What is the Purpose of Life?

[thebestMAX]

?

 

[~zonker~]

We're not looking for the meaning of life, but rather the purpose.

I will contend that life has whatever purpose you ascribe to it. Many of the people who answered the question relate an occupation,search for happiness, or relationship with God.

Some have said that the purpose of life is to pass it on or pass it on in a better form [raise kids, make the world better for kids], and others admit confusion or lack of thought on the subject [no purpose, I don't know].

If anyone is not strving for happiness by whatever means, I have yet to hear that comment. The difference is in what we think will get us there under the circumstances we face.

 

[UG]

Meaning? Purpose?

Meaning is a qualitative term: interpretive, judgemental. Purpose is a quantitative term: utilitarian, estimative.

Certainly, one purpose of life is to survive long enough as a complex chemical system to replicate and pass genetic code to offspring. Another is to try not to die.

As to the meaning of life, that's quite obviouly an individual matter: perhaps to enjoy and personally grow beyond the experience.

Anyone familiar with the debate knows that religion conveys meaning but has little of objective, empirical substance to say about purpose. Science evaluates purpose but has little to say about subjective meaning.

I dare say that purpose without meaning is less emotionally stressfull than meaning without purpose.

Which is why meaning in search of purpose is confounded by purpose not seeking meaning.