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2006-11-02 17:15:57 · 25 answers · asked by reloadedin98 2 in Arts & Humanities Philosophy

25 answers

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)
* ...to complete your list of life goals
* ...to find something to believe

Wisdom and knowledge

* ...to be without question, or to keep asking questions
* ...to find out the meaning of life
* ...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 find true love
* ...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)
* ...to determine a set of goals based on an individuals belief in the meaning of life and work towards the attainment of those objectives.
* ...a combination of any of the above.
* ...42

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?
* ...because nobody will ever love you.
* ...life may actually not exist, this is all a surreal dream.

But most importantly

* ...not to die.
Source(s):
http://www.answers.com/meaning%20of%20li...

2006-11-03 00:32:16 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

The meaning is what you wish to give it! Do you want to be angry? Do you want to be happy? Do you want to be resentful? You choose. Its not meant to be easy so don't even think that we are victims of some horror that we somehow mysteriously found ourselves in the middle of by accident. Everything happens for a reason even the most dreadful of things. Its all in the way we perceive it. One fine day we come to the realization that death does not exist. We live on and viewing death in such a horrible manner will one day be a thing of the past knowing we just change dimensions. Never ever choose to be angry or you will make your life miserable. I figured that out a long time ago. Life is precious and wonderful no matter how bad it gets because I know its all meant to be just as it is for me. And you also.

2006-11-02 17:23:34 · answer #2 · answered by soniaatcalifornia 5 · 0 0

First know who u r.
1- u r a son/daughter brother/sister, father/mother. Add all the possible list u have.
What r ur prime duties towards ur parents and elders. Check out & do then full heartedly. Make sure u do it as correctly as possible.

Then do the same in school/ college where u study.

Then do something for the mankind, u know of, like assisting old and infirm in old age home or any where u know of.

Then do something for the nature like planting more trees (Global warming is taking place), if possible involve more friends, relatives and known/unknown person.

By doing any or all of the above u will get an answer

2006-11-02 17:33:13 · answer #3 · answered by Venkatesh V S 5 · 0 0

Why does it have to have a meaning? An organism passes time in this dimension and has an opportunity to excel or fail. You are not defined simply by living but by measuring your opportunity and contributing in your most excellent fashion that which impacts the lives and existence of others. Non - sentient organisms such as a flower exist only to sprout, grow and bloom in their space. They don't spare any effort in accomplishing their maturity and if not regarded by the human eye for their beauty they pollinate, go to seed and leave their legacy to the next generation without complaining. Life goes on.
http://mishilo.image.pbase.com/v3/06/585506/2/47499261.sunflower.jpg

2006-11-02 17:34:53 · answer #4 · answered by Norman 7 · 0 0

This is one of the most important questions you can ask in this human form of life. I am very glad you did.
The meaning of life is to know who you are, who God is and to reestablish your relationship with Him. Then you should act according to that knowledge. The result will be the ultimate goal of our existence - developing pure love of God.
If you are serious about making your life meaningful you should immediately start on the path of self-realization. All other business is secondary.

2006-11-02 19:53:54 · answer #5 · answered by aumklim 3 · 0 0

The meaning of life is life itself.

It is for the one to live life. Nurture one's good life.
Our life is an unparalleled gift given to us humans.
Always keep an objective to preserve it and nurture it.

Life is like for one to expand one's life to say,
more and more life ?

Life is a force rather an animate object that god has given us.
Do appreciate this invaluable gift and preserve it.

Try to do good work in life.
Life is an education.
Don't worry about how good or bad you do in the tests of
obstacles that you come across.
Try responding to these tests in the best way that you can and
then don't worry.

Life is to have one's responsibilities to our near family members.
Have good feelings for them.

Life is to have good friends.
If the friend is good have good feeling for them

Love comes to genuine souls.

Life often has bounties to offer to good souls.
Do not feel proud. Be genuine.

Many times these bounties come like a rose !
A beatiful rose grows on a branch with leaves laden with
thorns.

Accept what you are and what you have.
Be yourself and try to improve your life in right and justifiable ways.
Try living life with such good objectives and efforts as best as you can.

2006-11-02 17:47:42 · answer #6 · answered by James 4 · 0 0

Yes I consider that existence for repeat offenders is well.I imply reason these kind of murders would were avoided if the killers could have stayed in prison. I can relate to the sufferers households. My pal used to be killed in 1997 and they have got no leads.An I recognize routinely the jury allows them to off however come on if the fellow or woman killed greater than as soon as you already know hes going to do it once more.

2016-09-01 06:28:34 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

life. Think of the universe as a light bulb. There's no point in it existing if it's not going to shine. Life gives purpose to the universe. Without it there would be peace but there also would be nothingness.

2006-11-02 17:19:21 · answer #8 · answered by fancy unicorn 4 · 0 0

The meaning of life is meaning itself. You have to look at the question to find the answer sometimes. The hokey pokey answer is hilarious though..

2006-11-02 17:18:37 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

Everything and nothing. Its what you have or not have, do and not do, think and not think and, feel and not feel gives life a meaning.

Enjoy life to the fullest, instead of dwelling and comparing why others have what we don't.

2006-11-02 18:24:52 · answer #10 · answered by Sofi 1 · 0 0

my ex bf said the meaning of life was a bbq but i dont know what he's thinking

2006-11-02 17:23:48 · answer #11 · answered by Erikawithasmile 4 · 0 0

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