As an atheist/agnostic, following your beliefs, do you think that there is no meaning or purpose to life?
What makes you think this and what do you think this means to humans.? Does it change your moral values in any way or your view on other living things?
Discuss away.
The Meaning (Or Lack Thereof) Of Life
11 posts in this topic.
-
-
There is no inherent or intrinsic meaning to life, but it is possible for an individual to ascribe meaning to their own life.
-
I think the concept of "meaning of life" is kind of arbitrary and doesn't have a set of rules. I am always confused by the idea of not having meaning to life if there is no afterlife... it just doesn't make sense to me. I figure for me personally, the meaning of my life is to do what it takes to make me happy. I don't believe in any afterlife so I figure while I am here I should make this the best time of my life (lol). It doesn't always work, but I try to remember that this is the one chance I get and I had better enjoy it.
-
I believe that there is no meaning, like Karz, but every individual person gives life their own meaning. For me, it's to make a difference in the world, a good difference. Yes, I know, very vague.
-
After much philosophical discord and some deep socratic monologues in my head, I decided that my purpose in life is to be happy and kind.
I think it's a good purpose, but essentially i believe that we make our own purpose, usually crafted from the various experiences and influences in our lives. The only sensible reason I could think of for somebody to create the universe is as some kind of experiment. Either that or the whole thing is an accident. So I think the universe probably has a purpose, of which we are very small parts, but as for individual purpose, I don't think there are any set rules. Inside our own heads, the world is only what we make of it. -
Life has no real meaning, since all it is is a series of chemical reactions in result to other chemical reactions. Simply, life is a lucky reaction that occured long ago with the
appearanceformation of Ribonucleic Acids. They started multiplying, and throughout time have become more complex. Thus life began without meaning.
However, life does have a primitive purpose: to continue. The ultimate biological goal of every organism is to pass on it's genes so that their line can continue.
On a more sentimental note, Purpose can be given to life by the individual. Music, love, athleticism, academics...
Or writing for example. Love you guys <3 -
It's funny, I've written an essay on this before and one of my favorite atheist bloggers, Greta Christina, made a post about this just today. Here's the link, I think it is pertinent to the discussion. http://thehumanist.org/may-june-2013/in ... frivolity/
-
"What's the meaning? You must be dreaming! To want the meaning of life."
Nah, we create our own meaning, however basic or complex. I think the basic meaning of life is replication because life which may have existed without such a purpose probably died out
-
I agree that everyone needs to find their own meaning of life, because we only have this one life. Also I think that you can manage to life on after your death by leaving an impression- in what way ever- in this world. Writing is one way to do this; if you manage to publish a book for example a part of you can continue living when your life is over, but you can also achieve that in many other ways. For me that is the meaning of life: To enjoy the time you have and maybe leave something behind that will remind others of who you were.
-
It is human nature to try to quantify,qualify or at least draw patterns to things or states we can't really understand; not because we are intellectually limited, but rather have been conditioned by culture and
religion to believe that we are more than just this: a bundle of cells. To ascribe any sort of meaning to life is to acknowledge, at least subconsciously, the existence of a higher power, a Creator if you will. Yet, strictly following the principles of science, such a Creatir has not been evidenced to exist. By logical extension, then, life is as random as the toss of a coin, it began as a chemical accident, has proceeded as such and ends in death. To have been born is just as empty as never having been born. -
There is none. We make our own meaning. That scares me but I think it is true.
Sign in to reply to this topic.
Delete this post?
Are you sure you want to delete this post? This cannot be undone.