Is there a purpose to your existence?

[Elija Mcwilliams]

I coined a phrase (I am a nobody, not anyone of note anyways) "the hubris of nominal knowledge". Often the scientific community throws around phrases like natural selection as an answer to profoundly complicated questions.

So, we are just a product of evolution? That's it folks! Nothing to see here; it has been solved.... Except, wtf is evolution?

In a universe of disorder (entropy) there is a force that fights to maintain order and growth. It resists death and destruction. Why? In a meaningless universe why would there be a life force that cares to be alive and seeks to create more complex and efficient life?

Did you know that the cells in your body (each one of them) are capable of doing much more than their assigned task. Every cell in your body has chosen to Shut off certain aspects of its possibility as a life form in order to build, well... YOU. They could just as easily choose a simpler life and reproduce through Meosis. Why? and more importantly How did simple cells conspire to form the blueprint of you? Are individual cells so intelligent that they can think up something so complex and then work together to build it? Oh, and all for no reason?

My friend, there is magic all around you. It is hidden by the Hubris of the of the present day scientific community. They have hijacked theology, philosophy and ethics. I love science, but it clearly needs to be knocked down a few pegs.
To me it appears that life has a purpose. It appears that there is some underlying consciousness that is directing the cosmos. EVERYTHING is alive! The sun has created every element that was needed to create your body and the planet that you live on. Not only does your simple stupid little star create the necessary elements of your existence it also created the necessary conditions for your existence. There is speculation by some that the stars may actually possess some sort of protoconsciousness and that would explain the unexplained star paths that are observed (dark matter is another way of saying we have no fucking clue).

We seem to have figured out some of the mechanics of how things were made. We have no fucking clue where the blueprints came from. We still don't know what gravity is for Christ sake.

 

[WorldofWarcraft]

 

[The Big Sloppy]

My existence used to be to wash my parent’s dishes and mow their lawn.......
Now it’s to wash my own dishes and mow my own lawn.

 

[Clear Winner]

My purpose was to survive, make money and have fun. Now it's to do that and raise my little boy so he can do the same.

 

[Mike]

Mike, the PROOF religions use to support their narrative is simply a story, a book written , no real proof, this lack of evidence is the juice behind an atheistic view...if we had proof, real proof it would be a closed case..
The atheist view suffers from the same dilemma...no proof that a God doesn't exist...the truth is none of us know, we just like to have opinions. We just like having points of view, we just like aligning ourselves with a belief...

Well first off, he's a known ultra religious poster. Just heading off the inevitable bs I know is coming.


Second, logically we're not at all in the same position. I am not the one making a claim, the religious person is. I can't disprove invisible keebler elves or magic unicorns either, and that isn't proof of their existence.


The burden of proof is always on the person making the claim. There's absolutely no evidence whatsoever that any deity exists. The logical assumption is that there is no such being, it chooses not to communicate with us, or it doesn't care about humanity or share our value system.

 

[Mike]

I coined a phrase (I am a nobody, not anyone of note anyways) "the hubris of nominal knowledge". Often the scientific community throws around phrases like natural selection as an answer to profoundly complicated questions.

So, we are just a product of evolution? That's it folks! Nothing to see here; it has been solved.... Except, wtf is evolution?

In a universe of disorder (entropy) there is a force that fights to maintain order and growth. It resists death and destruction. Why? In a meaningless universe why would there be a life force that cares to be alive and seeks to create more complex and efficient life?

Did you know that the cells in your body (each one of them) are capable of doing much more than their assigned task. Every cell in your body has chosen to Shut off certain aspects of its possibility as a life form in order to build, well... YOU. They could just as easily choose a simpler life and reproduce through Meosis. Why? and more importantly How did simple cells conspire to form the blueprint of you? Are individual cells so intelligent that they can think up something so complex and then work together to build it? Oh, and all for no reason?

My friend, there is magic all around you. It is hidden by the Hubris of the of the present day scientific community. They have hijacked theology, philosophy and ethics. I love science, but it clearly needs to be knocked down a few pegs.
To me it appears that life has a purpose. It appears that there is some underlying consciousness that is directing the cosmos. EVERYTHING is alive! The sun has created every element that was needed to create your body and the planet that you live on. Not only does your simple stupid little star create the necessary elements of your existence it also created the necessary conditions for your existence. There is speculation by some that the stars may actually possess some sort of protoconsciousness and that would explain the unexplained star paths that are observed (dark matter is another way of saying we have no fucking clue).

We seem to have figured out some of the mechanics of how things were made. We have no fucking clue where the blueprints came from. We still don't know what gravity is for Christ sake.

That's a mistake a lot of people make. Science has absolutely nothing to say about the spiritual or paranormal, by definition.

Now some people might attempt to use evolution to bolster an argument that there is no god, but that isn't a very logical argument at all. The most you can infer is that if there IS a god, it is not benevolent. At least not using our definition of the word.

 

[Elija Mcwilliams]

That's a mistake a lot of people make. Science has absolutely nothing to say about the spiritual or paranormal, by definition.

Now some people might attempt to use evolution to bolster an argument that there is no god, but that isn't a very logical argument at all. The most you can infer is that if there IS a god, it is not benevolent. At least not using our definition of the word.

No mistake my friend. I see the scientific community speak authoritatively on god, religion and philosophy all the time. The misunderstanding is on your part. You need to pay attention to context.

 

[Mike]

No mistake my friend. I see the scientific community speak authoritatively on god, religion and philosophy all the time. The misunderstanding is on your part. You need to pay attention to context.

Nope, still your mistake. You're confusing someone from the scientific community, with speaking for science itself.


Science, as a pursuit, has absolutely nothing to say about paranormal or supernatural matters.

Now there are people that try to use things like science to prove or disprove religion, but that doesn't change the fact that by it's very nature science is separate from, and has nothing to say about religion. There's nothing recordable or observable there, just faith. Science isn't about faith.


And sure, some scientists definitely seem confused about that fact. But it's still a fact.

 

[Elija Mcwilliams]

Nope, still your mistake. You're confusing someone from the scientific community, with speaking for science itself.


Science, as a pursuit, has absolutely nothing to say about paranormal or supernatural matters.

Now there are people that try to use things like science to prove or disprove religion, but that doesn't change the fact that by it's very nature science is separate from, and has nothing to say about religion. There's nothing recordable or observable there, just faith. Science isn't about faith.


And sure, some scientists definitely seem confused about that fact. But it's still a fact.

Wow! friend, don't you think I know what I am trying to communicate? Don't be petty and arrogant. You are hung up on your own misunderstanding of the content and have completely missed the context. I think I had the same issue with you before and you didn't realize then what you were doing either.

Who ever said science as pursuit is speaking on religion? That is your bullshit and it doesn't even make sense. I actually made it clear that I was speaking about the scientific community in the opening statement, haha.

 

[Clippy]

@senri

 

[Mike]

And none of that other stuff is any proof of anything magical or supernatural, although that could be the case. We're seeing the result that DID happen. Given any set of variables, any given scenario can seem improbable.


This was all formed over the course of billions of years of false starts, global disasters wiping out most of the life on the planet. Sure it seems fated to us, we're here to tell the tale and were the dominant life on the planet.


How mystical or fated is it for all the other lifeforms under our bootheel, or for the vast majority of organisms that are now long extinct?


A lot of human mysticism seems to revolve around the idea that humanity is special in some way. No. We are here at the stage we're at, as the result of a billion different random factors.


Coulda been cats, dogs, lions, bears, etc. Just happened to be us. There's no proof whatsoever that we're special compared to anything else on this planet, other than our intelligence. And there's no proof whatsoever that developing that intelligence wasn't just a random beneficial mutation.

 

[Hotora86]

 

[Mike]

Wow! friend, don't you think I know what I am trying to communicate? Don't be petty and arrogant. You are hung up on your own misunderstanding of the content and have completely missed the context. I think I had the same issue with you before and you didn't realize then what you were doing either.

Who ever said science as pursuit is speaking on religion? That is your bullshit and it doesn't even make sense. I actually made it clear that I was speaking about the scientific community in the opening statement, haha.

If anything, you're the one coming off arrogant to me but whatevs, just sherdog.

My entire point is there is no conflict between religion and science, simply because some scientists say there is.

Science and religion have nothing to do with each other. Now science DOES disprove a literal interpretation of the bible, but so does common sense.

Every time some scientist bashes religion, that is not "the scientific community". That's the point. I don't agree with using every random person that is part of a community as a representative of the entire community.


P.S.: it's ironic you found what I said rude when all I did is take the same exact way you were talking to me and flip it around on you. But it wasn't rude when you did it. Curious.

 

[Mike]

I coined a phrase (I am a nobody, not anyone of note anyways) "the hubris of nominal knowledge". Often the scientific community throws around phrases like natural selection as an answer to profoundly complicated questions.

So, we are just a product of evolution? That's it folks! Nothing to see here; it has been solved.... Except, wtf is evolution?

In a universe of disorder (entropy) there is a force that fights to maintain order and growth. It resists death and destruction. Why? In a meaningless universe why would there be a life force that cares to be alive and seeks to create more complex and efficient life?

Did you know that the cells in your body (each one of them) are capable of doing much more than their assigned task. Every cell in your body has chosen to Shut off certain aspects of its possibility as a life form in order to build, well... YOU. They could just as easily choose a simpler life and reproduce through Meosis. Why? and more importantly How did simple cells conspire to form the blueprint of you? Are individual cells so intelligent that they can think up something so complex and then work together to build it? Oh, and all for no reason?

My friend, there is magic all around you. It is hidden by the Hubris of the of the present day scientific community. They have hijacked theology, philosophy and ethics. I love science, but it clearly needs to be knocked down a few pegs.
To me it appears that life has a purpose. It appears that there is some underlying consciousness that is directing the cosmos. EVERYTHING is alive! The sun has created every element that was needed to create your body and the planet that you live on. Not only does your simple stupid little star create the necessary elements of your existence it also created the necessary conditions for your existence. There is speculation by some that the stars may actually possess some sort of protoconsciousness and that would explain the unexplained star paths that are observed (dark matter is another way of saying we have no fucking clue).

We seem to have figured out some of the mechanics of how things were made. We have no fucking clue where the blueprints came from. We still don't know what gravity is for Christ sake.

Just to clarify, as it's late and I'm tired here, the bolded is where I took issue. You implied there is a unified scientific community that passes off evolution as the be all and end all answer to life's existence. That's a bit of a strawman imo.


There may be individual scientists with that attitude. There are individuals with biases and agendas within every group. But no, the scientific community as a whole does NOT claim natural selection is the answer to all lifes spiritual questions, or that it invalidates the belief in any god or gods.

 

[therealdope]

Hookers and Blow is the answer to most existential questions including the OP.

 

[colby25]

What does it matter?

well it might explain why you claim you don't have a care if you're accidental.

 

[Mike]

Wow! friend, don't you think I know what I am trying to communicate? Don't be petty and arrogant. You are hung up on your own misunderstanding of the content and have completely missed the context. I think I had the same issue with you before and you didn't realize then what you were doing either.

Who ever said science as pursuit is speaking on religion? That is your bullshit and it doesn't even make sense. I actually made it clear that I was speaking about the scientific community in the opening statement, haha.

It's really not that complicated. Individual scientists do not speak for the entire scientific community. Random snippets from random individual scientists (which you didn't provide anyway, just the old "I've heard people say") do not constitute a statement on behalf of all scientists as part of some monolithic "scientific community"

People cherry pick someone from a group they dislike saying something, and act as if that person speaks for the entire group.

 

[colby25]

And none of that other stuff is any proof of anything magical or supernatural, although that could be the case. We're seeing the result that DID happen. Given any set of variables, any given scenario can seem improbable.


This was all formed over the course of billions of years of false starts, global disasters wiping out most of the life on the planet. Sure it seems fated to us, we're here to tell the tale and were the dominant life on the planet.


How mystical or fated is it for all the other lifeforms under our bootheel, or for the vast majority of organisms that are now long extinct?


A lot of human mysticism seems to revolve around the idea that humanity is special in some way. No. We are here at the stage we're at, as the result of a billion different random factors.


Coulda been cats, dogs, lions, bears, etc. Just happened to be us. There's no proof whatsoever that we're special compared to anything else on this planet, other than our intelligence. And there's no proof whatsoever that developing that intelligence wasn't just a random beneficial mutation.

you claim the burden of proof is on me- but I will also claim the same. How do you know any of that which I highlighted yellow is true?

Because you read it in a book.

Just like my beliefs come from a book.

The only difference is the book I read is alive and active and I've put into application. I've prayed and have had prayers answered. I've had supernatural things happen in my life that myself or no one else can explain. I have a one on one interaction with God.

Meanwhile you trust a book, that will be disproved in the next 10 years. We can't trust what the news reports from yesterday news- and you're going to trust them from events that took place BILLIONS of years ago that no one has ever witnessed??

 

[Elija Mcwilliams]

Just to clarify, as it's late and I'm tired here, the bolded is where I took issue. You implied there is a unified scientific community that passes off evolution as the be all and end all answer to life's existence. That's a bit of a strawman imo.


There may be individual scientists with that attitude. There are individuals with biases and agendas within every group. But no, the scientific community as a whole does NOT claim natural selection is the answer to all lifes spiritual questions, or that it invalidates the belief in any god or gods.

You are arguing points I didn't make. Again, being able to read context coincides with the ability to abstract. When did I say as A whole, or state that they believed that it was the answer to ALL life's spiritual questions. Go back to my opening statement "OFTEN" the scientific community". You are reading your own eisegesis into what I wrote and basically arguing with yourself. No one said any of what you are arguing. I honestly don't know if is a reading comprehension, pride or purposeful misunderstanding issue, but it is getting a little labored. If you are going to argue my point make sure they arE MY POINTS. You probably skimmed what I wrote and I don't blame you but it is annoying.

 

[Mike]

you claim the burden of proof is on me- but I will also claim the same. How do you know any of that which I highlighted yellow is true?

Because you read it in a book.

Just like my beliefs come from a book.

The only difference is the book I read is alive and active and I've put into application. I've prayed and have had prayers answered. I've had supernatural things happen in my life that myself or no one else can explain. I have a one on one interaction with God.

Meanwhile you trust a book, that will be disproved in the next 10 years. We can't trust what the news reports from yesterday news- and you're going to trust them from events that took place BILLIONS of years ago that no one has ever witnessed??

Meh, science is an imperfect tool to be sure. But I'll take the system that is interested in honestly finding out how the world works, over the system using bronze age philosophy to brainwash people. And I really don't mean that offensively. You've always seemed like a nice enough guy, but religion is bullshit. People were afraid of death, and afraid of natural phenomena they didn't understand. So they created this idea of god as a security blanket.


Is there an actual god? I dunno man. Nobody knows. Maybe. If so he's more Apocalypse and less Gandalf. Our science, that has to actually work. We are at the pinnacle of human existence, and we owe it all to science. In a very real applied way, our science powers every industry. Our entire way of life and this very conversation would be impossible without technology. Your way requires a LOT more blind belief than mine, but either way we're going to be left with assumptions when you go back billions of years. I'd rather have a system that rigorously researches what could have happened, that isn't afraid to say sometimes we don't know everything. I'll take an educated guess about what happened a billion years ago over random, completely made up bullshit.