<b>"I was just thinking … that here we sit, all of us, eating and drinking to preserve our precious existence and really there is nothing, nothing absolutely no reason for existing." --Jean-Paul Sartre </b>
There, I summarized any discussion that we'd have on this topic. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Well, before you can decide if life is pointless or not, you have to decide on a framework to view it in. Rather than argue over which framwork is correct, lets just split this into two discussions, one with each.
So whats the defining part of the framework? The question of an afterlife. If your framework includes an afterlife of any kind, then no, life isn't pointless...because what you do now can impact your eternal afterlife.
If on the other hand your framework does not include an afterlife, and you believe that once you die, thats it...then its much easier to conclude that life is, in fact, pointless.
Unfortunately one cannot know if life is or is not ultimately pointless while alive. One must die and review and analyse their life in its entirety before they are able to answer that question.
Life can only be pointless after you're done living. While you're alive, you either derive meaning from faith or you make your own meaning out of life (Camus ftw). Therefore, it is always possible for life to have meaning while you're breathing, and once you're dead you wouldn't really care either way, so....no, life is not pointless.
due to my personal beliefs I take great comfort in the idealogy that life and existance has absolutely no point whatsoever... it means there are no expectations, no 'rules' outside of maybe just trying to be a nice person (because it's fun) and it lets me think that people are strange for <b>needing</b> a point :3
our place in staying alive is to educate ourselves... and then use that education to better mankind... making life much better for the next generation. After enough generations our childrenschildrenschildrensectectect will have a very fufilling existance exploring the vast universe we live in.
Of course this is a best case scenario. Short sighted people think "omg I'm just going to die anyways who cares" and end up Screwing the rest of us who wish to benefit mankind. either by being greedy and starting wars.
For example... look at what we <i>waste</i> a large portion of our money on. Maintaining a needless army (needless because if everyone wasn't greedy we wouldn't have crime/war/starving people/many other bad stuffs). Developing better weapons to point at others in fear of them taking what is ours (greed again). Granted... weapons will probubly be useful when... no... <b>IF</b> humans start exploring the vast emptyness of space. But right now it <i>REALLY</i> isn't what we should be focusing our funds on (at least not the percentage we do now). We need a new source of power (oil shortage and space travel), better technology to speed our collective thinking (interweb, perhaps even genetic enhancements to stregnthen mankind as a whole), and to solve problems that are needlessly wasting human life and resources (aids, starvation, other viruses, underdeveloped portions of the planet).
But for now... I guess we'll just get bigger and badder bombs.
I suspect the only reason we live is because death is incredibly boring. As long as you don't feel guilty about doing something, or not doing something, you're doing OK.
In later years, I have come to the profound conclusion (that <i>nobody</i> in the entire history of mankind has <i>ever</i> thought of before me) that "life's what you make of it."
Life is a stepping stone ... ... ... to AFTERlife. <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
The point of life is to live, to survive as long as possible.
Most people tend to fear death, with a rare exception.
If life is no more than contributing to the survival of the species, then it has a point. Be that passing your genetic background on, or finding a cure for some disease because you are uber cool like that.
<!--QuoteBegin-Rapier7+Apr 30 2005, 11:43 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Rapier7 @ Apr 30 2005, 11:43 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> If you truly think life is pointless, then go commit suicide.
No seriously, commit suicide.
But no, you won't, because you want to live.
So I guess life DOES have a point, if you care about it so much. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> Not really. I won't commit suicide because I enjoy life, not because there's any point to it.
Sounds less like you have a logical reason for your standpoint and instead just hate people who don't agree with your view. I feel sorry for your lack of open-mindedness -.-
Subjectively it seems to have a point, otherwise I wouldn't be typing in this forum right now.
However when you look at things objectively? Not at all. Life is absolutely meaningless.
Rapier7: A question for you. Why would it matter if this entire universe suddenly explodeded/imploded/vanished in a puff of smoke/winked out of existence etc? Explain to me exactly how it would matter please.
Nothing happens without a reason. And if that were possible, CMEast, I am confident that there will be a perfectly, albeit esoteric, explanation as to why that happened.
Of course, none of us are experts in quantum physics and mechanics, so none of us would be able to answer that.
But seriously, this sort of discussion just reeks of pseudo-intellectuals gathering together in a stupid circle jerk because all they can do is give out ridiculous hypothetical situations that will never happen.
When you say "ultimately pointless", I have five different people asking what "ultimately pointless" means, we can't argue effectively because you keep shifting directions and keep changing its definition. These type of arguments are best left as "wars of semantics", because that's all everybody does nowadays. And to be frank, I'm sick of it.
<!--QuoteBegin-CMEast+Apr 30 2005, 01:50 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (CMEast @ Apr 30 2005, 01:50 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> I didn't ask if it had a reason, I'm pretty sure almost everything has a reason. It's called cause and effect.
I asked if it would matter. If it had meaning. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> If it has meaning to whom? To God? Well, He created us, I would suppose he would care. However, if you don't believe in anything outside the physical bounds of the universe, then of course it wouldn't matter. There'd be nothing and no one left to care about the loss. But that really doesn't make a difference one way or another in the discussion about whether or not life itself matters.
How do you judge something is meaningful unless you remove it and see what the concequences are?
In the end, the only possible thing that could give life meaning would be the idea of a god (because then everything would be subjective to him). As (imo) there isn't one, that makes life meaningless.
[WHO]ThemYou can call me DaveJoin Date: 2002-12-11Member: 10593Members, Constellation
When you get down to it, life in any form, or even a universe in any form doesn't make sense. Unless you believe in that Alpha and the Omega stuff, but even then, it doesn't make sense but you take it on faith.
I, however, still come to the conclusion that the big bang doesn't make sense, and the idea of a creator who was not also created doesn't make sense.
So, ultimately, we shouldn't be here, and there isn't any point except to enjoy the ride.
Comments
Maybe.
There, I summarized any discussion that we'd have on this topic. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
So whats the defining part of the framework? The question of an afterlife. If your framework includes an afterlife of any kind, then no, life isn't pointless...because what you do now can impact your eternal afterlife.
If on the other hand your framework does not include an afterlife, and you believe that once you die, thats it...then its much easier to conclude that life is, in fact, pointless.
Unfortunately one cannot know if life is or is not ultimately pointless while alive. One must die and review and analyse their life in its entirety before they are able to answer that question.
Of course this is a best case scenario. Short sighted people think "omg I'm just going to die anyways who cares" and end up Screwing the rest of us who wish to benefit mankind. either by being greedy and starting wars.
For example... look at what we <i>waste</i> a large portion of our money on. Maintaining a needless army (needless because if everyone wasn't greedy we wouldn't have crime/war/starving people/many other bad stuffs). Developing better weapons to point at others in fear of them taking what is ours (greed again). Granted... weapons will probubly be useful when... no... <b>IF</b> humans start exploring the vast emptyness of space. But right now it <i>REALLY</i> isn't what we should be focusing our funds on (at least not the percentage we do now). We need a new source of power (oil shortage and space travel), better technology to speed our collective thinking (interweb, perhaps even genetic enhancements to stregnthen mankind as a whole), and to solve problems that are needlessly wasting human life and resources (aids, starvation, other viruses, underdeveloped portions of the planet).
But for now... I guess we'll just get bigger and badder bombs.
<!--emo&::gorge::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/pudgy.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='pudgy.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Though other religions have other texts that supposedly give you purpose as well.
~ DarkATi
Nope, I dont' see a point in life, but let's just do it, there is no Quit or Exit button.
Suicide is such a...rude way.
No seriously, commit suicide.
But no, you won't, because you want to live.
So I guess life DOES have a point, if you care about it so much.
But since I have good relationships with people around me I couldn't do such a thing.
Most people tend to fear death, with a rare exception.
If life is no more than contributing to the survival of the species, then it has a point. Be that passing your genetic background on, or finding a cure for some disease because you are uber cool like that.
I have cuddly toys that serve no purpose or meaning whatsoever yet I like them and keep them. They don't need a use or point; why do we? :p
No seriously, commit suicide.
But no, you won't, because you want to live.
So I guess life DOES have a point, if you care about it so much. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Not really. I won't commit suicide because I enjoy life, not because there's any point to it.
EDIT: Goddamit, Gem beat me to it. Damn you!
Nothing is done that does not have a purpose behind it. And if you want to stay alive, that's a purpose. Or a point.
Seriously, if you don't think life has a purpose, then you should die. Quite simple as that.
Sounds less like you have a logical reason for your standpoint and instead just hate people who don't agree with your view.
I feel sorry for your lack of open-mindedness -.-
You're just noticing this?
However when you look at things objectively? Not at all. Life is absolutely meaningless.
Rapier7: A question for you. Why would it matter if this entire universe suddenly explodeded/imploded/vanished in a puff of smoke/winked out of existence etc? Explain to me exactly how it would matter please.
Thus spoke CMEast
Of course, none of us are experts in quantum physics and mechanics, so none of us would be able to answer that.
But seriously, this sort of discussion just reeks of pseudo-intellectuals gathering together in a stupid circle jerk because all they can do is give out ridiculous hypothetical situations that will never happen.
When you say "ultimately pointless", I have five different people asking what "ultimately pointless" means, we can't argue effectively because you keep shifting directions and keep changing its definition. These type of arguments are best left as "wars of semantics", because that's all everybody does nowadays. And to be frank, I'm sick of it.
I asked if it would matter. If it had meaning.
I asked if it would matter. If it had meaning. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
If it has meaning to whom? To God? Well, He created us, I would suppose he would care. However, if you don't believe in anything outside the physical bounds of the universe, then of course it wouldn't matter. There'd be nothing and no one left to care about the loss. But that really doesn't make a difference one way or another in the discussion about whether or not life itself matters.
In the end, the only possible thing that could give life meaning would be the idea of a god (because then everything would be subjective to him). As (imo) there isn't one, that makes life meaningless.
RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLERABBLE RABBLE RABBLERABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLERABBLE RABBLE RABBLERABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLERABBLE RABBLE RABBLERABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLERABBLE RABBLE RABBLERABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLERABBLE RABBLE RABBLERABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE
I give up. You guys are helpless.
<span style='color:yellow'>Time wasting. Yellow Card.</span>
[Edit]Pfft, I can't delete this so I'll leave it for now but if a mod finds it then do, don't want to argue in the discussion forum.[/Edit]
I, however, still come to the conclusion that the big bang doesn't make sense, and the idea of a creator who was not also created doesn't make sense.
So, ultimately, we shouldn't be here, and there isn't any point except to enjoy the ride.