What is the meaning of life?

100

Author

October 25, 2005 05:16 PM

Quote:Original post by Instruo
Though I know that there are some on here that would disagree, I believe there is a clearly defined purpose for human life. One of the greatest things I've learned in the process since becoming a Christian is that God does indeed have a plan and a desire for our lives. This may not be the popular opinion, and undoubtedly some people will completely disregard or become inflamed by me simply using the "C" or "G" words, but this is the Truth as I've lived it. Anyone willing to look into this more should check out this link; it's some sample chapters from one of my personal favorite book about learning the live the Christian "Purpose Driven Life". Enjoy!

A few pages in and I already dissagree with something; I don't think God directs our lives. After all, if everything we were going to do was set in stone, why give us the ability to think at all? Why not make us soul-less golems who continuously marched God's goal?

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Eelco

301

October 25, 2005 05:17 PM

Quote:Original post by programwizard
Quote:Original post by Phineas

If what is good breeds happiness, and what is bad must be eliminated, how do we know which wordly things are good and which are bad? More specifically, what is something good? Is it a raise, a new car, or, even, a long period of time set aside for working on your game? What is something bad? Is it a terrorist, outsourcing, or EA games? Would you say these things are good and bad?

I would define good things as things that bring happiness without taking it away at the same time, and evil things as things that either take away happiness, or give it, but take some away from another place at the same time.

so for instance, buying your friend a meal would be evil, as you diverted that money away to a completely useless cause (assuming he lives in the western hemisphere) that could well have saved a human life?

oh i had almost forgot: good and bad are bullshit self-serving concepts that have no bearing on the world around us at all.

programwizard

100

Author

October 25, 2005 05:21 PM

No, buying a meal when the money could have been used to save a life is good; assumming your refering to some poor, poverty-stricken hurricane victim, or any other homeless person, there was never happiness there to begin with; and even if there was, buying a meal would not directly effect that person. I believe that your intentions dictect your light/dark orientation, not the aftermath, which is usually totally unintended.

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Stonicus

157

October 25, 2005 05:21 PM

There is no meaning to life. Why do you go to school and go to work? To obtain money and make your time here comfortable. To survive in a pre-established society and culture in which you had no input in, and have no choice but to play by their rules or have an uncomfortable time on this planet.

Religion? Whatever floats your boat. If religion makes your time here happy and comfortable, go for it! In that capacity, I support religion. In that capacity, I support anything that makes you feel OK with your own mortality and/or makes your time here not a constant agonizing struggle.

But in the end, we're just a happening, a random occurence, and I see no greater plan in it other than that.

JohnBolton

1,373

October 25, 2005 05:23 PM

Life is like a box of chocolates...

The thought of a life with no meaning gives most people the willies. That's why God was invented -- as a way to avoid those uncomfortable thoughts.

John BoltonLocomotive Games (THQ)Current Project: Destroy All Humans (Wii). IN STORES NOW!

extralongpants

704

October 25, 2005 05:24 PM

I always interpereted that question as "Why does life exist?" or "What is the purpose of life?", as opposed to "What is the purpose of living."

The question becomes even harder to answer if one applies evolution. "Why does life exist and what is it evolving toward?" Lifeforms compete to prolong their existence (through offspring etc.), but why?

In that context, addressing the theory that the meaning of life is to fight evil: would there be any evil if nothing existed?

In any case, the questions have a tendency to cause the inquired to assume an intelligent design to the universe, and, as such, there may be no answer to them.

programwizard

100

Author

October 25, 2005 05:28 PM

Quote:Original post by Stonicus

But in the end, we're just a happening, a random occurence, and I see no greater plan in it other than that.

On the contrary, I heard on a Discovery canel show once that the chance of the right molocules arising in the right order to create intellignet life by chance was "600 billion to 1". Some of the world's top scientists deemed it a, and I quote, "mathematical impossibility".

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Eelco

301

October 25, 2005 05:34 PM

Quote:Original post by programwizard
No, buying a meal when the money could have been used to save a life is good; assumming your refering to some poor, poverty-stricken hurricane victim, or any other homeless person, there was never happiness there to begin with; and even if there was, buying a meal would not directly effect that person. I believe that your intentions dictect your light/dark orientation, not the aftermath, which is usually totally unintended.

let me be more explicit:

you have 10dollar/euros.

you have the choice to do (amongst others) do one of these two things:

-your friend is hungry and forgot his wallet. you buy him a meal.
-you give this money to an organisation, which can buy enough vaccicine with it to statistically save one 3rd world baby.

clearly, there is the potential to save a life. clearly, its studiously ignored. both by me and those more hippocritical.

how is this any different from the following situation:

-there is a jew in the gas chamber: you pull the switch, steal his ten bucks, and buy your friend a meal with it.
-you open the door and let him go.

i know we like to hide behind the abstraction of passive vs active killing, but i think thats utter bullshit, simply hiding behind the pretense of ignorance. there is no difference: you have the choice between the meal or the life. you have the power.

Eelco

301

October 25, 2005 05:38 PM

Quote:Original post by programwizard
Quote:Original post by Stonicus

But in the end, we're just a happening, a random occurence, and I see no greater plan in it other than that.

On the contrary, I heard on a Discovery canel show once that the chance of the right molocules arising in the right order to create intellignet life by chance was "600 billion to 1". Some of the world's top scientists deemed it a, and I quote, "mathematical impossibility".

some scientists undoubtly. i wonder who stuck the label 'some of the world's top' on them though.

a talkorigin linky is in order:

http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/abioprob/

programwizard

100

Author

October 25, 2005 05:51 PM

Quote:Original post by Eelco
you have the choice between the meal or the life. you have the power.

O.K. then, choose life. Not buying the meal would be neither good nor evil because you are not stealing happiness from your friend because he had no meal to begin with, and you are spreading happiness by saving a life. Thanks for clarifying the situation!

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What is the meaning of life?

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