NationStates Jolt Archive

I am a Christian, and I believe that life on earth is a short prelude to eternity. The purpose of life is to glorify God, the creator. I cannot prove that this is true, but I accept it on faith and I think that if I didn't life would seem meaningless. So I was wondering: to all of you who do not believe in God, how do you find meaning in life?

To learn and better one's self, through self-enlightenment and the gathering of knowledge. Simply, to evolve.

The property or quality that distinguishes living organisms from dead organisms and inanimate matter, manifested in functions such as metabolism, growth, reproduction, and response to stimuli or adaptation to the environment originating from within the organism.
The characteristic state or condition of a living organism.
Living organisms considered as a group: plant life; marine life.
A living being, especially a person: an earthquake that claimed hundreds of lives.
The physical, mental, and spiritual experiences that constitute existence: the artistic life of a writer.

The interval of time between birth and death: She led a good, long life.
The interval of time between one's birth and the present: has had hay fever all his life.
A particular segment of one's life: my adolescent life.
The period from an occurrence until death: elected for life; paralyzed for life.
Slang. A sentence of imprisonment lasting till death.
The time for which something exists or functions: the useful life of a car.
A spiritual state regarded as a transcending of corporeal death.
An account of a person's life; a biography.
Human existence, relationships, or activity in general: real life; everyday life.

err 42?

Courtesy Snip.
Courtesy of Dictionary.com...

To learn and better one's self, through self-enlightenment and the gathering of knowledge. Simply, to evolve.

Yes, but what do learning and knowledge do for you? You are still going to die anyway. Would you say that the purpose of life is to be happy while it lasts and that learning and knowledge are an aid to happiness?

err 42?
42 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 42

Yes, but what do learning and knowledge do for you? You are still going to die anyway. Would you say that the purpose of life is to be happy while it lasts and that learning and knowledge are an aid to happiness?

I don't believe existance is terminal with death. I believe that after a time, you may be able to experience a new kind of existance (new age sounding, I suppose), and life goes on, albeit in a different fashion. Knowledge and self-enlightenment are key to that. *Shrugs* I could try to think more on this tomorrow, as I'm rather tired and about to head to bed.

Life is a holiday from a eternity of non-existance, enjoy it. :)

Short of building a giant computer often confused for a planet to work it out for us, I don't think we will ever know, if even there is one in the first place.

I am a Christian, and I believe that life on earth is a short prelude to eternity. The purpose of life is to glorify God, the creator. I cannot prove that this is true, but I accept it on faith and I think that if I didn't life would seem meaningless. So I was wondering: to all of you who do not believe in God, how do you find meaning in life?


Some of us dont need a belief in a religion to give our lives purpose.

Some of us can find our own.

After reading all the suggestions for this topic in great depth, I have realised that indeed it is of course 42

What a odd question.......go to the movie store and rent Monty Pythons and the meaning of life :p




seriously...i think the meaning of life is the gaining of knowleage....because that is one thing we strive for...the understanding of thing around us.

Consumption, reproduction, dying?

No meaning, your deeds will not echo in eternity, do as you will, in no way or context does it actualy matter.

to quote a friend, staring wild-eyed after his first acid trip, "we're just here, man." to him, life no longer needed reason or purpose - we are just alive and thats all there is to it. just accept it and live.
i quite like that way of thinking :)

but biologically i'd say the meaning of our lives is to procreate

The meaning of life is to survive and bring more life.


or, put more succinctly

eat, sleep, shit, fuck, die

There is no inherent meaning, purpose or value to the universe. The only meaning/purpose there is is created and applied by us conscious beings to ourselves.

hmm. i could come up with various answers for that one. but i'd probably be answering "what is your purpose in life?" or "what is your concept of life?". i think that those who opted for 42 would agree with me that the question is unclear.

one has to ask, then- what do you mean by "meaning"? following rotovia's example i looked it up in dictionary.com and came up with a few answers, which i liberally summarize below:

a-intended purpose
b-value\importance (as in, emotional or ideological)
c- what is designated by a symbol or sign.

what did you mean?

but if i had to come up with a meaning right now, i'd maybe say that it's about finding somthing that can consume you totally and giving in to that thing.

life would seem meaningless

In fact it is and I thoroughly enjoy that. It provides me with the opportunity to fill in for myself.

I don't believe there truly is a meaning to life, excluding our natural meaning (reproduce to keep our species going). Only we as individuals can give meaning to our lives. It is up to every person to decide what their meaning is!

IF there truly is a single meaning for all of our existing, it is likely something way beyond our level of knowledge and understanding.

i agree thoroughly. 42. but more importantly, not what is the meaning of life. but what is the actual question!?! :confused: ;)

In my mind, there is only one universal meaning of life. Or, rather, something we can all learn from the very property of being alive. Working together brings complexity untold, just as we are alive due to the machinations of the component parts of ourselves.

My own calling is a simple one. Constructive exploration of whatever this place is we find ourselves and use of what I find to bring support to those around me. Any questions of whether or not any of it is real are mere intellectual curiosities; my struggle to get this far is enough to try to lighten the load for anyone who follow me. The possibility that I could make some other genuine person's life easier is good enough for me.

I reckon our bodies are just life-support machines for our genitalia.

Biologically, the purpose of humans is to make more humans.

Personally, I don't know about "meaning" but seems you might as well enjoy yourself as much as possible whilst treading on as few toes as possible. Much better than being miserable for far too long!

And death... Well, to die would be a great adventure. Just one I'm in no hurry to have, ta ;)

Incidentally, 42 is merely the ultimate answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe and everything. Meaning doesn't come in to it :P

'My' meaning of life or 'THe' meaning of life?

Kobe Beef.

i agree thoroughly. 42. but more importantly, not what is the meaning of life. but what is the actual question!?! :confused: ;)

What is seven times eight? :D

What is seven times eight? :D
... 56?

seriously...i think the meaning of life is the gaining of knowleage....because that is one thing we strive for...the understanding of thing around us.
Maybe the fact that people strive to attain the answer to the meaning of life justifies Morovias answer. If you ask the meaning of life you could also be answering it at the same time, because you want to learn, to aid yourself in life, so I think gaining and understanding are the meaning of life.

Life is self-explanatory.

There's really no reason why anything even exists... why there isn't void, why there's complexity. I don't think there is a "meaning of life" in our context.

thats all folks!!!

forty tw... oh shit 1000 other people have already said that.

I reckon our bodies are just life-support machines for our genitalia.

Interesting theory. :)

... 56?

Read the book and you'll get it. :)

I really don't think Life has a meaning in the verbal sense.

For instance, objects often have texture. SOme objects are bumpy. Does the object exist to be bumpy? I think the characteristics of our lives are a lot like the texture, consistency, properties, odor etc. of objects. I don't think there is meaning to be found there other than to define them.

I think that once our lives have been defined from beginning to end, THEN we find out what our life meant.

Me, I'm hoping I can trade it in for what's behind Door #2. :)

I am a Christian, and I believe that life on earth is a short prelude to eternity. The purpose of life is to glorify God, the creator. I cannot prove that this is true, but I accept it on faith and I think that if I didn't life would seem meaningless. So I was wondering: to all of you who do not believe in God, how do you find meaning in life?
There is no meaning. There is no spoon. ;)

Actually, I use to be a Christian. I now find meaning in my life by realizing I am part of all that lives, and that, as a sentient being I have a responsibility to nurture and support the rest of the Web of Life.

Read the book and you'll get it. :)I did read the book, but I didn't get the 7 times 8 comment...

Douglas Adams is a genius, but that just seems like bad maths... <_<

Biologically I agree with the rest of you, reproduction is why we are here....hell it is why anything is here. But as for the meaning I couldn't tell you. I am a Catholic and believe in God and an afterlife and all that, but believing that God is up there and has all of us down here by whatever mechanism natural or otherwise (I don't want to start another evo v. ID thread) just to bring him "glory." And why does God want glory? Reverance maybe. But it seems incredibly arrogant for Him to create us just to show him respect, sounds like an insecurity issue. I think, if we are to take in the whole picture, is for us to try to leave the world better then we got it. No matter how we do it. Inventing machines to help us, finding cures, or just helping people. But of course we have free will so we do whatever. However I do want to make it clear that I DO pray not because I have to but because I want to and makes me feel good.

I don't think that there is an intrinsic meaning of life. Meaning is a concept created by humans. And therefore the meaning of life may be different from person to person and equally valid in each.

I did read the book, but I didn't get the 7 times 8 comment...

Douglas Adams is a genius, but that just seems like bad maths... <_<

Given Arthur's comment I thought he was trying to suggest that the universe was fundamentaly flawed and didn't make sense. It'd fit in with 'God's final message to his creation' which is of course:

[SPOILER]"We apologise for the inconvenience."

Life... don't talk to me about life.

;)

So I was wondering: to all of you who do not believe in God, how do you find meaning in life?
How would I not find meaning in life?
What life means to me is whatever I want it to. My purpose is whatever I choose it to be.
To me, that seems both more logical and more enticing than most of the other choices.

Now to quote somebody else who says it better than me.
The last bit of this post by Bottle is about this topic, and quite good too: (http://www.forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=9110908&postcount=361)
I heal the sick. I love. I learn about the building blocks of life. I explore my body and my mind. I bring happiness to other humans. I fight with people, I lose and I win. I have fun, and also pain. I have experiences that no other being will ever have, and I experience each moment in a way that no other entity ever has. Earth is heaven, hell, and everything in between. It would take a thousand of my lifetimes to experience even a tenth of this world...how could I be anything but fulfilled?

Given Arthur's comment I thought he was trying to suggest that the universe was fundamentaly flawed and didn't make sense. It'd fit in with 'God's final message to his creation' which is of course:

[SPOILER]"We apologise for the inconvenience."

I loved those books. I laughed so much.


For the answer to life, the universe and everything.. Ask Google! Google knows, and it will tell you, quite wisely, that the answer is 42.

Before you ask the meaning of life, ask the meaning of meaning.

Meaning is a concept created by humans. And therefore the meaning of life may be different from person to person and equally valid in each.

Sounds like a good place to start. :D

The meaning of life is simply to survive so you can pass on your genes, ideas, and beliefs onto the next generation who will progress even further and advance the human race.

The purpose of humanity is to expand and rule everything around us. It is our destiny to either conquer the universe or blink out of existance. Personally I like the first one.

I am a Christian, and I believe that life on earth is a short prelude to eternity. The purpose of life is to glorify God, the creator. I cannot prove that this is true, but I accept it on faith and I think that if I didn't life would seem meaningless. So I was wondering: to all of you who do not believe in God, how do you find meaning in life?

Who said there was a meaning to life?

I don't think there is...find things to enjoy until you die. No sense in saving up for an afterlife that may or may not be there.

Meanings of life:

"Life sucks, buy a f***ing helmet"

"Life sucks, and then you die: if you're lucky. Life sucks, then you get cancer, you go into chemotherapy, lose all of your hair, and then the cancer goes into remission. You get healthy, you're feeling good, then BOOM you have a stroke. The day you're finally able to walk again, you cross the street and BAM hit by a passing semi. Life sucks, and then you die if you're lucky."

"I knew the poodle man, and he f***ing hated poodles!"

I just drift around without any real purpose. No meaning, no point, I just drift endlessly. It has always worked for me.

Why do I need a meaning for my life in order for it to be worth living?

Why do I need a meaning for my life in order for it to be worth living?
I suppose because meaning endows worth. For instance, if John Travolta has more meaning for you than Raj Pannu, you're going to place more worth on John Travolta. :)

If life has a meaning for you (you live for family, live for job, live for adventure, etc.), it would have more worth to be alive and doing those things than to be dead, or alive and not doing those things ('meaningless' life).

The meaning of life is to make yourself happy.