Atheists only, pluheez? What is the meaning and purpose of life ergo evolution?

Answer 1

The "purpose" of life is to become more efficient at what it is you are doing, principally surviving. Amino acids form, then combine to produce chemical energy sources. Mitochondria work out a symbiotic relationship with DNA and membrane material to form a living cell. Single celled organisms combine and differentiate their functions to produce organic life. Complex organisms learn to interrect with their environments to improve their chances of survival, adopting various propagation methods. Nervous systems develop control centers, brains, that coordinate their activities and interpret warning signals into responses. Eventually memory, self-awareness and abstract thought develop, enabling the life form to understand how its environment works and to plan for the future.

Humanity's first attempts to control its environment produced mixed results. The food supply is more reliable in some places but poison levels are up in others, and climates seem less stable than ever. When we achieve a more holistic, planet-level understanding of our environment, we should do better, both for ourselves and our companion species. Perhaps we may even guide some of them into sentience to help us better deal with the challenges of understanding.

Note that it is the species that needs to survive, not any one individual. We don't like anyone suffering or dying and that's good, because individuals makeup the whole, but from an evoutionary point of view, there are no favorites. Either something survives or nothing does. The species matters more than the individual, and biological progress matters even more than the species. So if we manage to wipe ourselves out like latter day dinosaurs, the insect descendants that inherit the Earth will have some kind of serious evolutionary advantage over us.

Where does it end? We can't tell. Several times in history people have stated that it seems there is not much more to learn, only to be profoundy embarrassed a few years later by some unanticipated new field of discovery. Sometimes we backslide. Sometimes we find a philosophical or technological dead end. But we learn from mistakes and try again, becoming ever better at understanding and refining the definiton of this mysterious process of living.

Answer 2

Well, that's the sixty-four thousand dollar question, isn't it?

That's the question that all religions base their survival on (by providing the answer).

I looked it up in a philosophy book once and was dismayed to find six or seven different takes on the "meaning" of life.

The one that everyone is interested in, of course, is what is the purpose of MY life.

For thousands of years a less than gaseous substance that can't be located, but that, none the less, has enormous, superhuman awareness and abilities has been worshiped because its "existence" (or, if that bar is too high, then just "belief" in that existence) can be used to explain and justify our own.

Perhaps a more immediate and sensible reasoning can be found.

The universe, with an appropriate and constant energy source has learned to trun matter into life-matter; it then builds complexity...

Life plus complexity leads to us...

We around the age of five or six become aware that we are little biological robot boys and girls with our own identity.

We then spend most of our remaining life time asking why this is so.

Science says that nature can create life, so nature does create life.

Religions say that we have a great and glorious beginning and ending.

Somewhere in the middle is probably a good place to be.

Answer 3

Richard Dawkins is an atheist, so of direction he thinks there is not any "after-lifestyles." technology and faith have been at odds for some years. Scientists have self assurance each thing would desire to be shown as a fashion to be valid, and maximum religious human beings have self assurance if that's not interior the Bible (or their specific religious text textile), then it can't be actual. surely the two one in all those paradigms are incorrect. merely by way of fact it can't be shown would not advise that's a fantasy. Can the lifestyles of the soul be scientifically shown? Can God be scientifically shown? for sure not by way of fact maximum scientists are agnostic or atheist. on the different hand, evolution and organic determination are very valid theories even however they don't coincide with biblical truths. remember Galileo and the "flat international mentality" that stored his discovery from being typical for the period of his time? There are memories and ideas interior the Bible that somewhat are myths, merely like there are issues in technology books that are incorrect. we are evolving human beings, and not one individuals has ever had possession of the finished actuality. Dawkins is partly the excellent option and partly incorrect. The Bible is partly the excellent option and partly incorrect. each faith that has ever existed has had the excellent option ideas and incorrect ideas. each guy or woman would desire to discover his very own actuality. merely by way of fact Richard Dawkins says something would not make it the excellent option. you have the capacity and skill to discover your very own meaning and objective on your lifestyles. Richard Dawkins' opinion approximately lifestyles and dying is merely one among many. some human beings have self assurance in evolution AND lifestyles after dying. keep looking and interpreting, and you will discover your very own meaning and objective on your lifestyles.

Answer 4

From an evolutionary standpoint, the purpose of life is to survive and pass on your genes. From a human perspective, most of us have more sophisticated agendas above and beyond the basic requirements of survival, but these are particular to the individual. In that sense, the purpose of *your* life is whatever you decide it is.

Technically, I'm an agnostic, but I'm pretty sure God as most Christians present him doesn't exist. Is that close enough?

Answer 5

"Meaning" is an important and powerful concept. Use judiciously. That being said, evolution suggests that the purpose of life is *to live*. In a sense, your genetic instruction set (DNA) is doing just that as it "leads" you to procreate, thus creating new DNA assemblies with your goodies in there.

A more subtle approach is to ask if a sentient being can *create* meaning. Evidently, our species can do this. It's not any species that can create its own meaning. We do it through art, ritual, literature, science, and yes, even religion. All of our best cultural inventions address the question of meaning.

Answer 6

Evolution is without an ultimate goal and is not working to fulfill a specific plan. This is a fairly common misconception.

Personally, I believe the meaning of life is to leave my mark on this world, whether by helping someone out when they need it most, contributing to society through artwork or technology, simply by being a compassionate individual, or any number of a myriad other ways.

Answer 7

Life has no purpose. No matter what you believe in. You are the only one that can give your life meaning because it is very personal thing.

Answer 8

Why does everyone think that life *has* to have meaning in the first place? And if there was a meaning, why would it matter?

It's better to not dwell on things we can't answer, and instead pursue the answers that are tangible.

Answer 9

life evolves.... we all emit information...everything on the planet emits this information.. usually complaints... it's like nature talking to nature... from rocks to trees animals and fish and birds and us humans and bugs ... everthing emits information... nature works at solving these complaints which causes evolution.. a solution ... and then it's a matter of maintaining our place in nature ... What is emitted is refered to as 'spirit' in humans and religions seek to interfere with evolution by re directing all that enegery and information through religions... religions interfere with the nature order of life on earth to the point of endangering it...

Answer 10

Sorry, I can't answer your question. I'm not an atheist.

But, life is more meaningful with evolution. I assure you that.