Dear Polikashin,
Thank you for your interesting and philosophical question. As you
could imagine, there is no single solution or answer to the question
of the meaning of our lives.
This question is very much a Google-Qzuestion. Dougals Adams tells us
of the most powerful computer in the universe. The computer, Deep
Thoughts ("A greater analyst than the Googleplex Starthinker in the
Seventh Light and Ingenuity (wherever that is!)"), is programmed only
to think about the meaning of life. Then, he answers:
""Good morning," said Deep Thought at last.
"Er ... Good morning, O Deep Thought," said Loonquawl nervously,
"do you have ... er, that is ..."
"An answer for you?" interrupted Deep Thought majestically. "Yes.
I have."
The two men shivered with expectancy. Their waiting had not been
in vain.
"There really is one?" breathed Phouchg.
"There really is one," confirmed Deep Thought.
"To Everything? To the great Question of Life, the Universe and
Everything?"
"Yes."
Both of the men had been trained for this moment, their lives had
been a preparation for it, they had been selected at birth as those
who would witness the answer, but even so they found themselves
gasping and squirming like excited children.
"And you're ready to give it to us?" urged Loonquawl.
"I am."
"Now?"
"Now," said Deep Thought.
They both licked their dry lips.
"Though I don't think," added Deep Thought, "that you're going to
like it."
"Doesn't matter!" said Phouchg. "We must know it! Now!"
"Now?" inquired Deep Thought.
"Yes! Now ..."
"Alright," said the computer and settled into silence again. The
two men fidgeted. The tension was unbearable.
"You're really not going to like it," observed Deep Thought.
"Tell us!"
"Alright," said Deep Thought. "The Answer to the Great Question
..."
"Yes ...!"
"Of Life, the Universe and Everything ..." said Deep Thought.
"Yes ...!"
"Is ..." said Deep Thought, and paused.
"Yes ...!"
"Is ..."
"Yes ...!!!...?"
"Forty-two," said Deep Thought, with infinite majesty and calm.
(Source: Douglas Adams, "Life Universe and Everything", Ch. 26)
<http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/0,,sid9_gci211501,00.html>
<http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0345391829/ltc-political/102-2402539-1101751>
amazon link
The first answer could be a scientific one: life is created in a
certain way, and the reason why we live is - well, we continue to
exist ("you live because one day your biological mother conceved you
through having sex with a
biological father" or "you live because your body functions"). The
meaning of life is to keep ourselves living, according to a view such
as this one. In "What is the Meaning of Life - Fitness"
<http://pespmc1.vub.ac.be/MEANLIFE.html> they take this view exactly.
Fitness in the meaning of our biological functionality. MadSci site
introduces the biological approach, but also that of others
<http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/nov99/942624900.Gb.r.html>.
It is a cowardly solution, in my opinion, to deal with a hefty
question such as this. The question of our existance is not a mere
phisiological or biological one - science, in my opinion, cannot
answer everything!
Philosophy also tackles this question. In the realm of logics, the
question is answered at <http://sysopmind.com/tmol-faq/logic.html> as
part of a whole set of logics.
The question of the meaning of life is highly related to ethics,
morals -
"..."The Meaning of Life" isn't just about knowing that our lives are
having an impact; it's also about dispelling the philosophical fog.
It's not only knowing exactly why you got up in the morning; it's
knowing the rules you used to make the decision, where the rules come
from, and why the rules are correct." (Source: "What is the problem of
asking "What is the meaning of life?" by Eliezer S. Yudkowsky
<http://sysopmind.com/tmol-faq/logic.html>). This site, that presents
a singularity approach (concerning the "life" of artificial
intelligent) is highly interesting.
On the other hand, a religious approach, might claim that the meaning
of life stems from the life given by superiour powers (God or gods) to
us, therefore its meaning is - between others - to get closer to the
conduct requierd by God in our behaviour. Jared Story
<http://www.jaredstory.com/meaning_of_life.html> is a beautiful and
heart touching site that takes something similar to that approach. The
site "The-Meaning-of--Life.com" takes even more distinguished approach
<http://www.the-meaning-of--life.com/>.
Yahoo! had a very practical answer to a guy who asked "what is the
meaning of life" - they told him "Now, if you're looking for the
meaning of your life in particular, then we're afraid we have to fall
back on the somewhat predictable response: "It's up to you." (Source:
"Dear Yahoo! What is the meaning of life?", a question asked by Juan
from Tegucigalpa, Honduras <http://ask.yahoo.com/ask/19981215.html>).
They do offer to check out the many views expressed in their own
section in the Yahoo! dierctory on the meaning of life
<http://dir.yahoo.com/Arts/Humanities/Philosophy/Personal_Philosophy/Meaning_of_Life/>.
A similar, interesting approach is taken by this site in Aristotle.net
<http://www.aristotle.net/~diogenes/meaning1.htm>.
Their answer is a bit shallow, but I must say I agree with the general
message "life is what happens to you when you busy making other
plans", as the great John Lennon said.
I also believe that for humans, a central part of the meaning of life
is being part of a society and being a social creature. I strongly
believe in the Roussauian approach regarding life. This integrate
itself with our committee to live what we consider as moral life, that
doesn't hurt others or the environment, as we *normally* lead our
lives, according to the "John Lennon approach".
So, to answer your question. Yes, the biological approach introduced
before is false - because it doesn't touch - in my opinion - the
hindered meaning of living: being alive, making something of yourself,
creating, thinking, all these activities are the meaning of life.
Let me also instroduce you to the humoristic approach:
The Meaning of Life (Monty Python) -
<http://www.mwscomp.com/movies/mol/mol.htm> Script and pictures
<http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1558806768/ltc-political/102-2402539-1101751>
Amazon link
Search strategy:
"What is the Meaning of Life" search
://www.google.com/search?q=%22what+is+the+meaning+of+life%22&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=de&meta=
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=de&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=%22what+is+the+meaning+of+life%22&sa=N&tab=wg&meta=
I hope that answered your question. Please feel free to ask for
clarifications. I'd be pleased to answer any clrifications before you
rate the answer. |
