Thread: Meaning of life

I'm a curious guy with many questions in mind and I like seeing the view points of others, so I'd like to know, what do you guys think is the meaning of life? Not purpose, but meaning. Is it biological function? Is it being self aware? Morality? What do you believe is a requirement for being alive? To me this is a difficult question, because artificial intelligence may or may not be categorized as alive, but they wouldn't have biological function, if it's morality, then animals wouldn't be considered alive, etc. Alright, enough about my opinions, I'd like to hear yours.

The meaning of life is a philosophical question.

How biologist describe life is very different. You can google up the attributes or characteristics of life.

There is a metaphysical view of life too. Which is not entirely crazy if one accepts the law of conservation of energy in physics.

I don't know what the meaning of life is, but after reading Jaki Stanley's book on AI called Minds, Brains, and Computers if I recall correctly, I no longer look at AI as it exists now as life nor intelligence proper. That book won him an award and offer of a position at Harvard University (which he turned down). If you read it I think you'll grow from it.

Of late, I think the meaning is the joy of living and loving. If there is no joy, no love, or not enough, one might want to rethink the way they are going about their day.

Perhaps the meaning of life or as I understand the question, the definition of living is anything that reacts to changes in the environment. An example would be setting a rock next to something; does it or does it not respond to this action in any form? If it does respond then on some scale, no matter how small, its alive. If not then it is an inanimate object that is only acted upon

That's my two bits anyway.

The Beatles put it best:

“Life is very short and there's no time, for fussing and fighting my friend."





In one of his readings, Edgar Cayce, the sleeping prophet from Virginia Beach, gave his take on the purpose of life. But, that's another story for another time.

A cynic would say: Life is a ***** and then you die.

A Christian would say: We are made in the image of God and to worship Him and enjoy Him for ever.

An evolutionist would say: we evolved from a distant ancestor, an amino acid residing on a smoldering meteor far out in space that mated with a piece of slime and we evolved with no thought, no planning just a random pointless existence that will end in hopelessness.

If example 3 is right why do we even love our children, even chickens love their chicks. Why is there goodness, decency and kindness from perfect strangers. Why are we all not like Hitler, Pol Pot, Stalin and Napoleon? Why bother to be good why not just live to self indulgency and why even follow the law. Why not do exactly what we want to do and live like a criminal taking what doesn't belong to us, raping as the mood takes us, beating up on the innocent and even killing if the desire or motive is strong enough? I believe it is because God lays His restraining hand on us and stops us being as evil as we could be. There is a doctrine for this point of view, it is called the doctrine of Common Grace. I believe there is a high purpose to life and that purpose is expressed in love.

The meaning of life is the Number 42.

[if you catch the reference, you get a cookie]

Before this question can be addressed, you need to define what you mean by "meaning", especially as you say, "not purpose, but meaning." In my dictionary the two words are synonymous.

Originally Posted by ewan

A cynic would say: Life is a ***** and then you die.

A Christian would say: We are made in the image of God and to worship Him and enjoy Him for ever.

An evolutionist would say: we evolved from a distant ancestor, an amino acid residing on a smoldering meteor far out in space that mated with a piece of slime and we evolved with no thought, no planning just a random pointless existence that will end in hopelessness.

If example 3 is right why do we even love our children, even chickens love their chicks. Why is there goodness, decency and kindness from perfect strangers. Why are we all not like Hitler, Pol Pot, Stalin and Napoleon? Why bother to be good why not just live to self indulgency and why even follow the law. Why not do exactly what we want to do and live like a criminal taking what doesn't belong to us, raping as the mood takes us, beating up on the innocent and even killing if the desire or motive is strong enough? I believe it is because God lays His restraining hand on us and stops us being as evil as we could be. There is a doctrine for this point of view, it is called the doctrine of Common Grace. I believe there is a high purpose to life and that purpose is expressed in love.

The concept of xenogenisis (life seeded from space) is not the commonly accepted theory behind evolution. And evolutionary theory makes no predictions about "a random pointless existence that will end in hopelessness". That's your (erronious) interpretation.

If there is a 'meaning' to life, perhaps it is up to each individual to discover what it is for him/herself, in the way which best suits each person? It's that journey to discovery which brings meaning. In my opinion.

Originally Posted by Terrible Author

I'm a curious guy with many questions in mind and I like seeing the view points of others, so I'd like to know, what do you guys think is the meaning of life?

Easy. To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women.

Originally Posted by Zuiun

Easy. To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women.

Oh yeah! Best answer yet.

Originally Posted by J.P.Clyde

The meaning of life is the Number 42.

[if you catch the reference, you get a cookie]

The ultimate answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything (from the super computer)?

To me, the question of why we exist is a "false" question, because of our complex abilities for thought and the inevitability for death convolutes our perspective. It's a strange bit of thought which might or might not make a lick of sense.

J.P. - I'm waiting on my cookie. And why the pot of flowers thought that thought specifically.

Originally Posted by ewan

An evolutionist would say: we evolved from a distant ancestor, an amino acid residing on a smoldering meteor far out in space that mated with a piece of slime and we evolved with no thought, no planning just a random pointless existence that will end in hopelessness.

If example 3 is right why do we even love our children, even chickens love their chicks. Why is there goodness, decency and kindness from perfect strangers. Why are we all not like Hitler, Pol Pot, Stalin and Napoleon? Why bother to be good why not just live to self indulgency and why even follow the law. Why not do exactly what we want to do and live like a criminal taking what doesn't belong to us, raping as the mood takes us, beating up on the innocent and even killing if the desire or motive is strong enough? I believe it is because God lays His restraining hand on us and stops us being as evil as we could be. There is a doctrine for this point of view, it is called the doctrine of Common Grace. I believe there is a high purpose to life and that purpose is expressed in love.

An evolutionist shouldn't use biological theory to explain why life exists, but rather, how it exists. They are different shades of understanding. If anyone thought that life was "pointless, hopeless", then it probably has more to do with their emotional state that darkens how they view facts.

As for that second part, humans evolved as social animals, thus we need instincts that would facilitate coherence between individuals and allow the group to go on as a whole, such as love, empathy, compassion. This may sound rather cold, but it's merely one way of looking at it.
I loved deeply, without restraint, and been loved in return, and I doubt anything would diminish the significance of that.

Originally Posted by The Backward OX

Before this question can be addressed, you need to define what you mean by "meaning", especially as you say, "not purpose, but meaning." In my dictionary the two words are synonymous.

To procreate.

To me the meaning of life is simple have fun and live but keep yourself in bounds because if you are completely free then you dont know what which part is which .