Is the meaning of life to gather knowledge?

Question

Consider the bond between mind and body in this experience
we call life.
To sustain the experience we require sustenance in the
form of food and drink, but why do we require food and drink?
To survive is a vague answer to say the least because we
don't desire simply to survive. We desire to live with
convenience.
Perhaps, we require food and drink to keep the body
ready and able to retrieve physical information for
consideration by the mind. If we are hungry or thirsty
our minds are generally less capable of proper function.
Therefore, living might be thought to have an intrinsic
tie to the ability of the mind in the constant present.

The fore mentioned seems to imply that we who seek
meaning do not simply eat and drink to survive, but
to live and to gather the knowledge to find and apply
the meaning.

All thoughts and opinions no matter how abstract or
concrete are welcome.

Enki:
"so in the end it wont matter how much
you knew, but how people knew you..."

Yes, in the end of the physical
existence and pertaining to the
physical propagation after that
end. The other individuals who
continue to gather information
after the individual's death would
gather information about that
individual who passed on through
remembrance which is
communicated through the physical
world as a medium(through speech
for example). In that sense, it is
important to gather knowledge
in the present to propagate that
knowledge in the future when the
individual is no longer living in
the physical world.

Susan:
"The meaning of living is to reproduce...
Get it? Thanks."

And for you the meaning of life would
be circular reasoning. I am not putting
your opinion down, I am merely putting
it out in the open. I could be wrong,
but ask yourself what is the meaning
of reproducing. If it is to live then it
is circular reasoning. At the least
your opinion does have significant
participation from the majority of
humanity to back it up, so in that
regard you have evidence to support
your argument. However, I am more
interested in the significant number
of people who define life to be more
practical and rational than to simply
pass time in between the reproductive
cycle, and more substantial than
simply fulfilling physical needs such
as other "less civilized" species do.

Sophist:
"You are confusing meaning with
purpose. Meaning expresses the why
of a life. (subjective) Purpose is the
what of a life. (objective)"

Curious indeed, as I recall the question
is usually phrased as "what is the
meaning of life?".
Yes, the meaning is subjective.
Can any purpose be justified without
meaning it. In my opinion, no purpose
is beyond the need for explaining its
merit. God might have a higher
purpose, but people must explain
themselves. In other words, simply
because someone has a means
to an end doesn't mean that the
purpose is well-founded. Therefore,
the acceptance of purpose must
comply with the rules of subjectivity.

Alex:
"... then what is life good for? Let us eat
and drink for tomorrow we'll die?"

I did not state any observation of
what comes before or what comes
after. I stated that during life knowing
the physical world might be the
most efficient meaning of life.
"Knowledge is power"

Godself:
"The Meaning of life is to choose, and
create, and experience our choices
and creations."

Life is to choose, create, and
experience, but I think the meaning
of life is to know about the choosing,
creating, and experiencing.

Godself:
"The purpose of the spirit is to express it's desire. The purpose of the mind is to choose from it's options, and interpret it's surroundings, circumstances and creations. The purpose of the body is to experience those choices, to manifest the creations of the person (which come from all levels of the triune being), and to tell the mind what it is experiencing so that it can be interpreted. This is often (but not only) done by sending signals to the brain."

I agree that all of this quote is true to the
best of my knowledge.

The entity formerly known as n4maxn:
"Extracting a higher-level Meaning out
of knowledge, on the other hand,
demands a complex decision making
process and an associative value
assignment facility on the part of the
bearer of the information."

Knowledge and meaning are
inextricably tied together. The means
to an end is to know the meaning.

The entity formerly known as n4maxn:
"A tool-making chimpanzee, for
instance, may not assign any superior
Meaning to its knowledge of catching
ants and termites on a stick, beyond
the simple act of tending to its empty
stomach, that is."

Your example is ill-suited as it
assumes the associative facility
of a non-human species. It appears
to assume that the monkey wants
to role model the human's concept
of higher meaning. Oddly enough,
the life-styles of some humans lead
me to believe that the human wants
to role model the monkey's concept
of higher-meaning.

Soul Shine:
"I believe in the possibility of an after
life and look forward to seeing how the
things my soul has learned will translate
into eternity."

I agree, an interesting proposition.

Pluto2007:
"Self "to be" is what life knows about you."

I disagree. Self "to be" is "I think,
therefore I am".
In my experience, what you are
referring to is representation of self;
what the external perceives me
"to be".

Suetoz:
"What is the point of gathering
knowledge if the knowledge we gather is not TRUTH."

Nothing can be known except
knowledge, and that must be
true. If at some later point the
knowledge we once believed
is proven to be inappropriate
then we gain from knowing its
inappropriateness.

Answer 1

I would agree with you, that we are ultimately searching for knowledge whether consciously or subconsciously, but I think It gets a little bit deeper than that.

Answer 2

Nice question.

When thinking of life in this manner, I like to believe it even goes further than the individual's mind. More like a collective consciousness, and one which encompasses all.

In considering the definition of knowledge, for this purpose, would include those who have conscious thought and other life which displays intelligent function (Ex. the Venus Fly Trap).
Consider evolution, the immediate knowledge of an individual life form does not usually benefit that individual. It is just a minuscule contributor over time.

So there seems to be an underlying force to evolve life into higher intelligence. Call it survival of the fittest, but that does not always signify knowledge, but intelligent design. Knowledge seems like an added bonus as a result in some cases.

Life appears to me in one of two ways...

1) The body and the mind solely function to serve the reproduction system, via protection, sustenance, and mobility, thereby propagating that form of life.

or

2) The body serves the mind through protection, propagation, sustenance, for the purpose of being mobile to gather knowledge.

But the continual enhancement of the mind as time goes on deserves consideration. So far, it has achieved the ability to question its own exist. It is doubtful that we have reached the end of this evolution. So could the ultimate end be the ability of the Universe to contemplate itself via the collective consciousness gathered throughout the eons of time?

Answer 3

No. In spiritul form we have access to the infinite knowledge of the universe across space and time. The act of gathering knowledge is a process of remembering, not learning.

The Meaning of life is to choose, and create, and experience our choices and creations. A person has these abilities from birth to death, from the retarted to the genius, from the intelligent to the emotional. It is the common denominator of all of life, not just human.

The purpose of the spirit is to express it's desire. The purpose of the mind is to choose from it's options, and interpret it's surroundings, circumstances and creations. The purpose of the body is to experience those choices, to manifest the creations of the person (which come from all levels of the triune being), and to tell the mind what it is experiencing so that it can be interpreted. This is often (but not only) done by sending signals to the brain.

Nothing matters in my world lest I say it does. Knowledge helps, but it is not the only defining factor to my ability to decide which option I choose, or which creation I imagine or manifest. This also applies to mind itself.

Answer 4

The quest for knowledge is built into the very fabric of our evolutionary existence - the acquisition of information, generally speaking, tends to mitigate the inherent risks associated with the game of survival. I don't like to keep quoting a 3000-year old man, but as Aristotle put it: "All men by nature desire understanding." ... Having said that, it is imperative to keep in mind that "Knowledge" is one thing, "Meaning", in contrast, is something altogether different. A tool-making chimpanzee, for instance, may not assign any superior Meaning to its knowledge of catching ants and termites on a stick, beyond the simple act of tending to its empty stomach, that is. Extracting a higher-level Meaning out of knowledge, on the other hand, demands a complex decision making process and an associative value assignment facility on the part of the bearer of the information. So, if YOU have determined that the meaning of Life is to gather knowledge, then so it is. ... “Universally speaking”, however, and disheartening as it may sound to us, it is quite unlikely that any [dimensional] human-assigned Meaning would ultimately either be relevant or even remotely related to The Truth.

Answer 5

As our body requires sustenance (and sex), our mind requires 'stimulation' in the present. Survival of the mind/body system requires it. How little or how much is sufficient for survival is dependent on the individual soul.

If your spiritual/soul journey is to "understand" the nature of being and reality, then "gathering knowledge" would apply to you, but this is not universal.

Even a person who overtly identifies with body needs for stimulation, will be gathering "information" and forming opinions - which most probably will be unrelated to seeking "knowledge" as it relates to philosophical truth.

Even if you accept my supposition that stimulation is a requirement for life, and I accept yours, that gathering "information" is what the system inherently does, you are still omitting the most critical and innate component of every human (discounting some but not all with mental disabilities) mind/body system. The mind yearns for the experience of 'full aliveness' which relates back to the biological need for mental stimulation.

Answer 6

What is the point of gathering knowledge if the knowledge we gather is not TRUTH. A man can be very knowledgeable and still die never having known the TRUTH. Knowledge can change our life. But TRUTH changes our death into life.
Jesus said, "I am the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE. No one comes to the Father, but by me."
I know the TRUTH. I no longer struggle just to survive. But I have found abundant life on this earth and eternal life in heaven.
"If you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord; And believe in your heart, God raised him from the dead, you shall be saved."

Answer 7

'If we are hungry or thirsty
our minds are generally less capable of proper function.'

I would say the contrary, that the mind changes its mode of operation for dire need. Only when the brain its self co-lapses of dis-nutrition does it malfunction or dysfunction. The mere registration of need in the brain is a normal ongoing condition for all living things, even rich people.

' We desire to live with
convenience.'

'Convenience' is a complex time plus space concept for objects of utility value and our using them. 'The' is the pointer to a single and known or definite thing or concept 'a kind of thing'. 'Are the meanings of lives to gather knowledge?' The 'gathering' is as much a meaning as is the 'dispersing'.

'Peace is more important than all justice; and peace was not made for the sake of justice, but justice for the sake of peace: Martin Luther (1483-1546) '

http://groups.google.com/group/Pak-Youth-Forum/browse_thread/thread/792d79e74957927d?hl=en

The Will is positive, the Judgment is negative.

Answer 8

I am a spiritual person.....

I believe our souls are the part of us that are here to learn.
I believe our souls are the energy vortex that keeps us motivated or not, to search for the meaning in life.

I believe in the possibility of an after life and look forward to seeing how the things my soul has learned will translate into eternity.

I am a caterpillar waiting to fly.

Love ...it's all about learning LOVE

Answer 9

Life. What is the Purpose of Life? Life....Life....Life. People have so many opinions on this. But here is mine:

Life is not just breathing and spending your days. It is not waiting for death. Life is not about regret.
Life is about living. And when I say living I do not mean just breathing and walking and talking. I mean living.


I mean yelling across a mountain top just to hear words echo back to you.
I mean spreading your arms, getting bare feet, and dancing in the rain.
I mean sitting at a horizon and watching a sunset and letting all your days worries just dive away with that sun.
I mean singing at the top of your lungs without worrying if you sound good or bad.
I mean just running at full speed just 'cause.
I mean giving a destitute even a penny just to see a smile on their face.
I mean putting a big inspirational grin from your heart on your face even through moments of depression.
I mean putting a smile on those faces that are filled with sadness or wet with tears.

So, my friend, what is life? Life is simply living. But living for this world. There is so much sadness, melancholy, hate, sorrow, pain, and agony in this world. It wouldn't hurt to just get up in the morning and put a smile on your face. And think....that today...today...I'll live for this world. Today I'll dance in the rain just 'cause. Today I'll sing in a crowd just 'cause. Today I'll say hello to everyone I see just 'cause. Just 'cause there is enough sadness in this world...and maybe, just maybe, if I can put a smile on my face and cheer someone else up...AKA live for this world....maybe, just maybe, There will be some...a little bit of less sadness and melancholy in this world. Maybe...Just Maybe.

There you go, that's my opinion. Life is living for this world and without a reason. Just living for this world....just 'cause. Just cause you want to lessen that sadness that weighs this world down.

Answer 10

I heard it said once or twice somewhere that the strongest drive or force in nature was the repetitive drive. The instinctual need to repeat behaviour. Sex, migration, reproduction, planetary orbits etc, etc. etc. This seems to me to be an absolute.And how many times have I said this before? Life is circular we are here just to come back again and again and again.... great question!

Answer 11

I do not think the meaning of life is to gather knowledge because what comes before that? It is to live. The meaning of living is to reproduce. From reproducing it is to gather knowledge, to experience happiness and sadness, to have religions, to do certain actions like eating to survive, etc.
Get it? Thanks.