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I have a burning need to know stuff and I love asking awkward questions.

Friday, October 28, 2005

Is The Meaning of Life 42?

It’s one of THE big questions – and maybe even THE question:

What is the Meaning of Life?

How many times have we heard that question? How many times have we all asked it, and pondered the possible answer?

Well, I must apologise up front and tell you something – I’m not going to answer that question here today. Sorry. I know for a moment there you might have thought that I’d come across the answer to Life, The Universe and Everything (maybe during a particularly random Google search) but no I haven’t…. at least not yet.

What I want to think about here is not the possible range of answers (at least not right away) but the question itself: What is the Meaning of Life?

OK? All thought about it for a few moments…? Did you spot, maybe for a brief moment, the ‘other’ question hiding in the shadows? This other question is often overlooked despite the fact that it’s actually bigger than the original question. It’s this:

Is there a Meaning to Life?


Do you see what I’m getting at? Asking what the Meaning of Life is… begs the question about the existence of any meaning. Without a ‘Meaning’ we obviously can’t ponder on what that meaning is. So then – Is there a Meaning to Life?

It’s a very good question and one I think we shouldn’t shy away from. After all if there isn’t any meaning to life we can really cut back on the time and energy being devoted to finding it. Just think of all of that extra brain space we can devote to something other than meaning seeking? People do seem to spend quite a bit of time/energy looking for meaning. After all look at the alternative – a drab meaningless life. What fun is that? (BTW – have you noticed how a meaningless life is always characterised as ‘drab’? As if you can’t have a colourful meaningless life. I mean, what’s all THAT about).

Generally speaking there seem to be several alternatives to the Meaning issue. For example:

You can assume that there IS a Meaning and spend the rest of your time searching for it - though this is often hard on a career and family commitments.

You can assume there IS a meaning and pick up one ready made from your local ‘Meaning’ market. These Ready Made Meaning (RMM) packages come in different flavours – Religions, Philosophies and Political Ideologies. You basically pick the one that suits you best. Once fully absorbed these RMM’s can reduce a great deal of stress and make some people very happy indeed.

You can of course assume that there is NO inherent Meaning to Life – and decide to create one to wile away the time. This might be viewed by those with an RMM as a dangerous (and pointless) thing to do. After all, why go to the trouble of creating your own meaning if nice shiny RMM’s already exist?

You can see the problem here. Too much choice. Firstly you have to decide if you believe that there IS a Meaning to Life, then you need to choose what to do about it. This is far from simple. For instance, how exactly do you decide if there is a Meaning of Life or not? That alone could take a lifetime. Then, once you’ve made that decision, you need to make a choice of the available options. Again, that’s not a particularly easy thing to do. What if you make the ‘wrong’ choice & spend decades believing one thing only to find out that you were wrong the whole time? What if you initially decided to go off & look for a meaning only to discover, too late, that there isn’t one and that you could’ve had a life time of partying instead? Bummer.

Of course if you chose a RMM and it turns out that there actually isn’t a ‘real’ Meaning of Life you haven’t really done that badly – Ok, you might have missed out on a bit of partying but look at what you gained in the process: Peace of Mind and maybe a slice of Happiness. That’s not a bad deal when you think about it. Maybe this is why RMM’s are so popular. It looks like I haven’t actually answered either question – but then I doubt if you thought that I would. I mean, if I REALLY knew the Meaning of Life I’d write a Best Seller. However, I hope that I’ve raised a few interesting questions for you to ponder and maybe the next time someone asks you about the Meaning of Life challenge their assumption that there IS one – and see where it leads.

23 comments:

Sadie Lou said...

The meaning of MY life is to glorify God with my life. I like to be hospitable, caritable, humble, gracious, forgiving, nurturing, caring, compassionate--and then when people take not of it, I tell them about God. All good things come from Him.
It's hard to do everything with the attitude of glorifying God but when I really make a conscience effort to do it, I get great results. And it's not to earn favor from the Lord--it's to lead people to Christ. That's the purpose behind the glorification.

CyberKitten said...

Sadie Lou said: The meaning of MY life is to glorify God with my life.

I'm still working on mine. ATM the meaning of at least part of my life is to find out what's going on & to try and make some sense of it all..

Sadie Lou said...

sorry for the typos in my last post, I was in a hurry.
That's
*charitable
*note

It's awesome that you are not complacent and you are actively searching for answers. I consider myself blessed that God has given my life purpose and meaning. I desire this blessing for others.

CyberKitten said...

I've been seeking for answers for as long as I can remember.

Haven't found many yet though - and I envy you your certainty. The thing with me is that I'm not even sure if the answers actually exist - which might be one explanation why I haven't found it/them yet....

Then again they could be just around the corner.

Sadie Lou said...

Then again they could be just around the corner.
I'll pray for the latter...

CyberKitten said...

Thank you...

But the chances of me finding God are rather remote (I presume that's what you mean).

Juggling Mother said...

every individual has a slightly different meaning to their life, and it will change as their lives change.

However, I'll think I'll plump for: to make a differnce & improve the world in some small way for those who come after me (be it 5 mins after me, or 5 generations)

CyberKitten said...

Mrs A said: However, I'll think I'll plump for: to make a differnce & improve the world in some small way for those who come after me (be it 5 mins after me, or 5 generations)

Good one. "Cursed is he who leaves the World not better than when he entered it"

Cool motto.

Sadie Lou said...

to make a differnce & improve the world in some small way for those who come after me (be it 5 mins after me, or 5 generations)

A good motto to live by if one believes this world is all you get. At least people could make the experience better.

dbackdad said...

Great post and great blog. I hadn't had the chance to get over to your blog and check it out since you'd been posting on Jewish Atheist's and my blogs. I'm going to add you to my blog list.

You bring up very good points on the meaning of life (and is there one?). I certainly don't feel there is a set-in-stone one. But, in general, I feel that we all have certain interests and skills that lead us in a certain direction. My goal is to excel in those as much as I can and to use them for the betterment of those around me. Altruism, honesty, responsibility are all things I value greatly.

The meaning of life is not as important as the way in which you seek it.

CyberKitten said...

dbackdad said: Great post and great blog. I hadn't had the chance to get over to your blog and check it out since you'd been posting on Jewish Atheist's and my blogs. I'm going to add you to my blog list.

Thank you kindly. You're in my favourite ATM & will be added into my Blogroll.. when Mr A shows me how to generate one (hopefully this 'Bonfire Night' on Nov 5th).

Enjoying your Blog too - though I don't really understand most of the 'local' political stuff.. (grin)

dbackdad also said: The meaning of life is not as important as the way in which you seek it.

Very true. Good quote.

dbackdad said...

He-he. Sorry about the colloquialisms and local stuff. I hadn't initially realized you were from, as you say, "across the pond". I'm very much an Anglophile. I wanted to name my son Ian (or Colin) but the wife wouldn't allow it. She relented a little bit and he has Ian as his middle name.

stc said...

Cyberkitten:
I'm much more comfortable with this subject, since you're not debunking a doctrine that is specific to Christianity.

In your list of alternatives, you don't mention this one:

• decide that life is meaningless and don't pretend otherwise.

I would have predicted that was your chosen alternative, so I guess I've learned something here.

But how does an atheist find meaning to life? I agree with your comment that a meaningless life is not necessarily a colourless life. Atheists can have as much fun as theists. But where does an atheist derive meaning from?

Isn't this an accurate summary of an atheist's worldview?: This earth and you personally are the product of random, impersonal forces. No one "out there" loves you. You came out of the void and you'll return to it. If you do something significant — for example, if you discover a cure for cancer — bully for you, but one day the human race will cease to exist.

What becomes of your cure for cancer then? It created a big splash at the time, but ultimately it will be negated, along with every other mark that our race ever existed. We'll be replaced by the next dominant species, or it will all cease to exist in the big crunch.

Btw, this is what I was referring to in a comment on a previous post when I referred to a godless universe as absurd. We feel like we're important; we feel like life has a meaning: but it isn't so. How absurd is that?

That, in my view, is "the grand illusion" — our feeling that we have any significance whatsoever.

Unless there is a spiritual realm which will survive the demise of the material world — unless there is such a thing as eternity. Unless there is a Creator who loves us or at least created us as part of a master plan. Then the things we achieve in this life may not be in vain.

I thought, as I was reading the post, that you were in the "no meaning" camp. That seemed to be implicit when you pointed out that we are assuming (without evidence?) that life has meaning.

But in your comments, you seem to opt for one of the other alternatives: You can assume that there IS a Meaning and spend the rest of your time searching for it.

Is that the path you're following?

(I should perhaps mention that I'm travelling this weekend, so don't feel slighted if I don't respond to your comments immediately.)
Q

CyberKitten said...

Q... Thank you for returning. I thought I'd lost you for a moment there.

You said: In your list of alternatives, you don't mention this one:

• decide that life is meaningless and don't pretend otherwise.

I would have predicted that was your chosen alternative, so I guess I've learned something here.

Life IS meaningless in the sense that it has no other meaning than that we chose to give it. It has no meaning separate from US. No outside meaning - at least that's the way I see it. All meanings (either Ready Made or 'discovered' or 'invented') are human constructs to compensate for that 'feeling' that things just cannot be meaningless...

My list of examples was far from exhaustive. It is entirely possible to "decide that life is meaningless and don't pretend otherwise".

Your summary of the Atheist world view is accurate - certainly the way I understand it to be. You seem to have a problem with it. Personally I don't. What I do now matters to me now. When I'm dead - nothing that I have done will mater to me any more. I'll be dead. People I know who are still living will regard me with favour or otherwise after I'm dead - but that will fade in time. If I don't actually do anything 'noteworthy' enough to get in any history book (or otherwise 'leave my mark') after say 100 years after my death there will probably be precious little evidence I was ever here. Only some of my genetic material will (probably) have survived through any children/siblings etc.. together with the fading ripples of my actions on the world. Again I have no issue with this.

Q also said: I thought, as I was reading the post, that you were in the "no meaning" camp. That seemed to be implicit when you pointed out that we are assuming (without evidence?) that life has meaning.

That's accurate yes. Any meaning we give our lives is our own (or one borrowed from others). You can have a perfectly satisfactory meanigless life if you want too. I like finding things out. That is at least part of the 'meaning' that I have given my life. Hedonism never really agreed with me and I'm trying to live in accordence to my own 'nature' - which usually means I have my nose in a book or am debating philosophical issues with anyone willing to engage me in conversation.

Q also said: But in your comments, you seem to opt for one of the other alternatives: You can assume that there IS a Meaning and spend the rest of your time searching for it.

Is that the path you're following?

No. It was for a while (well, sort of) but I've changed my mind after many years of fruitless searching. Now this is more me:

You can of course assume that there is NO inherent Meaning to Life – and decide to create one to wile away the time.

BTW - I'm probably going to Blog later today/sometime tomorrow on the "Godless Universe" conversation we had a few days ago - which might explain a bit more of my philosophy.

Q said: Btw, this is what I was referring to in a comment on a previous post when I referred to a godless universe as absurd. We feel like we're important; we feel like life has a meaning: but it isn't so. How absurd is that?


Actually the feeling most of us feel (as far as I am aware) is the absurdity here. I think it's connected to our feeling of self wareness and inflated self importance. It's the kind of feeling generated by the thoughts: How can this be a meaningless Universe with Me in it?

There's going to be a future Blog on that too - at some point when my thoughts get into some coherent form on the idea.

Hope you had fun on your travels..

CyberKitten said...

Q also said: But how does an atheist find meaning to life? I agree with your comment that a meaningless life is not necessarily a colourless life. Atheists can have as much fun as theists. But where does an atheist derive meaning from?

Well, I can't speak for ALL atheists (as we're a very diverse group) but I guess we derive our 'meaning' from whatever we can - and chose to - whether that's a toss of a coin, a political philosophy or a myriad of other things. Being an atheist does not mean living a 'meanigless' life - in the sense of a random one. We provide (or discover) our own 'meaning'.

dbackdad said...

Cyberkitten -- I believe you put forth the atheist/humanist view very well. We are not intimidated by the fact that life may not have some set meaning. I don't need comfort that a Creator has some "master plan" for me. Q feels that a godless universe would be "absurd". I feel it would be more absurd and depressing if the only meaning in life would be that which is given to me from an all-powerful being.

CyberKitten said...

dbackdad said: I don't need comfort that a Creator has some "master plan" for me.

The problem is, of course, just which "master plan" do you chose? Just how many religions, sects & schisms are there? Which one has THE "master plan" and how can we tell? You certainly can't use your reason to decide which one is right, so how do you proceed?

That's why I'm tempted to answer "Which one?" next time I get a knock on my door followed by the question: "Do you believe in God?"

The idea of a Godless Universe causes me a lot less problems than one with God it it.

greatwhitebear said...

Q: I am an atheist, but I hardly find life meaningless. If I thought it were meaningless, I wouldn't fight for social justice, or find meaning in little things like my granddaughter's laughter.

I believe we are all immortal. We live on in the things we teach our children and grandchildren (good and bad), and which they in turn pass on to their descendants.

Much of what I am today I owe to 17th French Huguenots fleeing persecution at the hands of the Catholic church, and English craftsmen whose descendant came to the US following WWI looking for better opportunities. I know little about these people other than their names, but yet each and every one of them is a part of the man I am today!

I will live on in my descendants just as surely as they live on in me. How much more meaningful could anything be than that? And how much more of a responsibility?

now, if you'll excuse me, I must get off to a theatre date with my 6 yr old granddaughter. Wallace and Grommet await us!

CyberKitten said...

spindleshanks said: I think there is meaning - I just assume I'm too tired to work it out.

If we find out... we'll let you know..... After all - you do need your sleep.

Thanks for popping in during your allocated Blog time...

craziequeen said...

ck - I thought the meaning of your life was 'to comfort the disturbed and to disturb the comfortable'.

Personally, I have no meaning to my life, I merely soldier on day after day, trying not to leave too large a footprint on the cosmos.

cq

dbackdad said...

Craziequeen - "... to comfort the disturbed and to disturb the comfortable."

That's awesome! I hope you don't mind but I'm going to have to adopt that saying. I'd never heard it put quite that way.

CyberKitten said...

"... to comfort the disturbed and to disturb the comfortable."


I got it off a bumper sticker.....

It is (as CQ pointed out) my other meaning.... (bweg)

a said...

Well said... there is no meaning to life. It's a super-time-wasting question. We need to move on.