Nihilist question

[KazeCraven]

@Last Dawn: To me, that's akin to asking why we need social interaction. We don't, but (most) people crave it all the same. In fact, to me, having a purpose and overarching life goal is more necessary than human interaction.

Unfortunately, I'm unable to lie to myself and thus I'm stuck with trying to figure out what my own personal significance is. In a way, I suppose I'm stuck with the absurdist line of thought, that we seek but will never find the inherent meaning (if it does exist). I almost wish I could go back to being certain about what's meaningful in life (almost, because I would never agree to selling myself to a lie). The only problem I would have with an inherent purpose would be the old philosophical question of, "why should we do what we are supposed to do, even if our biology or God says to?"

 

[AUM]

@Last Dawn: "why should we do what we are supposed to do, even if our biology or God says to?"

Exactly. Even if our ultimate purpose is to be in heaven and be in peace while I play my harp in a cloud, what's the purpose of getting to such a place? Why did we have to go through all that trouble to begin with?

 

[KazeCraven]

Heh. I sure hope that, if there is a given purpose, there is also a given explanation that would make sense to us. Humans are notoriously bad at coming to definite conclusions about philosophical questions. Whether the fault is in humans or philosophy itself is, unfortunately, also a philosophical question.

 

[AUM]

Heh. I sure hope that, if there is a given purpose, there is also a given explanation that would make sense to us. Humans are notoriously bad at coming to definite conclusions about philosophical questions. Whether the fault is in humans or philosophy itself is, unfortunately, also a philosophical question.

When you say that "you sure hope there is a given explanation that would make sense" you're implying that when we die we take our brain with us. It is our brain that yearns explanations and understanding but who knows what mechanism(if any) we actually take with us. I'm pretty sure as well that even if this "god" would give an explanation of what actually our purpose is, some people will still think that god is bogus, simply because we have free will and diversity of beliefs.

 

[KazeCraven]

Hmmm, interesting. I suppose I did imply that, though I was actually thinking about being told about it while alive. I'm still not convinced that there's anything after this.

But yeah, I agree that if there is something after death, it's pretty clear that our brains (and perhaps our minds, since they arise from our brains) are left here. Don't ask me what would be left, because that's the primary reason I'm not convinced we've got anything after this life.