Meaning of life

The meaning of life is a fundamental philosophical discussion of human existence, chiefly consisting of interpretations such as: "What is the origin of life?", "What is the nature of life (and of the universe in which we live)?", "What is the significance of life?", "What is the purpose of life?", and "What is valuable in life?" These questions have resulted in a wide range of competing answers and arguments, from scientific theories, to philosophical, theological, and spiritual explanations.

Note that these questions are all separate from the scientific issue of the boundary between things with life and inanimate objects.

Scientific approaches and theories

Where scientists and philosophers converge on the quest for the meaning of life is an assumption that the mechanics of life (i.e., the universe) are determinable, thus the meaning of life may eventually be derived through our understanding of the mechanics of the universe in which we live, including the mechanics of the human body.

There are, however, strictly speaking, no scientific views on the meaning of biological life other than its observable biological function: to continue. In this regard, science simply addresses quantitative questions such as: "What does it do?", "By what means?", and "To what extent?", rather than the "For what purpose?".

Science and the five questions

But, like philosophy, science doesn't rest when it comes to asking and answering questions, and scientists have tackled each of the five interpretations of the meaning of life question head-on, attempting to answer each from the perspective of what exists, or in relation to the human being (for which science itself serves), offering empirical answers from relevant scientific fields...

What is the nature of life (and of the universe in which we live)?

Toward answering "What is the nature of life (and of the universe in which we live)?", scientists have proposed various theories or worldviews over the centuries, including the heliocentric view by Copernicus and Galileo, through the mechanistic clockwork universe of René Descartes and Isaac Newton, to Albert Einstein's Theory of General Relativity, to the Quantum Mechanics of Heisenberg and Schrödinger in an effort to understand the universe in which we live.

Meanwhile, countless scientists in the biological and medical fields have dissected the human body to its very smallest components to acquire an understanding of the nature of biological life, to determine what makes us tick. Near the end of the 20th century, equipped with insights from the gene-centered view of evolution, biologists began to suggest that insofar as there may be a primary function to life, it is the survival of genes. In this approach, success isn't measured in terms of the survival of species, but one level deeper, in terms of the successful replication of genes over the eons, from one species to the next, and so on.

What is the significance of life?

The question "What is the significance of life?" has turned philosophers toward the study of significance itself and how it is derived and presented (see semiotics). The question has also been extensively explored by those who attempt to explain the relationship of life to its environment (the universe), and vice versa. Thus, from a scientific point of view, the significance of life is what it is, what it does, and what mechanisms are behind it. In psychology and biology, significance only exists within human and animal minds; significance is subjective and is an emotional function of brains, making it impossible to exist outside of people's thoughts and feelings.

What is valuable in life?

This question is a staple of the social sciences. The study of value has resulted in the fields of Economics and Sociology. The study of motives (which reflect what is valuable to a person) and the perception of value are subjects of the field of Psychology.

What is the purpose of, or in, (one's) life?

This question also falls upon social scientists to answer. They attempt to do so by studying and explaining the behaviors and interactions of human beings (and every other type of animal as well). One theory is that the meaning is to keep the race alive.

Scientific analysis of teleology

One very promising idea about the purpose of life probably arose many years ago (it's a common statement that "biology debunked teleology a century ago"), although it has been questioned popularized recently with Richard Swineburne's work "The existence of God". This "debunking" is said to have coincided with or resulted from advances in biological knowledge such as the publication of Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species (i.e. the creation of the theory of natural selection). It is not unlikely however, that it was philosophized long before that teleology (perceived meaning or purpose) is an illusion that has no bearing on reality and that ultimately there is no objective purpose to anything.

The proposition follows basically like this: setting goals and finding potential goals in physical objects and abstract ideas is an instinct deeply seated in the primate mind, as it was a characteristic fashioned by natural selection; part of the evolution of humanity's ancestors. This instinct, which is the search for purpose (or "meaning") is often known as teleology. We, as human beings, are all innately teleological thinkers. Teleological thinking is useful in the natural (and modern) world, making it a favorable trait for species to have. However, when we use this instinct when thinking philosophically about life, the universe, and everything, it misfires and we come up with an unsolvable conundrum - one which doesn't really exist in the first place. Teleological instincts apply well to physical objects such as food (purpose: to eat) but fail when they are attempted to be applied to the more abstract, like subjective experience. The failure of teleology can be demonstrated not just with abstract concepts, but objects that serve no known utility to human beings. What, for example, is the purpose of an asteroid floating around millions of miles from Earth? We can objectively explain the cause of things like space rocks, but we must conclude, if we are to embrace teleological thinking, that either a) far away asteroids have no purpose (at least, to us humans) or b) purpose doesn't exist in objective reality.

The argument about teleological thinking as a result of natural selection is put forward in various books and articles. The best-selling author and evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins puts forward the explanation in his Discovery Science video The Big Question: why are we here?.

Richard Dawkins’ explanation of our famous (or infamous) teleological conundrum is to many the most probable, satisfying, and ultimately the best answer that we have attained thus far while questioning the meaning of life. This is especially apparent since teleological explanations of life are arguably falsifiable through the application of specific scientific evidence, such as neurological research, while it is arguably supported by general scientific evidence, such as the suggestive evidence for evolution.

In more recent years, after carefully studying the habits of non-human animals, some scientists believe our purpose is to reproduce and dominate what we are physically capable of. Looking at the world today, and our still growing population of 6.5 billion, and the fact we have even set foot on the moon in the name of all the people on earth, many have decided we already have fulfilled that destiny and are now wondering "just what in the world we are supposed to do now?"

Entropy

Self-organization

Theistic beliefs

There are many different interpretations to the "Word of God", and therefore many interpretations to the meaning of life. However, reaching Heaven in the afterlife can be seen as a universal meaning of life or goal for followers of Abrahamic religions. Also universal teachings, or meanings, to be followed in virtually all religions are "The Golden Rule" and simple living.

Relationship to God

Most people who believe in a personal God would agree that it is God "in whom we live and move and have our being". The notion here is that we respond to a higher authority who will give our lives meaning and provide purpose through a relationship with the divine. Although belief is also based on knowing God "through the things he has made," the decision to believe in such an authority is called the "leap of faith", and to a very large degree this faith defines the faithful's meaning of life.

Another belief of some Fundamentalist Christians is that humans have been placed here to settle a dispute between God and Satan. The belief is that Satan thought that he could be as good as God, and therefore become God. With this God threw Satan out of Heaven. Satan appealed to God to be allowed back in by saying that none could follow God, or believe he is God. With that God made a deal with Satan, that if there was one believer in every generation, then Satan would be cast down into the lake of fire.^{[citation needed]}

To "be fruitful, and multiply; fill the earth, and subdue it"

An example of how religion creates purpose can be found in the biblical story of creation in the Old Testament of the Bible: the purpose for man comes from his relationship to God and in this relationship he is told to "Be fruitful, and multiply; fill the earth, and subdue it" Genesis 1:28. This indicates that subsequent to the goal of being in personal relationship with God, the propagation of the human race, the care and population of the earth, and the control of the earth (but as man sinned, he lost the full ability to do so, characterized by the fact that animals are not under full control) are the first three commandments God has set for man.

Another Biblical example is given in Micah 6:8, which states "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." However, instructions given by God and the meaning of life (or the purpose of one's existence), are not necessarily the same thing.

To believe in God. Christianity would say that people are justified by faith through grace. Accepting God is of ultimate worth and value. Note that this is not equal to loving neighbor as thy self nor trying to live sin free. No one can live sinlessly, so the bible would suggest to repent, accept, and worship God.

That is the ultimate purpose.

Reformed theology: glorify and enjoy God

The Westminster Shorter Catechism looked at the history of what God has taught man, and summarized it at its outset: "man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever". [1]

Worship God

Islam's viewpoint is that God created man for two purposes and these are 1) To serve and worship God by fulfilling all acts of worship prescribed by Him, and by keeping good relationship between human beings, even as God said in the Qur’an, “I have not created the Jinn and men but to serve me.” (Qur’an 51: 56). and 2) To be God’s Vicegerent on earth, even as God said in the Qur’an, “It is God who has created for you all that is on earth….And remember when your Lord said to the angels: ‘Verily, I am going to place a viceroy (mankind) on earth.’ They said: ‘Will You place therein those who will make mischief therein and shed blood, -while we glorify You with praise and sanctify You?” God said: ‘Verily, I know better what you do not know.’” (Qur’an 2: 29-30) This last verse refers to the time when God announced to the angels that He was going to create the first man, Adam (peace be upon him). Worshiping in Islam means to testify to the oneness of God in his lordship, names and attributes. All acts of worship should be exclusively for God, not through any intermediary nor with a hidden worldly intention. The term worship may be divided into two categories. That is the partaking of religious rituals, sanctioned by God or through working, producing, innovating and improving the quality of life, thus striving for the Creator. To Muslims, life was created as a test. Patience is seen as an integral part of the Muslim faith and character. How well one performs on this test will determine whether one finds a final home in Jannah (Heaven) or Jahenam (Hell).

[Ref: Imam, Abdul Jalil Ahmad, the Imam(Minister) of Rivervale Mosque, and religious adviser to the Islamic Council of W.A. 17th June 2002]

Sapiential meaning of life

In many esoteric strands of world religions, one encounters the meaning of life as "play".

The most notable of this is Hinduism's notion of lila (literally, "play"). This is the suggestion that the meaning of life is not a final goal which can be arrived at in time, but rather a sort of game in which every being is unwittingly playing. Although it is pleasurable or fulfilling to 'win' the game of existence (at the end of one's life or at the end of time), the game itself, like music, dance, or sport, creates meaning as it moves through time.

Similar ideas are contained in the hidden treasure referenced in hadith qudsi: "I (God) was a Hidden Treasure and I desired to be known. Therefore, I created creation in order that I might be known". In this esoteric Muslim view, generally held by Sufis, the universe exists only for God's pleasure. However, because the happiness of God is not dependent on anything temporal, creation works as a grand game with the Divine serving as the principal player and prize.

The Book of Job begins with God applauding over the piety of Job. Satan, says to God that Job is only faithful because he is rewarded accordingly, and asks permission of God to test Job. In his tribulation, Job suffers again and again without ever finding out the cause of his life's horrors. Instead, only God and the reader are allowed to know that the sorrows of life are merely a game played on the cosmic level. The game itself is incidental, yet at the same time the will of God in the creation of life.

A contemporary example of the sapiential approach to the meaning of life can be found in an online essay: "Soon You Will Understand...The Meaning of Life"

Spiritual and mystical views

Mitch Albom wrote about his dying professor Morrie and their last lessons together in the bestseller Tuesdays with Morrie in which some interesting questions were raised. Albom's life as a writer was until then in vain because he chased the wrong things in life: bigger houses, bigger cars, and bigger paychecks. No matter how big they were, they still could not fill his emptiness. The reality that we all have to confront eventually is the same thing Morrie realized when he learned he had Lou Gehrig's disease: that the world was as green and as alive as before he contracted the terminal illness. The world does not stand still nor come to an end just because you do. The professor's experience haunted the author in his ego-centric view of life, and inspired him to change. Albom learned from Professor Morrie that the true meanings in life are in the giving, the loving and the sharing of what you've had, which in turn live on by being passed down from generation to generation.

The Book of Light^[1] presents the nature of God and the purpose of creation. According to Michael Sharp, God is consciousness and the purpose of creation is to have fun (alleviate boredom). Creation exists "as a dream inside the mind of God" and we are all Sparks of the One Creator Consciousness. The Book of Light is a copyleft and available from [2]

The Urantia Book offers a point of view on the vast meaning of life by reconciling humankind's innumerable problems with discrepancies between creationism, evolution, cosmology, modern science, philosophy, history, theology and religion.

James Redfield gave his perspective on the meaning of life in his book The Celestine Prophecy, suggesting that the answers can be found within, through experiencing a series of personal spiritual insights. In his book God and the Evolving Universe: The Next Step in Personal Evolution (2002), co-written with Michael Murphy, he claims that humanity is on the verge of undergoing a change in consciousness.

Another answer was given by Neale Donald Walsch in his trilogy Conversations with God, in which he asserts that the purpose of this present creation is for That-which-Is (God, Spirit) to know itself experientially rather than merely conceptually, by creating of itself a billion billion individuals who interact, and learn, and thus can rediscover, through actual experience, their divinity by experiencing and exploring it in this world.

Mythologist Joseph Campbell, in his famous The Power of Myth interviews with Bill Moyers, answered the question in the following way:

People say what we're all seeking is a meaning for life. I don't think that's what we're really seeking. I think what we're seeking is an experience of being alive so that the life experiences that we have on the purely physical plane will have resonances within, that are those of our own innermost being and reality, so that we actually feel the rapture of being alive..

The purpose of life in the words of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, renowned spiritual leader and founder of the Art of Living Foundation:

One who knows, will not tell you! And anyone who attempts to tell you, please know that they don't know! But this much I can tell you... this very fact this question has arisen in your mind, you are lucky! Many people just live life without asking what is the purpose of life. This question itself is like tool, a vehicle for you to go deep into life... the quest for reality!

Mystical views

The view of mysticism varies widely according to how each speaker describes it. In general the view is broadly that life is a happening, an unfolding. There is no duality, it is a nondual worldview, in which subject and object are the same, the sense of doer-ship is illusionary. This view is central to Buddhism, and is also found in certain non-dual sects of Hinduism. Atheists such as Susan Blackmore and Sam Harris have recently advocated mysticism through rigorous meditation as the only reliable way of attaining sure knowledge of our subjective experience.

For a clear summary of one mystic's view on the meaning of life, see the article on Ramesh Balsekar, or the article on Mysticism.

Humorous and popular culture treatments

The very concept "the meaning of life" has become such a cliché that it has often been parodied, such as in the radio series The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, later released as a novel, a television series, a film, and a computer game. As the story goes, an advanced race of hyper-intelligent pan-dimensional beings (mice) builds a gigantic computer called Deep Thought to find The Answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything.

Seven and a half-million years later, the computer gives the answer: "42". After giving the answer to an (unsurprisingly) underwhelmed audience, Deep Thought explained that the problem with the answer was not the answer, but that no-one really knew what the question was. (It may be worth noting, that later on it is revealed to Arthur Dent, that the answer and the question cannot be known at the same time. In the book The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, it is found that the question is: "What do you get if you multiply six by nine." The answer would be 54 in base ten, but 42 in base thirteen.) In reference to this series, "42" is commonly provided as an honest answer if someone feels the word "meaning" is too vague. Joe Bob Briggs miscommunicated this in one of his columns as "43". In one strip of the parody comic "Sev-space" it is inquired "why the number 47 constantly shows up on the monitor?" it is then stated that "42 is the answer to life, the universe and everything... But you get 47 if you adjust it to the inflation." This is an obvious reference to the "Star Trek" series where the number 47 is heavily featured [3].

Or maybe there is no meaning to life; that is, "What you see is what you get", as portrayed in the comedy film The Meaning of Life: you are born, you eat, you go to school, you have sex, you have children, you grow old (if someone doesn't kill you first), and you die, and in Heaven every day is Christmas. At the very end of the film, Michael Palin is handed an envelope, opens it, and says nonchalantly: "Well, it's nothing very special. Uh, try to be nice to people, avoid eating fat, read a good book every now and then, get some walking in, and try to live together in peace and harmony with people of all creeds and nations."

In The Simpsons episode "Homer The Heretic", a representation of God tells Homer what the meaning of life is, but as usual the one who really wanted to know (the viewer) is left disappointed. The dialogue goes as follows:

Homer: God, what's the meaning of life?
God: Homer, I can't tell you that.
Homer: Why not?
God: You'll find out when you die.
Homer: Oh, I can't wait that long.
God: You can't wait 6 months?
Homer: No, tell me now...
God: Oh, OK... The meaning of life is...[Theme music starts and the show ends. The creator's original idea was that a commercial would come after this scene and before the credits, thus having the commercial interrupt God's explanation to humorous effect]

In the Peanuts comic strip Charlie Brown explains he thinks the purpose of life is to make others happy, to which Lucy responds that she doesn't think she is making anyone happy, and—more importantly—no one is making her happy, so someone isn't doing their job.

Paul Gauguin's interpretation can be seen in the painting, Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going?

In Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey, Bill and Ted end up meeting God. Before being admitted into his presence, St. Peter (billed as The Gatekeeper on IMDb) asks them what the meaning of life is, and they reply "Every rose has its thorn. Every night has a dawn. Every cowboy sings a sad sad song.". These are the lyrics to the song "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" by Poison, a 1980s glam rock band.

Another popular belief is that the meaning of life is to die, according to comedians and other types of media. In a similar vein, antagonist Smith in the final part of The Matrix trilogy, The Matrix Revolutions, tells the protagonist Neo that "it was your life that taught me the purpose of all life. The purpose of life is to end."

In the movie Judge Dredd (1995):

Warden Miller: So tell me, Rico, what is the meaning of life?
Rico: It ends.

Conan the Barbarian, in the film of the same name, when asked, "What is best in life?" responds, "To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women." Here, the character Conan is quotes the twelfth century warlord Ghenghis Khan, who gave this answer in response to his friend's claim that what was best in life was "A fine hawk on the wrist, a clear day, and a fast horse upon which to ride". ( Refer to the novel _Ghenghis Khan_ by Harold Lamb for the exact quotation and context.)

In several different media, the theme of finding one's individual path is revealed. For example, Coelho's Alchemist and the movie City Slickers both present a similar theme: the meaning of life is an individual journey to find one's own "path". In this context, the "path", similar to what is defined in Buddhism as the "4th Noble Truth", is best explained simply as the overall way one chooses to lead their life. It is a different answer for each person, and the only obligation one has in life is to find his or her path.

Due to the apparently overwhelming "knowledge" of the MSN Messenger chat bot SmarterChild, its creators have claimed that the meaning of life is one of the most common requests from its users. The algorithm has since been tweaked so that instead of responding with a generic message, it replies with a humorous "ask Ken Ma" and a smiling emoticon. There has been speculation as to whether or not Ken Ma is a real person, whilst one common theory is that the name is an inside joke amongst the developers of the chat bot.

In his book A Man Without a Country, Kurt Vonnegut sums up life with the words: "We're all here to fart around. Don't let anyone tell you any different!" Although it could be said that he believes the meaning of life was stated best by his son Mark whom he quotes in two books, stating, "We are here to help each other get through this thing, whatever it is."

George Carlin has once said that the meaning of life is "to find a place to put all your stuff". In another skit he speculates the meaning of life is that the earth wanted plastic which humans pollute the world with.

One popular phrase is "The meaning of life is 'to live': it's in the dictionary[4]" which, although technically incorrect ("life" is a noun while "to live" describes a verb), has both a humorous meaning, and a more serious one, implying that the answer is to enjoy the ride.

References

^ The Book of Light: The Nature of God, The Structure of Consciousness, and The Universe Within You e-book accessed July 2006

Additional references

Dreams, Evolution, and Value Fulfilment, Jane Roberts, Amber-Allen Publishing.
Unlimited Power: The New Science of Personal Achievement; by Anthony Robbins. Random House Publishing Group, 1987. ISBN 0-449-90280-3
The Science of Soulmates, By William Henderson, Booksurge 2002. ISBN 1-58898-611-X

External links

Order in info.Life is another form of order.
The Big Question: why are we here? - A probable and satisfying ultimate answer from evolutionary biology. Video with Richard Dawkins.
Can Life Have Meaning without God? (From the Secular Web library)
World Center for the Study of Kabbalah
Looking for the Meaning of Life, by James Leonard Park - A probable answer.
The Purpose of Life, by Hashi Mohamed - An Islamic perspective.
What is Life’s Purpose? The Meaning of life in Judaism
The FAQ of life - by Eliezer S. Yudkowsky, transhumanist
The Meaning of Life, or, What's it all About? - a world view, by anonymous
Life's Rational Meaning - science-based, holistic philosophy of life
The Way home or face The Fire - The Meaning of Life - A deeply religious view.
Why Life Extension or Why Live at All? Desire for life extension is rooted in the valuation of life.
Erwin Schrödinger "What is Life?"
Exploring Meaning through Modern Myths
Hedonism & Meaning of life
The Logic of Existential Meaning
Michio Kaku homepage [8]
Frank Tipler homepage [9]
Matti Pitkänen homepage [10]
Website for philosophical counseling supporting
the treatment of depression [11]
"In Love with Wisdom and The Meaning of Life"
The Answer to the Question Fred C. May Jr.
The Importance Of Being Yearnist - the inherent problems in just one universal meaning.
Where Is Meaning Found? - A Christian perspective.
"The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For?" by Rick Warren - A Christian perspective.
What is the Meaning of Life? - From a Church of God perspective.
The Meaning of Life for Dummies - a revealing post from Andrea Ciulu's blog
Spiritual Heart Educational video film about the meaning of our lives and its realization.

this is true

[Michael_Sharp-1] The Book of Light: The Nature of God, The Structure of Consciousness, and The Universe Within You e-book accessed July 2006

[1]