It reminds me of a quote from one anime (strange think to quote, but anyway...):
"In this world there are many strange things. However, no metter how strange or bizarre a sight is, if there is no one there, if there is no one to see it, if people are not involved, it is just a simple phenomenon. Just something that happens. That is because this world people are the strangest beings."
Currently reading:
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon
Perhaps. But where does the desire to give it meaning come from? If we give life meaning, then what is it inside of us that allows us to even want meaning, purpose, or whatever you wish to call it? Chemical reactions? Childhood upbringing? Socio-economic factors? Psychological dispositions/attitudes/problems? God? Indigestion?Originally Posted by hyperborean
Furthermore, where does the concept of "meaning" come from anyway? Are you appealing to some objective idea of "meaning"?
"I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen, not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else." - C.S. Lewis
I know our little argument went further than it should have, but you don't have to search for every comment I made on this forum and try to contradict it.
That statement I made is one proposed by the greatest existentialists of all time. I never said I agreed with it.
Well, some go this way, some go that way. But as for me, myself, personally, I prefer the shortcut.
cheshire cat, alice in wonderland
Will you relax? I don't fully disagree with your statement - I said "perhaps" which means "maybe so." My questions seek to explore the implications of your statement - not contradict it. Nobody is seeking you out - if you're here long enough, you'll see some of the same names show up in certain forum topic areas. I certainly have gotten used to you and JGL commenting on my posts. Welcome to the world of debate.
"I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen, not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else." - C.S. Lewis
Okay then. Let's critically analyze the existential view of life, as quoted in my post.
For me the meaning of life is whatever I make of "life". By knowing one is alive and accepting one's place in the universe, the question is already answered. I give life meaning by performing acts that maintain my subjectivity. Expressing subjectivity and not letting others objectify you, gives a "meaningless life" meaning. It's basically the Sartrean good faith vs bad faith conflict.
This view is very existential and I like it.
I do too - existentialism has much to recommend it because of its emphasis on personal responsibility. What I'm interested in is what is it inside of us that makes us strive for the thing we call "meaning"? Where does that come from? Why do we want it?
"I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen, not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else." - C.S. Lewis
I was talking to a 7 year-old today:
'What do you think the meaning of life is, then?'
'To be alive.'
'Why do we need to be alive?'
'Otherwise the earth would be empty!'
~
"It is not that I am mad; it is only that my head is different from yours.”
~
I second this.
I sang of leaves, of leaves of gold, and leaves of gold there grew.
very extenstialist view, i like, i like very much,
now let me thunk here,
i'm not a big fan of subjectivity, yet it sounds right,
I prefer pursuing ones dreams, and making thyself inexplicably (dunno if i spelled that right sorry) happy;
but then that would mean that the world would be in a certain kind of chaos,
but what's the point of sitting in this closed in cubicle typing for hours on end, then coming home & going to sleep, and following this pattern until you get too old and die, lol, doesn't sound too pleasant
lol, 'the earth would be empty'
i like that,
but then i'd ask, "So what would the aliens do?"
"Yes, madam, I am drunk. But in the morning I will be sober and you will still be ugly."
-Winston Churchill
The meaning of life is to help others and make the world a better place. Finding your path and/to espiritual enlightment is meaningful.
The meaning of life is to give unselfishly and help those with need.
Shall these bones live?
Hi there everybody...
I'm new here...
This appears to be a friendly place
The meaning of life.
Yes... A big question indeed.
It is really amazing how everything seems to fit in place in this wide universe, and everyday we come to discover new overwhelming relations of causality and order between different elements in the process of nature (at least look at the way the soalr system works!); we see all that around, and yet when cause we have what it takes to do that! Oh and maybe we are here to practice theft and deception upon other human souls because we can do that too! If it suits you, and you have fun doing it, then it is readily your own meaning of life; your own truth!
Does this make any sense?
How come you say with certainty that you came to this world to do so and so, only because you like doing it or because it satisfies you? Well, this doesn't work for you my friend, because quite simply, you are still searching, aren't you? You keep trying one thing after another and yet, it is all the same! what today is your meaning of life, tomorrow will be history, and something else will take its glamour! If you decide today upon X, then Y is tomorrow a better candidate! And yes we have so many Xs and Ys to keep trying...!!
It never fits! None of those Xs and Ys fits!
Why then?
Could it be, that the very concept of your choosing a meaning of your own for your own life and existence, and the existence of the universe, is a false concept in itself?
Consider this.
Are you the one who brought you to this world? Did you have any choice to come to it? Did anyone ask you before you were born if you liked to be born?
I urge you to imagine yourself in a state of nothingness! Imagine what it would be like if you were never born! You cannot!
You came to this world not by your choosing, in a state and form that was not after your choice, and in a condition of life that was not up to you to decide. You neve chose your mon or dad, did you? All those "truths" are facts that you came to the world only to find out about. So how come you claim that the meaning of all this is up to you to decide? You may indeed have a choice of what to do... but why?
Why do I know choice and obligation? Why do I, the human being, care so much to find out what those hands, those ears, those eyes, those splendid organs and wonderful givens of life are all about? Is it all up to me to decide? Can there be so many "truths" about the very same thing? Do we have the rational right to claim that the reason why life exists is a relative reason; one that is up to every one of us to decide by his own mind, after his own choosing?
This is the first fundamental basis here gentlemen if you really wish for this search to come to an answer that is The Answer, and for the truth to be what it is; quite simply; the TRUTH
I'm glad to be here to discuss this issue with you guys...
However I would like you all to be my guests to this essay of mine.
Please read it up first and tell me what you think ..
Meaning? What meaning? Seeking for a meaning which is nonexistent is what tarries unncessarily. I do not think life has a menaing at all. We all make pretensions, and we are simply amazed in a maze of things in this vast pandamonium. We carve out for us a direction, a purpose, a meaning. It is interesting, but the meaning and the purpose we link us with is something that is groundless. God, religion, destiny all are things men did to wrap up themselves to secure.
I do not choose to be argumentative. In fact to advocate for or against the existence of God is all immaterial. Maybe God exists or may not exist. There is re-birth or we end up with this life are domains of knowledge totally out of our comprension, and if anybody argues there is God i do not choose to oppose it, and if somebody is an atheist I do not like to speak against it.
The meaning of life if any is totally a personal one and no thinkers pursuasive
or imposing. In so far as the menaing of life goes everyone is correct, and his mode of thinking and patterns of living is perfect and impiccable. This is what I beleive in.
That one thing is very clear to me is none of the philosophers or thinkers has sounded convincing, and everyone remained in a delirioum, or in a state of confusion when they are in a pursuit of the meaning of life.
The fact that this universe is mysterious is unquestionable. and that the degree of amazement a child lives with is no less with the adult, and everyone is equally amazed at the mystery.
What I want to write conclusively is we can not and should not publicly claim we are right in giving life a meaning or a purpose. It is totally a peronal matter. All arguments are rubbish. Theism or atheism both are groundless theories. All theories, propositions in so far as the meaning of life, god are groundless. If somebody is a beleiver he is right and if somebody is a non beleiver he is also right, and our arguments for or against somebody's mode of thinking is totally meaningless.
Plato, Marx, freud, Hegel, Desacarte, Russel have manufactured their opinions out of the blues and they have no foundations, and if they had any they built their ideas on their predecessors. Their predecessors on their former predecessors, and on and on.
All that I want to say is we are as unknown as animals in so far as the menaing of life is concerned. Maybe we are surprised at the creation of the unioverse and animals are not surprised. this is also our opinion, and how can we surmise animals are not surprised?
If we deepen ourselves in our thinking processes we will reverse our thinking patterns, and unlearn what has been stuffed in our brains.
Meaning, if we seek is likened to a mirage we run after interminably but reach nowhere. We will swirl in a whirl of mystery unendingly. But I neve mean we should not pursue it. This is my free opinion and i do no claim there is a tinge of truth. I simply wonder. At one time I beleive in God and at another i become skeptical of it. This is I suppose with everyone else.
I regreat if i sound rather arrogant and conceited.
Darn, someone beat me to 42...
While I am not so arrogant as to believe that I have figured out the meaning of life, I can argue and say why other's ideas are wr... are not what I believe to be the meaning of life.
Wow, I was going to say something along those lines. Although I do believe there is meaning to life :P I just think that what we do think is the meaning of life is based on assumptions and pretensions (If that made any sense at all)...We all make pretensions, and we are simply amazed in a maze of things in this vast pandamonium. We carve out for us a direction, a purpose, a meaning. It is interesting, but the meaning and the purpose we link us with is something that is groundless. God, religion, destiny all are things men did to wrap up themselves to secure.
But, why must we search for the meaning of life?
While I do not truely belive this, it is a nice reason for not pursuing the meaning of life...There is a theory which states that if ever anyone discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable.There is another theory which states that this has already happened.
- Douglas Adams
The sad thing is, I must say, whoever created life didn't think things through. Would they have craved excitement in this world?
Or has the world by itself has advanced leading to 2007, with unwanted obstacles between them, which are us?
The world was fine without humans, infact we are destroying it.
But would the world be as wonderful as now, if it werent the help of humans?
Everyone seeks meaning of life, just because we were "forced" to be created. However, those who found the meaning of life actually enjoys life, and lives day by day with meaning.
I guess being born was an advantage/disadvantage for all of us. Until we find the truth, we would keep living.
Maybe the meaning of life is finding the meaning of itself.
To overcome the self, and bask in the pure light of the eternal Divine Source...
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