What is man's reason for existence?

Question

Why are you here?

Answer 1

Why do you believe there has to be a reason?

Answer 2

Why am I here? Why is anyone here? That question is akin to asking why the earth exists and why the universe exists too. Does there have to be a reason?

When you look at a bee colony, it's amazing how organized they are and how diligent they are in getting the work done, in caring for each other, in defending the colony. It's really amazing sometimes. It doesn't take long before we wonder what their purpose is and we usually find one, they exist to pollinate the plants. But is this really their purpose or just our romantic way of looking for a reason? In fact they're not the least bit interested in pollinating anything, they're simply interested in surviving by seeking food and maintaining their colony, that's all they exist for. The fact that they perform a useful service in their quest to survive is simply a happy coincidence.

Every living thing is composed of mindless chemistry that is simply following the laws of physics. I grant you as you move up the chain of life that chemistry gets increasingly more complex, but it's still mindless chemistry. Programmed into that chemistry is also the need to survive and procreate. Were that not programmed into the genes of each living organism, it would go extinct very quickly. So it pursues a mindless quest to survive and procreate so that the specie can survive into the future and it does that for no purpose either, it does it simply because that mindless chemistry requires it.

The only difference with us and a few other higher orders in the tree of life is that we think and are consequently able to ask the question of why we are here. Yet why does there have to be an answer to the question? We're relatively young, those who know argue that we're somewhere between two and three and a half million years old. The dinosaurs were around for sixty five million years, some life forms like the cockroach have existed for about two hundred million years. None of them asked the question, they simply did what their chemistry demanded, they survived and procreated.

Whether we will survive is an open question, I'm sure the dinosaurs, if they were able to think at all, probably also thought they'd survive forever. Well they didn't and so it's not valid to assume we will either. We are simply another life form in millions that exist presently and we are simply competing with all the others for a piece of the action. Our intelligence is helping a lot to enable us to compete successfully, and yet with the way we've messed up the planet to the point of global warming one has to wonder if perhaps we are at the beginning of our own end. If that does happen life will continue and will again follow the same pattern, it will survive and procreate. That's happened over and over again in the palaeontological record even after each major extinction, one that wiped out 85% of all life forms. The only purpose of life is to survive and procreate.

So if you want my opinion, there is no reason for existence at all. We simply won the chemistry lottery and emerged with intelligence. That said though, we can create a reason for our existence by being prudent and wise stewards of our planet and our resources and by doing our best to enable other life to co-exist with us. If we do that perhaps we have a purpose. But that purpose would simply be something we invented, nothing more.

Now that's a rather cold view I suppose but a realistic one. However if you're spiritual, as many people are, you can also declare that God created us and His purpose is either unknown to us because we are mere mortals and thus incapable of understanding His will, or His purpose is to enable us to create a better world and in doing do ascend into the kingdom of heaven. If this will make you feel better then go for it. But personally, I prefer the cold realistic view because whenever I've looked at the realities of life, I've never come up with a better answer. Besides, either answer can be right, it’s impossible to prove either one right or wrong.

I hope this helps a little.

Answer 3

I am here because my mother and father weren't practising birth control at the time I was conceived?????
Does there have to be a profound reason. "We're here because we're here because we're here because we're here" Doesn't have to be some great mystery religious or otherwise about that fact???? Does there???? If there has to be a reason well....let me see...Oh Yeah....I am here for the sole purpose of having discovered Yahoo Questions and Answers and to spread my light around the planet!!! Will that do??? Hi Peternal!!!!

Answer 4

man exists because God appointed us to watch over the rest of His creations. he gave us the higest power next to his, also giving us will and intellect and reason. unfortunately, i don't think we're doing such a great job...

Answer 5

To worship God in faith till I get my great and ultimate reward, ETERNAL LIFE with Him!!!
I also live to be the best I can while I'm on earth for myself first and for others!

Answer 6

To raise the next generation.

Answer 7

the reason is to love no more no less,
I love the sunset,
and wait the sunrise,
I love start new day,
as is the last day.

for shutterb....

who was born first....the eg...or the kichen....

Answer 8

Beating back the kudzu, of course.

Answer 9

It's my turn to produce fertilizer for the earth...

Answer 10

Whe are here for the woman.....