Answer to the question: Why are we here?

originally posted by: Blue Shift
We're here so DNA can continue in some form through time. That's about it. Not to love one another or any of that other nonsense.

Why does DNA have a requirement or need to "continue" through time?

Your argument sounds like the "survive and procreate" argument, which is a weak one.

originally posted by: Whatsthisthen
I can understand the purpose of a pencil, it has a creator.

Assuming humans are created Beings, for what purpose?

Maybe humans exist as a bridge between lower spiritually-developed life forms and yet to be perceived higher spiritually-developed life forms. We already know it's our sense of intellectual reason that separates us from other less developed animals, so perhaps aliens or higher beings we have not yet discovered have some quality that separates them from us.

If this line of thought is to be entertained, the purpose of our creation might lie in the following: at the request of our Creator or our own Higher Selves, we have decided to undergo a spiritual development cycle which sees us starting off as separate and ends in our reunification with the source of creation.

a reply to: Incandescent

Maybe humans exist as a bridge between lower spiritually-developed life forms and yet to be perceived higher spiritually-developed life forms. We already know it's our sense of intellectual reason that separates us from other less developed animals, so perhaps aliens or higher beings we have not yet discovered have some quality that separates them from us.

If this line of thought is to be entertained, the purpose of our creation might lie in the following: at the request of our Creator or our own Higher Selves, we have decided to undergo a spiritual development cycle which sees us starting off as separate and ends in our reunification with the source of creation.

(Edit: Yes, as a bridge between two types of life would work. An interface layer between say Angels and daemons, or Asura and Deva. /Edit)

Okay, but that describes a path rather then a purpose per se. Purpose is something bestowed. I spose by a higher order Being, Creator, or custodian. We keep chickens for eggs. That is a chicken's purpose within the farmyard.

Purpose definition, the reason for which something exists or is done, made, used, etc.


If humans spontaneously arose out of chaos for example, then there is no purpose.

If created by a higher order Being, then the question might be, What were they thinking?

Hard to second guess a higher order Being. And humans just don't seem to fit in with Nature.

originally posted by: Itisnowagain

originally posted by: TerryMcGuire
How does the non-existent come into existence? I have never been able to wrap my head around the idea of something from nothing.

The issue is that you think you are separate to what is happening - this 'separate you' implies one thing and the world is assumed to be another thing. But really there is only what is happening - what is happening is not made of two - you and it. There is no you and it - there is just what is happening - what is happening is no thing.
Does that clear things up?

Nothing is appearing to exist.

Clear things up? I really wish it did. For instance when you say '' nothing is appearing to exist'', what is being accented, ''nothing' or ''appearing''.
Is appearing used as an emergent property, or is it being used as simply a statement of inert being. Is ''nothing being used as thing or as a negation. I find that in dealing with these questions, that those I listen to and read from have different values that are placed upon these terms so that understanding of a simple sentence can fluctuate depending on what is being emphasized.

And not saying what you point out is incorrect, how does that conception of things consider such notions as ''cause and effect'' or for that matter ''free will"
I guess that is the crux of my unwillingness to just accept the proposal of existence that you bring forth above. I ''want' free will and I want to create and I want to be the cause of an effect. And sure, I know that all of that springs from desire and many teachings eschew desire as being our down fall, but I am not inclined to toss desire out the window completely.

originally posted by: makalit

Yup. What we see in our world is an exact translation of the desire of existence. These laws are not working by chance but working instead by intention and desire.

Yes but I am big on accepting there is a paradox between the desire of creation of the pride of carnal man. I believe there is a spirit of man, but as for all animals, the physical world can get in the way of the spiritual world. The law appears to be hidden as a respect to let the creation think that there are no bounds between the Creator and Created. Basic natural physical attributes to the brain of animals such as ego, pride, arrogance, selfishness, and everything that would lead the person into thinking that they are separate and not One with creation, are being pushed farther and farther away from the true spirit of man each time them delve into their views and being in those respects. When we are born again into the realization of the spiritual world it is because all we have known is this physical world and most of our parents also only know that world, and we start to learn quickly that most things we thought as right or correct in the world are the very opposite in the spiritual world, and that is the paradox.

So what we see in the world is a result of man's reflection unto himself in the physical world, separated from spirit, full of pride arrogance and selfishness. And some people such as yogis and monks find the spiritual world and withdraw themselves from the world, such as living in a cave and praying all day. It is just reality that they have found the true world, and have recognized that the world in front of us was built and shaped by those who have not found the meaning of Truth.

The law is working based on that. And I am working based on that. So more correctly the actions you see from me, after I have been through much training, such as selflessness, giving, and serving others spiritually, is the translation of the spirit working through me from the inside, as the spirit desires to manifest itself though every living thing. That is why we get punished for living a life causing harm to others - because we realize in the next world, or the spiritual world, that our true desire in our heart is to love others and not cause harm unto them.

originally posted by: Whatsthisthen
Why does a reason for existence have to be there?

Even given that God exists, Deism supposes that God created us and then took the Star Trek oath of non-interference...They would be modern atheists, except they considered the Earth too perfect to be chance back in the day.

Along the same line of thought, Francis Crick and James Watson's discovery of the double helix led them to panspermia . Instead of life evolving from non living chemicals. They pushed evolution back to some other planet that then shipped the genetic code here to jump start evolution.

In more recent times, the argument of a finely tuned universe has come up. See also - Link1, Link2.

But never fear, to help Atheists sleep better at night, we have the multiverse theory. We just happen to live in the one universe of many that is just right... the Goldilocks universe ...

I personally cant relate, sure there doesnt need to be reason, but I for one really enjoy existing, so answering this question is kind of paramount. And I think there is some dishonesty here on the part of many people, assuming everyone isnt contemplating suicide because life is so unbearable, it would seem most of us should be concerned with this question.

Perhaps that is humanity's greatest mistake. To think there has to be a purpose in the first place.

I would suggest that sort of thinking has caused more wars, bloodshed and suffering then any other reason in history.

For much of history, there was this thought or philosophy that we should expand and conquer, ie the sun never set on the British empire. And to convince those who didnt agree, whoever would of course claim God is with us in said war - breaking the first commandment for sure. Lets call it the "Pinky and the Brain" Syndrome.

a reply to: 111DPKING111

Even given that God exists, Deism supposes that God created us and then took the Star Trek oath of non-interference...They would be modern atheists, except they considered the Earth too perfect to be chance back in the day.

That would sorta work if a Being were to desire to have children and want to watch them grow up. But the star trek non-interference idea is not parental. Parents are generally caring and look after their children.

Along the same line of thought, Francis Crick and James Watson's discovery of the double helix led them to panspermia . Instead of life evolving from non living chemicals. They pushed evolution back to some other planet that then shipped the genetic code here to jump start evolution.

I have read a little on transpermia. Hmmm, maybe something there, maybe.

Nature Beings, well the few I know, reproduce through mitosis and have ancestral memories older then the earth. The thought-feelings I get from them is that when the earth was new a few Nature Beings arrived here and layed down in the Elemental landscape changing it to their preferences. Then other Nature Beings came and layed down in the newly changed landscape and contributed in their own ways to make things comphy. Sorta like word of mouth amoung kindrid spirits that there is a new world to build and live in. I understand that many Nature Beings came here because their previous home died.

The Elementals have a history too. They pioneered the way for Nature Being is my understanding.

There was no planetary spiritual world back then by the way.

Nature Beings don't evolve, they become,

I don't know much about how organic life got here, everything is so complicated and muddled up. Like something is hiding secrets of origins. But I do know that the idea of evolution is not that old in earthly terms. Compared to mitosis, Meiosis is super fast developement that could be tinkered with by higher order Beings.

But that is where things stop for me, things gets really complicated after the introduction of meiosis to the scheme of things. But my gut feeling is "intellegent" Beings of some description barging in and taking over.

But never fear, to help Atheists sleep better at night, we have the multiverse theory. We just happen to live in the one universe of many that is just right... the Goldilocks universe ...

I personally cant relate, sure there doesnt need to be reason, but I for one really enjoy existing, so answering this question is kind of paramount. And I think there is some dishonesty here on the part of many people, assuming everyone isnt contemplating suicide because life is so unbearable, it would seem most of us should be concerned with this question.

I'm not a fan of the multiverse either, it feels like being inside a alien mind.

For much of history, there was this thought or philosophy that we should expand and conquer, ie the sun never set on the British empire. And to convince those who didnt agree, whoever would of course claim God is with us in said war - breaking the first commandment for sure. Lets call it the "Pinky and the Brain" Syndrome.

Perhaps the problem is humans always think they are important, always the human-centric view. This is, in all probability, not a human-centric universe.

originally posted by: Whatsthisthen
Perhaps the problem is humans always think they are important, always the human-centric view. This is, in all probability, not a human-centric universe.

We aren't special because we are human, we are special because we are self-aware and can reason. At present, there is no evidence of a more intellectually superior life form, so it's not unreasonable to question whether we have a purpose.

a reply to: Incandescent

We aren't special because we are human, we are special because we are self-aware and can reason. At present, there is no evidence of a more intellectually superior life form, so it's not unreasonable to question whether we have a purpose.

Yes, there is nothing unreasonable about questioning wether or not we have a purpose. Why would there be?

When I said:

originally posted by: Whatsthisthen
Perhaps the problem is humans always think they are important, always the human-centric view. This is, in all probability, not a human-centric universe

. . . . think outside the purely human centric view.

If:

Intellect is considered to be a branch of intelligence reflecting mainly its logical and rational side.

Does one measure intellegence according to the presence of logic?

I would simply suggest that we are surrounded by intellegence (Nature for one) that we don't understand because we don't understand the language. Maybe logic won't work there, I think that is so.

Humans are a part of something bigger, one might find answers looking at the bigger picture . . . .