2006-10-02 02:15:05 · 24 answers · asked by Patrick M 1 in Social Science ➔ Psychology
"What is the meaning of life?" is a question many people ask themselves at some point during their lives, most in the context "What is the purpose of life?" Here are some of the many potential answers to this perplexing question:
Survival and temporal success
* ...to accumulate wealth and increase social status
* ...to advance natural human evolution, or to contribute to the gene pool of the human race
* ...to advance technological evolution, or to actively develop the future human
* ...to compete or co-operate with others
* ...to destroy others who harm you, or to practice nonviolence and nonresistance
* ...to die having succeeded in your purpose
* ...to gain and exercise power
* ...to leave a legacy, such as a work of art or a book
* ...to live
* ...to produce offspring through sexual reproduction or asexual reproduction
* ...to protect one's family
* ...to pursue a dream, vision, or destiny
* ...to seek freedom, either physically, mentally or financially
* ...to seek happiness and flourish, experience pleasure or celebrate
* ...to survive, including the pursuit of immortality through scientific means (see life extension)
Wisdom and knowledge
* ...to be without question, or to keep asking questions
* ...to expand one's perception of the world
* ...to explore, to expand beyond our frontiers
* ...to learn from one's own and others' mistakes
* ...to seek truth, knowledge, understanding, or wisdom
* ...to try to discover and understand the meaning of life
* ...to understand creation
Ethical
* ...to achieve a supernatural connection within the natural context
* ...to achieve enlightenment and inner peace
* ...to achieve rebirth in the Pure Land
* ...to become like God, or God-like
* ...to be rewarded for your deeds
* ...to experience existence from an infinite number of perspectives in order to expand the consciousness of all there is (i.e. God)
* ...to express compassion
* ...to follow the "Golden Rule"
* ...to give and receive love
* ...to live in a way that you don't harm yourself and don't harm your environment
* ...to work for justice and freedom
Religious and spiritual
* ...to be a filter of creation between heaven and hell
* ...to die and become a martyr
* ...to live in peace with each other, and in harmony with our natural environment (see utopia)
* ...to produce useful structure in the universe over and above consumption (see net creativity)
* ...to protect humanity, or more generally the environment
* ...to reach Heaven in the afterlife
* ...to seek and acquire virtue, to live a virtuous life
* ...to serve others, or do good deeds
* ...to turn fear into joy at a constant rate achieving on literal and metaphorical levels: immortality, enlightenment and atonement
* ...to understand and follow the "Word of God"
* ...to worship, serve, or achieve union with God
* ...to disprove the existence of a or all all gods
Other
* ...to achieve self-actualisation
* ...to contribute to collective meaning ("we" or "us") without having individual meaning ("I" or "me")
* ...to find a purpose, a "reason" for living that hopefully raises the quality of one's experience of life, or even life in general
* ...to live, and enjoy the passage of time
* ...to have fun
* ...to participate in the inevitable increase in entropy of the universe
* ...to make the conformists' lives miserable (see non-conformism)
* ...to participate in the chain of events which has led from the creation of the universe until its possible end (either freely chosen or determined, this is a subject widely debated amongst philosophers)
* ...to relate, connect, or achieve unity with others
* ...to resolve all problems that one faces, or to ignore them and attempt to fully continue life without them, or to detach oneself from all problems faced (see Buddhism)
* ...to seek and find beauty
* ...as there is no intrinsic meaning to life, to each individual, the "meaning of life" is whatever he/she decides it is. In that sense, every point above is potentially valid.
* ...an answer to the question "What is the meaning of life?" is that it is just simply being able to ask the question, "What is the meaning of life?" (see Sri Sri Ravi Shankar below)
* ...a combination of any of the above.
No purpose, and therefore...
* ...to simply live until one dies (there is no universal or celestial purpose)
* ...just a series of events
* ...just nature taking its course
* ...the wheel of time keeps on turning
* ...the cycle of life
* ...whatever you see you see, as in "projection makes perception"
* ...there is no purpose or meaning whatsoever (see nihilism)
* ...who cares?
2006-10-02 15:36:12 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The that means of existence is anything all of us consider approximately and for well intent. We are right here and we desire to understand what the heck we're consider to do. What path are we consider to head? Fortunately for mankind I have concluded in this. The that means of existence is: to copy. That's it. Life approach to copy. Things that do not reflect don't always are living. Obviously if we didn't maintain to copy we could not be regarded existence. But do not take that reply so without problems. I do not simply imply to have youngsters. That is a bodily replication of your hardware, however much more foremost is the program we reflect. We reflect our ideas strategies, attitudes, loves, and many others. throughout many medium. Mediums are all forms of matters, constructions, canvas, steel. Also summary matters like laptop systems, dances, traditions. And probably the most helpful mediums, our kids. All existence types reflect, a few simply reflect their DNA. Others, like persons, reflect in lots of distinct approaches. But finally to copy as a long way and broad as viable is the that means and rationale of all existence. The quantity of replication is what determines whether or not your existence will maintain in its replicated variety lengthy after you're bodily lifeless.
2016-08-29 09:17:13 · answer #2 · answered by bollinger 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Alright...Im not sure if you can handle this, but here it is...heres the answer (no bullshit)....
This place is basically a laboratory for God (creator, etc) where he basically splits himself up into individual entities of all possible creations. Because they originate from one entity they tend to harmonize or work around each other, balancing out. Humans, are an elevated level of enlightened energy learning to raise another notch while not completely destroying each other. I could explain more...the meaning of life, for humans at least, is to pass a self-declared Major. And this Earth is a college.
...you know this already...
2006-10-02 04:03:22 · answer #3 · answered by Aan 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The answer is 42. At least thats what the computer that was created in Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy figured. Sounds good to me.
2006-10-02 02:28:25 · answer #4 · answered by Aurora 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have thought about that question many times in the past. Why am I here? Is there a purpose for my existence?
I have found my own personal answer to that question and I believe that everyone needs to find their own personal answer to that question. Oh, there are people out there who have a technical answer... to procreate...yada yada. But, its a personal choice.
I believe that we are here to teach. Even if we don't relize at the time we are teaching someone. Including ourselves. For example: A man lies in a nursing home. He lies in bed does nothing, cannot speak, someone must feed him, change his diapers, turn him, etc. What purpose is this? He is teaching. He is teaching someone patience and compassion. Why does he lay there day after day? Because someone new may come in to that nursing home and be assigned him. Not long after they come in, he dies. His purpose has been fullfilled, he might've taught the new person how to care for someone like him. This new person caring for him, may sometime in their future need this knowledge, or needs to learn compassion and patience for their future job. Maybe he has touched her/his heart.
You... walking down the street see another person, your eyes meet and you smile. Why? Because you just do..you didn't think about it you just did it. But, that person is depressed wondering, much like you maybe, why are they here..the whole world has gone to piss anyway. Love of mankind have fallen off...no one cares. Then you walked pass and smile. And leave that person thinking...maybe not everyone is bad. There is kindness in someones heart. Maybe that should be my goal...to smile more, to be nicer, to set an example.
Think that doesn't sound plausible? It is...it actually happened and even though I never saw that man again...he taught me something. I was actually thinking of going home and taking a bunch of pills and going to sleep forever. I was 15. And I thought to myself if there is something worth living for..some little piece of kindness in the this F*%$#ed up world...I better see it before I get home. I did...
Now, I'm here for my children, to show them the beautiful things in life. Not just the ugly. To see the story from all sides not just the side they wish to see. Thats my purpose to teach, and when my job is done...I'll die.
Whats YOUR meaning of life????
2006-10-02 02:44:13 · answer #5 · answered by Bethie 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Monkey Girl is right. God created us to have fellowship with Him. He wanted us to love Him of our own free will, so He gave us that. When we stray from God, that's when everything seems to go wrong, because we are straying from our purpose in life. We do it to ourselves. A personal relationship with our saviour is the only way to a peaceful life.
2006-10-02 02:56:57 · answer #6 · answered by country nana 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't know how open you are to religion - but I believe the our original purpose was for companionship with God. God wants a relationship with you. He created you and has an amazing purpose and plan for you. I encourage you to seek Him out. I promise you - even if you don't believe in God - if you genuinely want to know what your purpose is or if God is real - just ask Him. He won't let you down. See for yourself.
2006-10-02 06:55:12 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
look at the many other answers to this question which has been asked since Y Answers began. You'll find it can't be quantified, it means different things to different people.
2006-10-02 02:36:32 · answer #8 · answered by cymbalita 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Suffering.
2006-10-02 02:24:15 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
You should have said other then 42
2006-10-02 02:25:37 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
To serve and love Jesus Christ! He made us to be in fellowship with Him and to worship Him!
That is the meaning of life.
2006-10-02 02:20:10 · answer #11 · answered by Lacking Daisies 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋