Your answer is good but very down-to-earth/scientific.
Instead of "What is the meaning of life?", try this question instead: "Why is there something rather than nothing?" or "How does from nothingness, something appeared?".
Or, if you think that eveything is eternal, then try to explain how it's possible.
Instead of "What is the meaning of life?", try this question instead: "Why is there something rather than nothing?" or "How does from nothingness, something appeared?".
Or, if you think that eveything is eternal, then try to explain how it's possible.
After every line i will give an example so those struggling can understand my argument
What is the meaning of life?
1.Since the question does not focus directly on human life, then we can safety presume that whatever meaning life has, it can be expressed by every organism on the planet.
eg. The meaning of life has to be something that a dog or a sheep or a pine tree can fulfil just as easy as us. So since other species have no currency system, then "Getting rich" wouldn't be a possible meaning of life
2.As humans are the only species on earth that can follow religion or have a sense of morality, then we know that the purpose of life has nothing to do with god or moral forces.
Eg. A Cow or a lemur or a three toed sloth does not devote themselves to religion, they don't even know what it is. Neither do they have a sense of morality- they don't know the difference between Good and Bad, they only know what will and will not help them survive and reproduce. They live in a dumb existence.
4. Something does not have meaning unless it is constructed to have a meaning, and since life can evolve by itself without any intelligent intervention, then all signs point to the fact that life is meaningless.
Eg. The aftermath of an egg thrown at a wall does not have a meaning- it is just a result. A drill, specially constructed to drill holes, has a meaning- a purpose. Science has been proving for over a hundred years that there need not be any supernatural influence in the evolution of a species, that it just occurs unintelligently when one organism is born better suited to its environment than another. It doesn't have a meaning, it occurs like a maths equation- factors resulting in a product.
5.Life has no Divine purpose ( we have already shown logically that it can't- see number 2), but in order for it to exist, it must have a starting point and an end point.
Eg.Creation and Destruction. That is, Conception and death. Sex is the starting point, and death is the end point.
6.The process to which the starting point and the ending point are linked in a cycle is Evolution. Evolution is essentially a changing and adjusting cycle of sex and death, causing species to become greater at surviving. Evolution favours those with beneficial characteristics, but these characteristics are only beneficial if they give an organism an ability to reproduce faster than his rival, and an increased likelihood of him planting his seed before his inevitable death.
This is closest thing to a meaning that life has, because it is what dictates its existence.
So basically: Have a lot of children, make sure they survive to an age in which they can reproduce, and try to stave off the inevitability of death.
What is the meaning of life?
1.Since the question does not focus directly on human life, then we can safety presume that whatever meaning life has, it can be expressed by every organism on the planet.
eg. The meaning of life has to be something that a dog or a sheep or a pine tree can fulfil just as easy as us. So since other species have no currency system, then "Getting rich" wouldn't be a possible meaning of life
2.As humans are the only species on earth that can follow religion or have a sense of morality, then we know that the purpose of life has nothing to do with god or moral forces.
Eg. A Cow or a lemur or a three toed sloth does not devote themselves to religion, they don't even know what it is. Neither do they have a sense of morality- they don't know the difference between Good and Bad, they only know what will and will not help them survive and reproduce. They live in a dumb existence.
4. Something does not have meaning unless it is constructed to have a meaning, and since life can evolve by itself without any intelligent intervention, then all signs point to the fact that life is meaningless.
Eg. The aftermath of an egg thrown at a wall does not have a meaning- it is just a result. A drill, specially constructed to drill holes, has a meaning- a purpose. Science has been proving for over a hundred years that there need not be any supernatural influence in the evolution of a species, that it just occurs unintelligently when one organism is born better suited to its environment than another. It doesn't have a meaning, it occurs like a maths equation- factors resulting in a product.
5.Life has no Divine purpose ( we have already shown logically that it can't- see number 2), but in order for it to exist, it must have a starting point and an end point.
Eg.Creation and Destruction. That is, Conception and death. Sex is the starting point, and death is the end point.
6.The process to which the starting point and the ending point are linked in a cycle is Evolution. Evolution is essentially a changing and adjusting cycle of sex and death, causing species to become greater at surviving. Evolution favours those with beneficial characteristics, but these characteristics are only beneficial if they give an organism an ability to reproduce faster than his rival, and an increased likelihood of him planting his seed before his inevitable death.
This is closest thing to a meaning that life has, because it is what dictates its existence.
So basically: Have a lot of children, make sure they survive to an age in which they can reproduce, and try to stave off the inevitability of death.
This is an awesome analysis of life. However, could you please do me a favor? In your first assumption you "The meaning of life has to be something that a dog or a sheep or a pine tree can fulfil just as easy as us."
Instead of that please consider this - a dog/cow can go by in their life without pondering the meaning of existence. Since their minds are not so evolved I think it is safe to say that. Also, I read somewhere that we humans are the only beings capable of pondering the meaning of life. I think that signifies that we are the only beings capable of finding/satisfying whatever that meaning is. What do you think? If this agrees with you, could you please do another analysis starting with the assumption "The meaning of life has to be something that only we human beings are capable of"?
This is probably the most logically reasoned argument for the "the meaning of life is to live long enough to reproduce" theory I have ever seen. I hope you wrote it yourself.
Doesn't do much to put my soul to rest though.
Doesn't do much to put my soul to rest though.
Colorandcontrast- I did write it myself and i'm happy you enjoyed it :)
I know exactly what your saying, but although it may cause existential anxiety, it's better than accepting a doctrine that ignores the evidence of science. I'm not exactly a nihilist, because I believe that man has the power to achieve anything he wishes- but in order to do so, he must accept the inevitability of death.
I know exactly what your saying, but although it may cause existential anxiety, it's better than accepting a doctrine that ignores the evidence of science. I'm not exactly a nihilist, because I believe that man has the power to achieve anything he wishes- but in order to do so, he must accept the inevitability of death.
I don't think the meaning of life is that scientific or logical. I think it is about seeing what is beyond or experiencing the unknown or magical. Also, animals can be happy. Could the meaning of life be to enjoy life? What about questioning? Could the meaning of life be to question life and wonder why we are here. A grasshopper can make it's tiny little world a better place. Could the meaning of life be to make the world a better place weather it's in your backyard or in the universe? Also death is part of life. What if the meaning of life is something that you can only think about after death?
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What is the meaning of life?
1.Since the question does not focus directly on human life, then we can safety presume that whatever meaning life has, it can be expressed by every organism on the planet.
eg. The meaning of life has to be something that a dog or a sheep or a pine tree can fulfil just as easy as us. So since other species have no currency system, then "Getting rich" wouldn't be a possible meaning of life
2.As humans are the only species on earth that can follow religion or have a sense of morality, then we know that the purpose of life has nothing to do with god or moral forces.
Eg. A Cow or a lemur or a three toed sloth does not devote themselves to religion, they don't even know what it is. Neither do they have a sense of morality- they don't know the difference between Good and Bad, they only know what will and will not help them survive and reproduce. They live in a dumb existence.
4. Something does not have meaning unless it is constructed to have a meaning, and since life can evolve by itself without any intelligent intervention, then all signs point to the fact that life is meaningless.
Eg. The aftermath of an egg thrown at a wall does not have a meaning- it is just a result. A drill, specially constructed to drill holes, has a meaning- a purpose. Science has been proving for over a hundred years that there need not be any supernatural influence in the evolution of a species, that it just occurs unintelligently when one organism is born better suited to its environment than another. It doesn't have a meaning, it occurs like a maths equation- factors resulting in a product.
5.Life has no Divine purpose ( we have already shown logically that it can't- see number 2), but in order for it to exist, it must have a starting point and an end point.
Eg.Creation and Destruction. That is, Conception and death. Sex is the starting point, and death is the end point.
6.The process to which the starting point and the ending point are linked in a cycle is Evolution. Evolution is essentially a changing and adjusting cycle of sex and death, causing species to become greater at surviving. Evolution favours those with beneficial characteristics, but these characteristics are only beneficial if they give an organism an ability to reproduce faster than his rival, and an increased likelihood of him planting his seed before his inevitable death.
This is closest thing to a meaning that life has, because it is what dictates its existence.
So basically: Have a lot of children, make sure they survive to an age in which they can reproduce, and try to stave off the inevitability of death.