The purpose of life is what we have evolved to become. Which is very simply the evolution of the universe to a point where it gets to sit back in a lazy chair, contemplating itself.
Posts: 13638 | Location: Wisconsin | Registered: 20 April 2005
The rational part of me knows that Jon is right. The more romantic part of me thinks that we are also here to experience the universe.
In other words, we are here for the ride. Carl Sagan said, "The cosmos is within us. We are made of star-stuff. We are a way for the universe to know itself," and I like that very much. I'm not sure why the universe should know itself. It certainly doesn't seem necessary, but hey. We're here. We might as well look around.
Since we're here, and since suffering is a real thing, Beelady's thought that we should love, spread joy, and help those in need speaks to the notion that we're all in this together. I think we as humans value kindness and love for good reasons.
i think that depends on whether you are asking about higher purpose or lower purpose.
lower purpose is to reproduce, control, dominate.
higher purpose is to self-actualize so that we can elevate human nature to a higher plane of existence. one in which people everywhere are secure in the knowledge of their own stardust beingness, as mary anna alluded to, and act accordingly--from a place of understanding that we are all the same.
-------------------------------- fear is the thief of dreams
“The purpose of life” seems to ask for something universal, not even specific to humans.
But if we restrict the question to an ‘ought’ rather than an ‘is’, and talk specifically about people than I think it is summed up nicely by Horace Mann.
“Be ashamed to die before you have won some victory for humanity”.
This is pretty lofty though, and only a small minority will achieve it depending on how you define ‘victory for humanity’.
-------------------------------- If you think looting is bad wait until I tell you about civil forfeiture.
Posts: 33805 | Location: On the Hudson | Registered: 20 April 2005
