discussing the meaning of life & death

**R1D2** · 08-16-12, 03:18 PM

I'm curios.
We have those that practice religion an are religious types, an we have atheists.
What's the meaning of life to you?
To make a god with a sense of humor laugh..
To continually mess up...
Is our life here meant to love an be loved..
What's the point, why are we really here?

An like the meaning of life there is also death, so what's the "purpose" of death to you?
Feed the worms...
To depress others when we go...
To be a soldier in gods army...
Again why? Whats the point?

**spidergoat** · 08-16-12, 03:20 PM

There is no point, there is no meaning.

**R1D2** · 08-16-12, 03:30 PM

If there was no point no meaning at all we would see a rise in suicides.
There has to be point even if its just to make goals in ones lives. There may be just fate or whatever. But there has to be something. Even it its to effect lives positively or negatively.
For every action there is always a reaction.

**gmilam** · 08-16-12, 03:46 PM

Originally Posted by R1D2

If there was no point no meaning at all we would see a rise in suicides.

Why? I haven't found a point or meaning and I'm not bothered by it in the least.

**spidergoat** · 08-16-12, 03:48 PM

Originally Posted by R1D2

If there was no point no meaning at all we would see a rise in suicides.
There has to be point even if its just to make goals in ones lives. There may be just fate or whatever. But there has to be something. Even it its to effect lives positively or negatively.
For every action there is always a reaction.

Suicide is very common.
You can have your own goals, purposes, and meaning, but that's not what you were asking. It's all artificial, there isn't even fate.

**R1D2** · 08-16-12, 04:23 PM

I hear you spidergoat,
But since I not familiar with the feeling that life has no purpose no point at all. I'm trying to comprehend, so can you clarify why there is not more doing "the opposite". Not living as though their is a point, purpose or meaning of life.
An if you live an have that type of "mind set" what's the purpose of saving lives or fighting for it.

**Buddha12** · 08-16-12, 05:01 PM

I enjoy learning, walking through nature, smelling the roses, laughing, crying, talking, eating, working and on and on. That's some of the things I live for but loving is by far the greatest thing that I've found to make me feel alive and worth living for. Family, friends and associates are also people that I enjoy to have to live with around me and they make my life very nice.

**spidergoat** · 08-16-12, 05:24 PM

Originally Posted by R1D2

I hear you spidergoat,
But since I not familiar with the feeling that life has no purpose no point at all. I'm trying to comprehend, so can you clarify why there is not more doing "the opposite". Not living as though their is a point, purpose or meaning of life.
An if you live an have that type of "mind set" what's the purpose of saving lives or fighting for it.

We still may have meaning and purposes in relation to our personal lives and society. But I feel they are empty, and everything born out of thought is ultimately destructive. Yes, we may fight for such things as social justice, but not realize that it's society which created social injustice. Love may be meaningful to some, but it's also the source of violence and war (love of homeland, love of a particular kind of culture).

You may ask what's left? The body is left, and the experience of living as a body. If that is enough for every other species, it should be enough for us.

**Rav** · 08-16-12, 05:57 PM

I don't think we understand enough about the nature and scope of reality to definitively conclude that there is nothing about it that might contextualize our existence in some significant way. I think the nihilistic sentiment grows out of a failure to recognize just how profound the reality of existence really is, and perhaps a reactive over-correction with respect to the prevalence of invented metaphysics.

**R1D2** · 08-16-12, 06:17 PM

Ok Rev, you used some rather large words I will more than likely need to look up. An that was Deep. You almost lost me.

Thank ya Rev.

**gmilam** · 08-16-12, 06:35 PM

Isn't enjoying life enough? As far as I can tell we only get to do it once, then we return to the nothingness that we came from.

**R1D2** · 08-16-12, 08:36 PM

gmilam can you prove that I came from nothingness?
I can only prove I came from two people. So I can't go back to the nothingness of whence I came. I don't believe I came from there.

**Aqueous Id** · 08-16-12, 09:26 PM

Originally Posted by R1D2

Ok Rev, you used some rather large words I will more than likely need to look up. An that was Deep. You almost lost me.

Thank ya Rev.

If ya like, I'll break it down for ya:

Originally Posted by Rav

I don't think we understand enough about the nature and scope of reality

We don't know for sure what reality is....

to definitively conclude that there is nothing about it

...to deny

that might contextualize our existence in some significant way.

....a possible meaning to our existence.

I think the nihilistic sentiment

Folks who say life has no meaning....

grows out of a failure to recognize just how profound the reality of existence really is,

are either blind...

and perhaps a reactive over-correction

or tired...

with respect to the prevalence of invented metaphysics.

of the endless bullshit behind religion and all the other weird fantasies people come up with concerning "The Big Picture".

(with apologies to Rav, whose thoughtful commentary I just chewed up and spit out as pap.)

(apologies also to spidergoat and gmilam who already covered nihilism rather matter-of factly.)

**Aqueous Id** · 08-16-12, 09:35 PM

Originally Posted by R1D2

gmilam can you prove that I came from nothingness?
I can only prove I came from two people. So I can't go back to the nothingness of whence I came. I don't believe I came from there.

If I may: OK, but you came from four sets of DNA (your grandparents).... so you "go back" to the chemicals from which you came, which are nothing in terms of that something--an artifact of consciousness--which is itself reduced to nothing when the lights go out.

**Rav** · 08-16-12, 10:00 PM

Originally Posted by Aqueous Id

(with apologies to Rav, whose thoughtful commentary I just chewed up and spit out as pap.)

No need to apologize. It was amusing

**R1D2** · 08-16-12, 10:07 PM

I was half joking Aqueous I'd that's why I added a smily face

. I did get the gist of it though.
An as for nothingness that word would suggest the same as saying a emptied bottle of water has water in it when there is really nothing there.

**gmilam** · 08-16-12, 10:35 PM

Originally Posted by Aqueous Id

If I may: OK, but you came from four sets of DNA (your grandparents).... so you "go back" to the chemicals from which you came, which are nothing in terms of that something--an artifact of consciousness--which is itself reduced to nothing when the lights go out.

Yes.

Think, through eons of evolution the universe has managed to assemble stuff that was cooked in the heart of a star into conscious beings capable of trying to understand how the universe did it. As Carl Sagan said, "We are a way for the cosmos to know itself."

You know, that's really pretty cool.

**R1D2** · 08-16-12, 10:49 PM

Originally Posted by gmilam

Yes.

Think, through eons of evolution the universe has managed to assemble stuff that was cooked in the heart of a star into conscious beings capable of trying to understand how the universe did it. As Carl Sagan said, "We are a way for the cosmos to know itself."

You know, that's really pretty cool.

Ya cool.
Sounds like something for topic matter for a new thread.

**kx000** · 08-16-12, 11:13 PM

I believe life and death work in tandem. A mirror of one another. Death is certainly part of our universe. You don't just get to exit the universe.

**KilljoyKlown** · 08-16-12, 11:46 PM

Suppose we didn't die? How soon would we have to stop having kids. Surely sometime before there was standing room only. Without death life wouldn't be worth living. But I do think having a longer healthier life might be nice. In any event when you die your problems are over and the living have to move on.