Why do humans constantly seek the meaning of life? Do Animals do it?

Question

I have a theory. My theory is that the meaning of life is for an individual to find a meaning to their life.

However, I don't fully understand, maybe you philosophers out there would like to share your thoughts. Why do you feel people seek a meaning of life? Why is it significant? What if there is one? What will happen if we learn it?

Lastly, this is purely egocentric but what do you think of my theory?

Thank you for any responses.

Answer 1

i beleive animals already know the meaning of life that is why they cant speak

Answer 2

Animals seek the meaning of life on an intuitive level. Not in mental words but rather a sense or feeling.

Meaning is important to us because as we realize the many options we have for directing our lives, we eventually see that the best decisions are based on reaching an ultimate goal. How can we know how to direct our lives if we don't know where we are supposed to end up? Life requires so much energy for so much time we would be crushed if we thought we were going nowhere, like a balloon let loose in the air; flailing around going everywhere and yet nowhere with no result to show in the end for all the work that had been done. Without meaning, there is no reason to expend energy. There is no path. There is no where to go. This is unsettling to any being on a fundamental level.

Answer 3

This is what separates us from the animals. That, and that we pay for sex. We are self away. Some people that try to understand the Bible believe that Adam and Eve represent the point at which mankind became self aware and the exit of the Garden of Eden is when man began to change the environment so suit his needs.

Another theory states that if it exists then it was created, and if it was created, it was designed. Going back to the Bag Bang theory, all protons, electrons, nutrons, photons, were not part of atoms and thus able to condence into a piece of unstable matter the size of an avocado pit. Science cannot yet explain how or why this exist, Creationalists simply credit God, yet the universe is here and it consists of specific shapes and a very delicate gravitational balance, so does it have a purpose for being? Its just really hard for me to say that all this just happened.

Answer 4

Your theory is a cyclical premise that is true in that it is what the point of philosophy is but philosophy has nothing to do with living. Here's the insanity; life doesn't require or ask for a meaning. You are told to put it there by the material and religious influences all around you.

A cat seeks a food & water source, a place to burry it's waste and a warm place to lie down. It appears that a cats favorite activity is play. I can not deduce that there is any meaning to a cat's life and I can not sense that the cat cares.

Answer 5

I agree with your theory in that the meaning of life is quite simply an individual and personal quest for meaning in one's own life.

People seek the meaning of life because they are confused and think there is something more, perhaps on a grand scale that we are all looking for the same thing. I don't believe that is true. My meaning of life is different than your meaning of life. And I believe if either of us find ours, it will bring peace to each of us.

Since I don't know an animals mind, I can't say if they know they meaning of life. I actually think that animals are only concerned with the very basic version of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.
1) Physiological: hunger, thirst, bodily comforts, etc.;

2) Safety/security: out of danger;

3) Belonginess and Love: affiliate with others, be accepted; and

4) Esteem: to achieve, be competent, gain approval and recognition.

However, I'm sure that #4 does not apply to my cat or any other animals.

Answer 6

Firstly, we will never know if animals seek the meaning of life. Although it does seem unlikely that they should, it'd be arrogant to rule out that possibility. But I doubt so.

Well, why shouldn't humans seek the meaning of life? Humans are curious beings, as all animals are so it's only natural that they should seek a meaning to life and our existence, which is in my opinion, is fundamental otherwise we'd be living from day to day not knowing why we're even here.

What if there is a meaning of life? That we almost certainly will never find out, will we? We can guess and hypothesise various theories but it'd be impossible to learn of a definite meaning of life.
Speaking of theories, I personally believe there isn't an inherent meaning or purpose to life. Our existence in the first place was largely down to chance, and from then on evolution has made us what we are. Thus, like in existentialism, I think everyone defines his or her own meaning of life from their own lives.

And thus, yes, I do agree with your theory of the meaning of life.

Answer 7

Hah, YOU GOT IT!!!!!!! No seriously thats always been a bit of my theory too. I feel that we seek the meaning of life to feel that we have a purpose other than to just be here, you know?
It is significant, because a meaning makes us feel all warm and fuzzy inside, and we will learn it eventually I assume. It's like mine so we're both egocentic. I just love the word egocentric....I better go.

Answer 8

If a higher power exists, then that power undoubtedly put our great need for meaning into our human nature. Why? It can only be to urge us to seek Him. So our purpose is to seek God and by seeking Him, we find meaning in our lives. We can tell whoever we like about God giving meaning and purpose but the problem is that we don't want to hear it because we want our independence from God. To find God is to find an authority over our lives Who watches and judges and we hate that. We want meaning but that leads only to God and so we reject the only possible answer and forever keep looking for something apart from God, but it doesn't exist apart from God.

Answer 9

Animals have no need to search for the meaning for life. they have only a few things they think about. how to survive, how to mate, where is my mate? altho the have feelings, they cannot comprehend the meaning of life. humans on the other hand, seem to fell they have to have a meaning to live, or else they think their life is useless. some feel contributing to the world would help them, but to no avail. i found out my meaning of life just from reading the bible. just look at it this way. give a million dollars to the un to save Daffur. celebrities have done that exact thing. but they are still in genicide. this world is a pit of unfair crulty, and the search for meaning of life is just a deversion from pain.

Answer 10

For me, the meaning of life is to leave the world a better place than you found it. Many of us will come and go, leaving ripples that fade over time into the noise of history. A select few, though, will play the role of chaos theory's butterfly. Through actions that perhaps even appear insignificant, they'll kick off waves of change that leave a lasting impression on the landscape of human culture. I hope that somehow I manage to start some waves that improve the human condition over the long term.

Since none of us is an expert on the creation of the universe, because none of us created it, and none of us was alive for the past billions of years to witness it, then we can safely say that we are all just trying to make sense of it. We believe in philosophies, truths, dogmas, faiths, or sometimes the lack thereof that have been passed down to us through myriads of ways of telling.

To scrape it down to a skeletal essence, then the truth I believe in is this: to love others as best we possibly can and, for the sake of Pete and heaven, to love something bigger, greater, and beyond ourselves, something we did not create or have the power to create, something intangible and made holy by our very belief in it.

This is not the souped-up, sexed-out version of love that many of us resign to. Rather, it is the kind of love that causes us to forgive those who hurt us and to risk our lives. It is not magical, or impossible, for it is within us all to love others so fiercely that in the end we could give it all up. This scary notion cuts much deeper than any hurt we experience or inflict, because it buried under layers or silliness, sadness, pain, fear, and personal dreams.

This is all easy to say, hard to do, but worth every effort we can muster.

The beauty we ALL see within any Animal is their peace... their balance.
They have gotten it right since the start of time.....they need not seek.....because they have found it.

Blessings

Answer 11

My purpose is to find the meaning of MY life, which is not necessarily the same as yours.

Animals don't seek purpose....they already have one, which is to eat, sleep, and make more like themseves. On a purely biologic note, this is the same for we humans......

If one learns the true meaning behind one's life, one will learn true happiness, or contentment.