What is the purpose of life?

[steven lloyd]

Energy can neither be created nor destroyed, therefore, there are only two options: a) The energy in the universe has always been here (ie. the universe had no beginning and it has no end), or b) a Supreme Being (AKA God) was involved.

Interesting ideas. I presented the first to a philosophy professor in discussing the possibility of "life" or some kind of continued consciousness after death. His response, which was obvious once considered, was that yes - energy can neither be created nor destroyed, but it can be (and often is) changed; from consciousness to non-consciousness for example.

As far as the universe (energy in the universe) having no beginning and no end. One possibility is that this universe (as currently expressed) was created through the big bang and has been expanding as a result of the force of that explosion (we'll skip the contradictions of something supposedly infinite in a state of expansion). It could be postulated that at some point the universe will stop expanding and then start to fall back in onto itself. This, of course, will result in another massive explosion and we will repeat a similar many thousands of billions years cycle all over again - infinitely repeating.

[Frisk]

I believe the biggest questions humans have to ask fall into this order:

What created the universe?
What is the universe expanding into?
What created life?
What is the overall purpose of our lives?

[steven lloyd]

What is the universe expanding into?

I find that a very interesting question. If the universe is expanding, it cannot be infinite (by our understanding) as it is expanding within a space that is already there (although, for the purpose of calculating the probability of intelligent life existing elsewhere in the universe, it is easily large enough to be approaching infinity which using calculus still gives us a 100% probability that intelligent life exists elsewhere in some galaxy - maybe even our own).

[fluffy]

What created the universe?
What is the universe expanding into?
What created life?

We may eventually find that the answer to all these is the same.

What is the overall purpose of our lives?

This one might be a little tougher, the question seems to assume that there actually is a purpose and that we're not just some chance occurrence. If we are put here with a hard-wired purpose, that would indicate the existence of some form of intelligent design wouldn't it ?

[Frisk]

.

[fluffy]

To get down to brass tacks, the answer for the first three questions must all be "I don't know".

While the Big Bang Theory is widely accepted among scientific circles, it is still a theory and that casts a measure of doubt on the answer to question #1. It also does nothing to explain conditions pre-existing the big bang so questions two and three are also open to argument.

Personally I'm okay with "I don't know", for me it beats taking a definitive stand based on incomplete data.

[Hmmm]

To get down to brass tacks, the answer for the first three questions must all be "I don't know".

While the Big Bang Theory is widely accepted among scientific circles, it is still a theory and that casts a measure of doubt on the answer to question #1. It also does nothing to explain conditions pre-existing the big bang so questions two and three are also open to argument.

Personally I'm okay with "I don't know", for me it beats taking a definitive stand based on incomplete data.

I believe there is only one place to find the truth.

[cliffy1]

I believe there is only one place to find the truth.

Ah, so you go directly to the source and forgo that book written by men.

[Hmmm]

Ah, so you go directly to the source and forgo that book written by men.

My answer was pretty ambiguous.

[fluffy]

It's okay to speak up, that's what this place is for.

[MCB]

I believe that life, as far as humans are concerned psychologically, is an experience, of which we play a short part in. Our existence and continued existence as well as other species will be based on the decisions that we make both now and the decisions that future generations make. Our world is finite (specifically our star is finite), and at present, is the only known of it's kind.

I cannot honestly give life a meaning or purpose, let alone an explanation. That is up to the individual. It is what it is.

Relating to life experiences, Learn from the past, learn from the present and move forward.

[LANDM]

Energy can neither be created nor destroyed, therefore, there are only two options: a) The energy in the universe has always been here (ie. the universe had no beginning and it has no end), or b) a Supreme Being (AKA God) was involved.

What you said above seems contradictory....... Do you mean:
If we assume that Energy can neither be created nor destroyed, then there are only two options: a) The energy in the universe has always been here (ie. the universe had no beginning and it has no end), or b) that assumption is wrong and a Supreme Being (AKA God) was involved.

[fluffy]

There's a leap of logic here that doesn't quite make sense:

1.) that the energy has always been here
2.) that a supreme being was involved

I don't see the logic how we arrive at choice 2.) as the only alternative to choice 1.)

Obviously this is an area beyond our understanding and while a supreme being may be one explanation it's more than a little narrow minded to view it as the only possible explanation.

[Glacier]

What you said above seems contradictory....... Do you mean:
If we assume that Energy can neither be created nor destroyed, then there are only two options: a) The energy in the universe has always been here (ie. the universe had no beginning and it has no end), or b) that assumption is wrong and a Supreme Being (AKA God) was involved.

Yes, of course. Can't say I've met a lot a of people think energy can be created or destroyed though.

The law of conservation of energy (AKA the First law of thermodynamics) is a fundamental law of nature. The only way that such laws can be broken is by supernatural means.

[OnTheRoadAgain]

I've been feeling quite lost and confused lately. This question has been bothering me, so I should ask it.

What do you think is the overall purpose of life?

Simple philosophy:
Our purpose here is to help others. If we don't - at least don't hurt them.