, animals provide for their young until they can survive on their own, just like humans. It just takes humans a lot longer to become self sufficient. And some never do, ala the 30 year old still living in mom's basement
Click to expand...
No, it's not just like humans....who have a consciousness and complexity far removed from ants and other beasts.

But okie-dokie. dude.
 
Ruthanne said:
What about those that couldn't/didn't propagate the species? Surely they were needed on this Earth, too, for reasons.
Perhaps to help humans and other species have less troubles, give them comfort, joy, and other very valuable things to make their lives more worthwhile.
We all have value and worth and are needed.
Click to expand...
Yes indeed, none more than those good hearted people able to bring up others children as their own! :)
 
palides2021 said:
Several years ago, I was asking the same question, Mitch86. Like some folks here, I believe in God and that we're here for a reason. I wrote a poem about this topic 15 years ago (published) and feel it's appropriate to share here: :)

Our Presence

Our presence has purpose on this earth.
Remember that
No matter how small or large we feel
We exist for a reason.

Whether it is
To help someone in need
To raise a family
To help humanity
To teach
To write
To speak
We are here for a reason.

Even Miss H. Robertson - who lived to be 106
Did not drive or marry all her life
Yet her purpose
In life might just have been to show us
That living to 106 can be done!

Even those in need, like
The mentally retarded
The invalids
The crippled ones -
Even these people have a purpose;
They allow someone else to tend to them
And show their love for them.

We all interact with each other,
Sometimes directly
Other times indirectly.
The way we dress
The way we speak
The way we think
The way we act
Influence others in some way.

So even when we're feeling low,
Remember
That we do make a difference
In another person's life.

Our Presence is important.

(Copyright 2006).
Click to expand...
Love your poem :love:
 
grahamg said:
Hey, I can upstage you there, because I can love others whether or not I loved myself at the time, "unconditionally"! :)
Click to expand...
Not trying to upstage you but If you ask me for $50 and I don't have it - how can I give it to you? If you have no love for yourself how can you give it to anyone? We can't give what we don't have. Love is not I have it today and its gone tomorrow...not sure what that could be. Unconditional love is very rare... its PRICELESS!!!!
 
Mitch86 said:
We live because a sperm cell and an egg cell fused. At some point we simply cease to exist. There is no Heaven, no God and no Christ. Those concepts are just attempts to distract us from the bitter reality: NON-EXISTENCE. The important things in our life are not the years of our life but the life in our years.
Click to expand...
I appreciate your being honest about your beliefs, but I believe there is a God and a Christ. I have experienced miracles in my life that have proven it. I have had visions also. I also believe that Christ died so we can live. I believe and that's what gives me hope.
 
palides2021 said:
I appreciate your being honest about your beliefs, but I believe there is a God and a Christ. I have experienced miracles in my life that have proven it. I have had visions also. I also believe that Christ died so we can live. I believe and that's what gives me hope.
Click to expand...
There are things that has happened in my life that were beyond my control. I know without a doubt there is a higher power greater than myself - thank goodness :love:
 
From @David777's post...

Popular views
6.1 To realize one's potential and ideals
That's something that bugs me, never having reached my potential. I have achieved more than any of the friends I had growing up as far as a career, but in other areas, maybe not so much. Socially, I've always been a complete outcast.​

6.2 To achieve biological perfection
Meh, I've always worked out, but I've never been fanatical about it.​

6.3 To seek wisdom and knowledge
I've sought wisdom and knowledge for the latter part of my life and is one thing that keeps me going these days. There's always something new to learn and try to understand.​

6.4 To do good, to do the right thing
I try to do the right thing but that's not my reason for living.​

6.5 Meanings relating to religion
Naaa, religion is for collectivists. I'm a loner.​

6.6 To love, to feel, to enjoy the act of living
Life is empty without love, but these days, I don't really enjoy living. There's not enough joy in my life, nor enough pleasure. My main source of pleasure is eating. I could get really fat if I let myself!​

6.7 To have power, to be better
I'd like to have more power, but if I did, I'd probably need to be more sociable. So I'm not actively looking for power.​

6.8 Life has no meaning
I think the meaning of life is to try to make the world a better place for the people we love (and our pets). That's about it at this point in my life since I lead a fairly solitary existence. I've had jobs where what I was doing was beneficial to mankind, which makes me a bit proud when I look back on it. At the time, I was looking for other things, like trying to alleviate my loneliness and anxiety, but now, I'm glad I was involved in some positive things. I've known people who were ashamed of what jobs they've had. I've gotten something positive out of every job, except for maybe when I was washing dishes. Worst job ever!​

6.9 One should not seek to know and understand the meaning of life
People who don't see any meaning in life are probably sociopaths.​
 
Irwin said:
From @David777's post...

Popular views
6.1 To realize one's potential and ideals
That's something that bugs me, never having reached my potential. I have achieved more than any of the friends I had growing up as far as a career, but in other areas, maybe not so much. Socially, I've always been a complete outcast.​

6.2 To achieve biological perfection
Meh, I've always worked out, but I've never been fanatical about it.​

6.3 To seek wisdom and knowledge
I've sought wisdom and knowledge for the latter part of my life and is one thing that keeps me going these days. There's always something new to learn and try to understand.​

6.4 To do good, to do the right thing
I try to do the right thing but that's not my reason for living.​

6.5 Meanings relating to religion
Naaa, religion is for collectivists. I'm a loner.​

6.6 To love, to feel, to enjoy the act of living
Life is empty without love, but these days, I don't really enjoy living. There's not enough joy in my life, nor enough pleasure. My main source of pleasure is eating. I could get really fat if I let myself!​

6.7 To have power, to be better
I'd like to have more power, but if I did, I'd probably need to be more sociable. So I'm not actively looking for power.​

6.8 Life has no meaning
I think the meaning of life is to try to make the world a better place for the people we love (and our pets). That's about it at this point in my life since I lead a fairly solitary existence. I've had jobs where what I was doing was beneficial to mankind, which makes me a bit proud when I look back on it. At the time, I was looking for other things, like trying to alleviate my loneliness and anxiety, but now, I'm glad I was involved in some positive things. I've known people who were ashamed of what jobs they've had. I've gotten something positive out of every job, except for maybe when I was washing dishes. Worst job ever!​

6.9 One should not seek to know and understand the meaning of life
People who don't see any meaning in life are probably sociopaths.​
Click to expand...
Do you really mean to say that people that don't see any meaning in life are probably sociopaths?

Here is the definition of sociopath:
noun

  1. a person with a personality disorder manifesting itself in extreme antisocial attitudes and behavior and a lack of conscience.


 
Ruthanne said:
Do you really mean to say that people that don't see any meaning in life are probably sociopaths?

Here is the definition of sociopath:
noun

  1. a person with a personality disorder manifesting itself in extreme antisocial attitudes and behavior and a lack of conscience.

Click to expand...
Possibly. If someone doesn't derive any meaning in life from doing good, that person probably lacks a conscience.

You don't agree?
 
Ladybj said:
Not trying to upstage you but If you ask me for $50 and I don't have it - how can I give it to you? If you have no love for yourself how can you give it to anyone? We can't give what we don't have. Love is not I have it today and its gone tomorrow...not sure what that could be. Unconditional love is very rare... its PRICELESS!!!!
Click to expand...
If we all stopped loving when we stopped loving ourselves, then it would seem extremely odd to me that so many of us being left by our partners/spouses feel so badly about ourselves, therefore I have to say your conclusion (or the conclusion you've been convinced applies), has to be wrong, because it is the love we had for the partner when we married that we're trying to fight against in our minds, often taking years to overcome, (if ever!).

The only other logical explanation anyone could put forward I'd guess is I never loved my wife when I married her, or knew what is meant by the word "love", and the consequence of that thought is my child not being born out of the love felt between her parents, all unpalatable thoughts in my view. "If I ever knew anything in my life, I know I loved my wife, and just how much she meant to me, beyond all else", (too much perhaps, I didn't keep enough back for myself, or see the warning signs she didn't feel quite the same about me!).
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top