Well if you consider that thin because it offends you. Then I would not I get offended by all your reasons for life? Because it is contrary to all of my reasons.



EDIT:Spelling

Edited by - Alpha_Leader on 2/5/2005 11:45:50 AM

Has nothing to do with me, mate. If that's the purpose you want your life to have, I am in no position to tell you that it is wrong. It's highly unlikely either of us knows something relevant that the other person doesn't. I meant that religious discussion isn't really allowed here. Apparently it leads to bad feelings.

Woohoo! I was waiting for this! Now I can delete this thread! MWUHAHA! j/k

Sorry guys, I have to ask you to don't go into the religious stuff. It doesn't offend me but past events made us come up with that rule. I know it's kind of hard to talk about the meaning of life without involving religion but you just have to try

I will not delete the previous messages, unless people start commenting on them. This thread will not be locked or deleted, as it's an interesting discussion!

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We are here because we are here. There is no reason or purpose for us being here, we just are.

Yes, please do not go into the religious, it becomes offensive, I'll start flaming...Codename will withdraw into a feral state of existence...()

And that's a pretentious 13 year old (as of tomorrow)know-it-all!

To follow up on Codename's point, I would ask why one would say that the meaning of life is subjective. Contrarily I would respond that while there is no pre-destined purpose (Why are we here? Because we're here....Why does it happen? Because it happens ), there are some forms of life, some epitomies of lifestyles that indeed transcend opinion. Can you even compare the life of a boorish, violent, cruel drunk to the life of a sage? There is a kind of person who has transcended the sea of normalcy and decadence, who has truly found meaning.

Edited by - Wilde on 2/3/2005 1:34:04 PM

In response to Wilde's question...

Can a purpose be objectively wrong? I really don't think so. Generally it is the user who defines the purpose of the object in question. If you have two similar (or even identical) objects that are used for completely different things by different people, one cannot say to another that he is right and the other is wrong. Even the creator of the object in question can't say that either of the people are wrong, even if neither of them are using the object in the way the inventor/creator had intended. The most he could say would be something along the lines of "that's not how I meant it to be used".

People are the same. We are objects used by ourselves. Since this is the case, we as lone individuals can define our respective puposes. If you wish to believe in a creator of some sort, and if you wish to believe that said creator had a purpose, and if you wish to accept that purpose as yours, go for it. Ultimately it really doesn't matter.

Agreed, then. Subjectivity is what defines us...

as is rationality. One should not--though one can--believe anything merely because it is a tradition to believe it, or because they choose to at a whim. Each and every concept of belief should be questioned--is this empirical? Is it rational? What reasons do I have to believe this?

Then what IS "matter"? It is only what we subjectively choose to place importance on. Therefore subjectivity is the root of "to matter"; Consciousness is the root of subjectivity; Consciousness, ergo, is the root of "to matter". And how sure are we that there is no other consciousness besides that of this planet's in the universe? Not very sure at all. Therefore isn't what matters to us what matters, period?

Therefore, by your own logic, it does matter--because we subjectively place importance on it. The very root and definition of the word implies consciousness, implying subjectivity, implying choice, etc. It implies, ultimately, that action or word which will significantly change one's existence and state of being.

Coming back to the argument on subjectivity, one should therefore examine lifestyles and through argumentation and rationalization, arrive at a list of priorities for what constitutes a good life. THE good life. And what is philosophy but questioning, rationalization, and argumentation?

Edited by - Wilde on 2/3/2005 3:09:56 PM

I cant answer cuzz wizard said not to go into "religious stuff"

Well, the meaning of life without mentioning religion. Let’s see…

*cracks knuckles*

*puts on Beethoven*

Well I suppose that since you are looking at life as an object then it wouldn’t be out of line for me to refer to one’s life as a tool. Tools are made for a purpose. I agree with Codename that you can’t say that someone is wrong for using an object in the wrong way because you use it a different way. I also agree that the creator of the object can’t really say that someone is wrong for using it in a way that it was designed. But I can say that if the tool isn’t used in its correct fashion, then it isn’t used to its full potential.

So, finding your purpose in life would be where to start. It could be any number of things, from committing crimes to humanitarian acts. But I doubt that the former is anyone’s real purpose, I believe the latter is more toward your place in life…

Let me try to explain, to complete a certain goal there are tools used to complete the tasks that make up this goal or job. The tools work in conjunction with one another in a very simple fashion or an extremely complex ballet, either way they all work toward that goal, the end of that job that they where created for. So think of it this way, our lives (tools) are here on Earth (work shop) to accomplish a greater good (job or goal). It might be the perfection of mankind, that utopian world where everyone is happy, fulfill someone’s curiosity as to what happens if I did this, or maybe it is to post over a million posts on TLR. Some of us may never see the ultimate purpose of our life, some of us might have seen what they are here for already (I know I did when I first laid eyes on my wife), but I do know that we are not here for no purpose at all. People affect other’s lives too much to believe that you aren’t here for a reason. Anyone you meet or talk to is forever changed from that moment on. Anyone that has ever given you advice or even just said, “Good Morning” to you has altered your path through life by brightening your spirits on a bad day or letting you know that there was trouble ahead.

We are all connected by some degree, so I guess that I am saying that you shouldn’t take the life you have for granted…

Anyhoo, let me know if that made any sense.


"On this ship you are to refer to me as Idiot, not you Captain. I mean... you know what I mean."

It makes sense, I think...

I'd actually prefer then to begin a debate on what is the Good life.

Codename: What is your personal idea of that which is the epitomy of life?

Good point about potential.

There is a "problem" though. Everything you wrote presumes a teleological existence. I'm not convinced that we, humanity, are moving towards any sort of final goal. But, for the sake of argument, I'll grant it. If we are, then the answer to this question of purpose is easy, for now. Of course it leaves the question of "Okay, now what?" open. Eventually humanity will have to confront the great abyss of a nihilistic existence. So it actually doesn't answer the question. Postpone perhaps, but not answer.

I think this is the case because there is no answer to be found outside of ourselves. We can only look inward and, through careful self-examination, decide what we wish to do with our short time here.

There's more I could write, but I'll only do so if I'm given specific questions whose answers lend themselves well to my other points.

Wilde - The epitome of life? How the hell should I know? I'm not sure such a thing exists; if it does I'm so far away I can't even begin to see vague outlines of it.

so...basically you said EXACTLY what I said...

So here;s another question: Is it important to find the answer?

Actually, I didn't say what you said. I said each person must create their own purpose, or perhaps purposes. You said that it is "to find the epitomy of the spirit of humanity--finding compassion, wisdom, morality". Which means that you're faced with the same problem as topher. What do you do once you've discovered that? Die? You have fulfilled your purpose, or is living that sort of life an end in itself? If so, why can't any life be an end in itself? Why bother searching for a purpose at all?

That was my question to you; YOU answer it.

It seems to me that you are very nihilistic and despairing. I'd suggest meditation, but you still think Buddhism is a mysticism.