Humans are on the Earth: What is the "reason" and what is the "purpose", if any?

Question

(and explain the difference - if you think there is one)

Answer 1

If we have to ask the question if there is a reason or purpose, then I think the answer is no. There is no reason or purpose. But I think we have to make ourselves feel better and invent one. ;)

Answer 2

I don't think there has to be either a reason or a purpose, only humans ask those sorts of questions, and only because of this evolutionarily successful capacity for rationality we've developed. There's no reason to suppose those concepts transcend humanity. But I think humans live best when we contribute to others and participate in the existential mysterious journey of our being more than merely a sum of our parts.

Answer 3

Why does there have to be a reason?Why does there have to be a purpose?I often wonder this when people ask the question "why are we here?".

Reason usually applies to the cause.Often, reason is used to suggest there is one in a spiritual sense to suggest that the cause of creation was done by a deity and that is the reason we are here.This is an example of a religious need to apply an answer to a senseless question.

The purpose usually applies to the age old question of "what should we do know that we are here?"Clearly there is going to be many different answers to this from a religious point of view.Some will say to worship Allah and others to worship the Hebrew God and others to worship Christ and others would say the purpose is to gain enlightenment.But, perhaps the purpose is really what you want it to be and thus the answer to the question is self satisfying.

Answer 4

Materially, humans are the product of a wired in patterned drive in nature, i.e., we are the inevitable outcome. Our purpose, now that we have evolved sufficiently, now that we are able to understand the process somewhat, and can pose such a question, is to take our evolution into our own hands and discover fully what it means to be human and to re-create our world in such a way that will support our reaching our full human potential and everything that implies individually and collectively.

Answer 5

In christianity, the purpose of humans is to understand creation. The only job God gives to Adam is to name everything, a process scientists are still working on (what slows us down is tha we have to discover each new thing before we can name it).

In a non-religious context, the reason fro humanity is the same as any other animal, to adapt, survive, and propagate. Our puropse is to contribute to the success of our genes.

The difference is subtle, and frankly not that important.

Answer 6

no reason and the only purpose to date is to continue the species-as i find this a most worthwhile endeavor at least the practice there of it works for my reason----just my thoughts-smile and enjoy the day

Answer 7

What the hell men, gees. If we and other creatures evolved over the years, GOD willed it then. Evolution does not prove that this life was not designed by SOMEONE with power beyond our imagination. These idiots need to find a new argument. Because these evolution rebuttals are wack.

Answer 8

were just creatures that have evoloved over nillions of years. the first living thing on earth was the green algea. then came different types of bacteria and eventually larger and larger organizsms and thats how we came to what we are today. and i know this is a a conflict with reliegion but i do believe in both to be true in each of there own way. its such a touchy subject

Answer 9

Grounded, till ye (do err) learn what meaneth:
I will have mercy (grace), and not sacrifice (law).
Such is the will of God in both the OT and the NT.

Answer 10

The 'reason' and the 'purpose': Because that's how God likes it.