Is Life Ultimately Pointless?

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Comments

  • PuissancePuissance Join Date: 2003-08-06 Member: 19134Members, Constellation
    LOL. It looks like an essay question.
    Life is not pointless because we live to survive. We eat to survive, we have children to ensure that the human race will survive. If we starve, we will even steal to stay alive. It's been "programmed" into us.
  • theclamtheclam Join Date: 2004-08-01 Member: 30290Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-pieceofsoap+May 9 2005, 07:16 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (pieceofsoap @ May 9 2005, 07:16 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Yep, this is what it essentially boils down to, Does the Infinite/Unified Field/God have an intelligence of some kind? If yes, existence must have purpose. If no, existence is simply inevitable manifestation, and has no point. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    I don't think the existence of a higher power would necessarily endow us with a point to our existence. I also don't think that the non-existence of a higher power makes it so that there is no point. I'd like to think that we can create our own point to existence and that we don't need an intelligent higher power as a crutch to make life meaningful.
  • pieceofsoappieceofsoap Join Date: 2002-11-21 Member: 9535Members, Constellation
    Honestly, I really dont think "Higher Power" is a fitting word for it. I guess "Higher" works to a degree, as it contains everything in relative existence, plus everything that is not in our relative existence. But its not a "Power" so to speak, as a power implies persistence, and after the initial manifestation, it doesnt use its power in any way that would affect our relative existence.

    In fact, Intelligent or not, it <u>cant</u> interfere, because an existence is simply a set of rules applied to the Infinite, regulating what can exist, and how it interacts. An "Act of God" so to speak, would be something outside of our realities physical laws, (If it occurred in line with the physical laws, it would simply be a natural occurrence) and for something outside those laws to occur, the laws would have to be altered, but the problem with that, is that if you change or remove a physical law, you effectively unglue the system with which it interacted, and that reality instantaneously dissolves. Kind of a scary thought, Miracle = End of existence...
  • Pepe_MuffassaPepe_Muffassa Join Date: 2003-01-17 Member: 12401Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-Puissance+May 9 2005, 09:49 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Puissance @ May 9 2005, 09:49 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> LOL. It looks like an essay question.
    Life is not pointless because we live to survive. We eat to survive, we have children to ensure that the human race will survive. If we starve, we will even steal to stay alive. It's been "programmed" into us. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    suvival and purpose are two completely different things.

    It comes down to pre-suppositoins - either a person pre-supposes a god of some sort - (assumed intellegent) - in which case the "purpose" would be to try to figure out as much as possible about said god... "why are we here". That process of discovery is purpose.

    Or, there is no god - we are one big accident - that happened. Eternity cares not for this very small planet in this medium sized solar system in this ginormous universe. To assume purpose is to think to highly of one self. At this point people invent purpose (survuval of my genetic material being a big one) - or to "make the world a better place" or to "reduce suffering". Ultimately - those are hollow reasons - one big accident brought us here - one big accident can take us out. Who cares if people suffer - eventually their blip on time will be over - the suffering permanently gone - with no meaning in their presence or their passing

    Out of the whole human race - history remembers a handful of people - and even then who cares. The purpose is to say "I agree with that person.. or I disagree". That is not purpose to live life by.
  • theclamtheclam Join Date: 2004-08-01 Member: 30290Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-Pepe Muffassa+May 10 2005, 12:05 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Pepe Muffassa @ May 10 2005, 12:05 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-Puissance+May 9 2005, 09:49 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Puissance @ May 9 2005, 09:49 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> LOL. It looks like an essay question.
    Life is not pointless because we live to survive. We eat to survive, we have children to ensure that the human race will survive. If we starve, we will even steal to stay alive. It's been "programmed" into us. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    suvival and purpose are two completely different things.

    It comes down to pre-suppositoins - either a person pre-supposes a god of some sort - (assumed intellegent) - in which case the "purpose" would be to try to figure out as much as possible about said god... "why are we here". That process of discovery is purpose.

    Or, there is no god - we are one big accident - that happened. Eternity cares not for this very small planet in this medium sized solar system in this ginormous universe. To assume purpose is to think to highly of one self. At this point people invent purpose (survuval of my genetic material being a big one) - or to "make the world a better place" or to "reduce suffering". Ultimately - those are hollow reasons - one big accident brought us here - one big accident can take us out. Who cares if people suffer - eventually their blip on time will be over - the suffering permanently gone - with no meaning in their presence or their passing

    Out of the whole human race - history remembers a handful of people - and even then who cares. The purpose is to say "I agree with that person.. or I disagree". That is not purpose to live life by. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Why do you presuppose that a sentient creator would grant us a purpose? It could be that we're just an incidental species, whereas some aliens in another galaxy are the true reason for this grand experiment. Or, the sentient being could just be making pretty designs with stars and could care less about us. It's more vain to think that there is a sentient creator and that he/she/it has endowed us with a specific purpose, than to think that we're an accident that tries to figure out what to do in life.

    I don't know why you think that it is hollow to create our own purpose. I care about things. You care about things. We each have goals. We each want to do things that we enjoy. I think it's misguided to think that this is silly.
  • CplDavisCplDavis I hunt the arctic Snonos Join Date: 2003-01-09 Member: 12097Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-Renegade+Apr 30 2005, 12:09 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Renegade @ Apr 30 2005, 12:09 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Is Life Ultimately Pointless?<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    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. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    exactly


    now since I dont plan on dying for a long time... here I am alive and well.

    So while Im alive and "here" i might as well make my time here enjoyable, hense Ill spend my life doing things to make it worthwhile since its only temporary anyways.


    Now one might say well whats the point? If you are jsut going to die anyways?

    Well since Im not going to die jsut yet no matter if there is a point to life or not here I am So ill make it work for me.

    Any thoughts on a higher level than that require me to die and maybe see whats on the other side to give any imput to that.

    We can only speculate on the unknown and unless anyone here has come back from the dead.... lol
  • ChronoChrono Local flyboy Join Date: 2003-08-05 Member: 18989Members
    sadly one will never know the point of life until you are dead



    P.S. the discussion forums give me a headache
  • SkySky Join Date: 2004-04-23 Member: 28131Members
    No, this gives me a headache:
    <!--QuoteBegin-pieceofsoap+--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (pieceofsoap)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Honestly, I really dont think "Higher Power" is a fitting word for it. I guess "Higher" works to a degree, as it contains everything in relative existence, plus everything that is not in our relative existence. But its not a "Power" so to speak, as a power implies persistence, and after the initial manifestation, it doesnt use its power in any way that would affect our relative existence.

    In fact, Intelligent or not, it cant interfere, because an existence is simply a set of rules applied to the Infinite, regulating what can exist, and how it interacts. An "Act of God" so to speak, would be something outside of our realities physical laws, (If it occurred in line with the physical laws, it would simply be a natural occurrence) and for something outside those laws to occur, the laws would have to be altered, but the problem with that, is that if you change or remove a physical law, you effectively unglue the system with which it interacted, and that reality instantaneously dissolves. Kind of a scary thought, Miracle = End of existence... <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
  • theclamtheclam Join Date: 2004-08-01 Member: 30290Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-Sky+May 11 2005, 12:50 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Sky @ May 11 2005, 12:50 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> No, this gives me a headache:
    <!--QuoteBegin-pieceofsoap+--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (pieceofsoap)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Honestly, I really dont think "Higher Power" is a fitting word for it. I guess "Higher" works to a degree, as it contains everything in relative existence, plus everything that is not in our relative existence. But its not a "Power" so to speak, as a power implies persistence, and after the initial manifestation, it doesnt use its power in any way that would affect our relative existence.

    In fact, Intelligent or not, it cant interfere, because an existence is simply a set of rules applied to the Infinite, regulating what can exist, and how it interacts. An "Act of God" so to speak, would be something outside of our realities physical laws, (If it occurred in line with the physical laws, it would simply be a natural occurrence) and for something outside those laws to occur, the laws would have to be altered, but the problem with that, is that if you change or remove a physical law, you effectively unglue the system with which it interacted, and that reality instantaneously dissolves. Kind of a scary thought, Miracle = End of existence... <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Frankly, I tried to ignore that, for the most part, because it makes assumptions and leaps of logic, uses confusing language, and doesn't really say very much.
  • pieceofsoappieceofsoap Join Date: 2002-11-21 Member: 9535Members, Constellation
    <!--QuoteBegin-theclam+May 11 2005, 12:55 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (theclam @ May 11 2005, 12:55 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-Sky+May 11 2005, 12:50 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Sky @ May 11 2005, 12:50 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> No, this gives me a headache:
    <!--QuoteBegin-pieceofsoap+--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (pieceofsoap)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Honestly, I really dont think "Higher Power" is a fitting word for it. I guess "Higher" works to a degree, as it contains everything in relative existence, plus everything that is not in our relative existence. But its not a "Power" so to speak, as a power implies persistence, and after the initial manifestation, it doesnt use its power in any way that would affect our relative existence.

    In fact, Intelligent or not, it cant interfere, because an existence is simply a set of rules applied to the Infinite, regulating what can exist, and how it interacts. An "Act of God" so to speak, would be something outside of our realities physical laws, (If it occurred in line with the physical laws, it would simply be a natural occurrence) and for something outside those laws to occur, the laws would have to be altered, but the problem with that, is that if you change or remove a physical law, you effectively unglue the system with which it interacted, and that reality instantaneously dissolves. Kind of a scary thought, Miracle = End of existence... <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Frankly, I tried to ignore that, for the most part, because it makes assumptions and leaps of logic, uses confusing language, and doesn't really say very much. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Yeah, the second bit is a completely off-topic tangent, Ill give you that.
  • CyndaneCyndane Join Date: 2003-11-15 Member: 22913Members
    Can I add my two cents and say that all of you are at least partially insane?
  • TommyVercettiTommyVercetti Join Date: 2003-02-10 Member: 13390Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
    edited May 2005
    <!--QuoteBegin-Cyndane+May 11 2005, 04:08 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Cyndane @ May 11 2005, 04:08 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Can I add my two cents and say that all of you are at least partially insane <b>except TommyVercetti because he has awes0mesawce</b>? <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Fixed.
    I agree completely.
  • CyndaneCyndane Join Date: 2003-11-15 Member: 22913Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-TommyVercetti+May 11 2005, 03:16 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (TommyVercetti @ May 11 2005, 03:16 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-Cyndane+May 11 2005, 04:08 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Cyndane @ May 11 2005, 04:08 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Can I add my two cents and say that all of you are at least partially insane <b> especially TommyVercetti </b>? <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Fixed.
    <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    I agree completely.
  • QchuckaQchucka Join Date: 2005-04-24 Member: 49596Members
    edited May 2005
    Ill i am seeing in this forum is that there is no real answer, well no real answer in this realm/life to this question. Just more questions and circular theroies.

    Ive tryed reading most of the posts in this forum but they all are about the same, unless the speaker is angry, and then they talk **** about other peoples posts. Which, i find deeply saddning, because it is very unecessary.

    I feel that this question can be spent many lifetimes trying to answer but no real answer will be found. No person in our known exisistence has the wisdom to understand wither life is ultimatly pointless. or the optimists view "whats the purpose of life?"

    So the best concluison that i see is that what many in here have said, life is what you make it.....


    But ultimatly since there is no real answer to the question "Is life Ultimatly Pointless?" or the better worded "Whats the purpose of life?", the question in itself is rather pointless, but maybe why the question was asked?
    the question Is life Ultimatly Pointless? is rather pestimistic and so maybe the person who started this forum is looking for a reason not to end it, perhaps.....perhaps a cry for help...

    Life has meaning, because we exist, why do we exsist? an answer only found when death comes, its one reason the makes death appealing to find answers to that which is unabtainable.

    so since we exist we might as will do things that make it worth exsisting, learning, experincing and purely enjoying living and be good to others.
    For we are ignorant of what is to become, so why spend time seeking that which can not be found?

    i personally liked what Gandolf the Grey had to say in facing that of death.

    "life is a journey, and death is just another path" or something to that extent.

    yes, i do not fear death, when it comes, it comes. I know that any idea of what people in this realm believes that of what the after life is, i believe it will a be infinitley better, and that idea personally makes this existence seem disappointing.. <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->. And because of that i think we were not meant to know what the afterlife beholds, because it would taint our lives.

    Its kinds of like eating candy before dinner, it ruins it. except knowing the after life would infinetly more ruin this meal of life. So thus people are searching for the answer but will not find it.

    so ultimatley, life is pointless only if you want it to be. if you want it to be pointless you might as well end it yourself. But if you can do that you probally dont have people you care about or care about you because doing such a thing would destroy the people who care about you. They would live there lives asking themselves "what could i have done?"
  • Blammo8Blammo8 Join Date: 2005-02-06 Member: 40141Members
    edited May 2005
    What's the point in life? Why would you do certain things? Humans are programmed to survive to make the species thrive, or else we would already be extinct. But why would you listen to evolution who is he to tell you what to do? Why not do the stuff you like to do?

    Here's my view. While you are alive I suggest make the best of it. Make your life as satisfying as possible (this could be by helping other people, hurting other people or whatever floats your boat) why wouldn't you? If you hurt other people in doing so, who cares? If you did care you wouldn't get more happy by hurting the others, if you didn't care good for you! Why should you try to help mankind, educate yourself to improve the knowledge of the human race. When your dead you can't enjoy that anymore, it's better for the human race but that's evolution talking again. Why listen to him he isn't making you happy is he? No your already dead. If you get immense pleasure out of being the greatest human being in recorded history. Go for it! do your thing, why? because it makes you happy and that's what counts. Yes but I like to help people because I feel sorry for them, then that's what makes YOU happy so go for it that's the whole point be as happy as possible.

    I'm glad I'm such a person who wants to help all other people around me. I get immense pleasure out of other people's happieness. When I see someone who is beaming with happieness I'll get a great feeling inside of me making myself happier (doing what was stated above). If I wasn't like this at all, If I didn't give a sh*t about other people I would also be able to be happy from doing different stuff and be glad I'm like that.

    Of course this isn't the social thing to do. You could also think it's equally as important for others to be happy too. In this cause you could give a number to the total amount of happieness in the world. Every living thing adds his own happieness to this number. The goal is to get the biggest happy number as possible by making yourself and everyone else happier. There is one downside to this. One individual's ultimate unhappieness can make other people more happy than he is unhappy, but who cares as long as the total amount of happieness is as high as possible right? If you think, hey that's not fair then it's making you unhappy which brings the number down so this wouldn't be an effective way to make everyone as happy as possible so it would never happen.

    In the end I do believe that every human being responds better to positive impuls than negative. I don't think someone could get more pleasure out of hurting other people than helping them or getting friendly feedback from that person. Maybe I'm wrong maybe I'm too naif to see the evil in other people, but hey it makes me happy to think like this so leave me alone okay? <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
  • CMEastCMEast Join Date: 2002-05-19 Member: 632Members
    My theories aren't circular <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->

    Either there is no god in which case life has no meaning or...

    There is a god and our meaning is to do what he wants us to do.

    That's it, simple, no mess or fuss. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->

    It's the same as my answer to the other great question: "What came first, the chicken or the egg"...
    A: The Egg, fish lay eggs, fish came before chickens.
  • MavericMaveric Join Date: 2002-08-07 Member: 1101Members
    Existing for life is pointless, but living for life isn't. <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
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