Philosophy Now Forum

When asked of the meaning of life I think of the following: It could be said to ask what it's intended to be, which would imply a force that chose to create it. Or it may be asking one to question what it actually is, considering everything precisely, thus eventually allowing one to arrive at multiple possibilities of origin. Or it may be asking where meaning lies. Or it may be asking if life has to have meaning, or it may be stating that it definitely has to have meaning. It may be asserting that someone definitely knows, or that no one can possibly know. Or it may be asking for everyone's meaning, and after receiving multiple responses one might conclude that it indicates that meaning is relative, but only in the lives/lies of men, as life sprang forth, long before men. It might be indicating that meaning is a useless/(or not), construct of men, for some purpose, realized or otherwise.

I see that the meaning of life is to live, and that to live is to enjoy life, ALL life, that the universe has yielded equally, as it all is the product of the universe, one way or another.

SpheresOfBalance wrote:When asked of the meaning of life I think of the following: It could be said to ask what it's intended to be, which would imply a force that chose to create it. Or it may be asking one to question what it actually is, considering everything precisely, thus eventually allowing one to arrive at multiple possibilities of origin. Or it may be asking where meaning lies. Or it may be asking if life has to have meaning, or it may be stating that it definitely has to have meaning. It may be asserting that someone definitely knows, or that no one can possibly know. Or it may be asking for everyone's meaning, and after receiving multiple responses one might conclude that it indicates that meaning is relative, but only in the lives/lies of men, as life sprang forth, long before men. It might be indicating that meaning is a useless/(or not), construct of men, for some purpose, realized or otherwise.

I see that the meaning of life is to live, and that to live is to enjoy life, ALL life, that the universe has yielded equally, as it all is the product of the universe, one way or another.

i agree.
Drink is for drinking; food is for eating.

reasonvemotion wrote:A wonderful book Man's search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl, outlines his theory that there is a strong relationship between meaningless and depression. He argues that in the absence of meaning, people fill the void with hedonistic pleasures, power, materialism, hatred, boredom or neurotic obsessions. He concluded that the philospher Nietzsche had it right, "He who has a why to live for can bear with almost any how", (Nietzsche, quoted in 1963, p. 121).

In Man's Search for Meaning, he says this: "...everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms -- to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way." (1963, p. 104)

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I just read your post and reaffirmed to myself that yes a life without meaning is a life without love...and hedonism in such a scale will raise its self indulgent head.
I then saw your latter post.

SpheresOfBalance wrote:I see that the meaning of life is to live, and that to live is to enjoy life, ALL life, that the universe has yielded equally, as it all is the product of the universe, one way or another.

Yes all is well until you are judged to become the product for man...666 has reason.

attofishpi wrote:

SpheresOfBalance wrote:I see that the meaning of life is to live, and that to live is to enjoy life, ALL life, that the universe has yielded equally, as it all is the product of the universe, one way or another.

Yes all is well until you are judged to become the product for man...666 has reason.

Yes its the british emergency phone number upside down. Call the beast when you are having a good time!

attofishpi wrote:

reasonvemotion wrote:A wonderful book Man's search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl, outlines his theory that there is a strong relationship between meaningless and depression. He argues that in the absence of meaning, people fill the void with hedonistic pleasures, power, materialism, hatred, boredom or neurotic obsessions. He concluded that the philospher Nietzsche had it right, "He who has a why to live for can bear with almost any how", (Nietzsche, quoted in 1963, p. 121).

In Man's Search for Meaning, he says this: "...everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms -- to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way." (1963, p. 104)

.

I just read your post and reaffirmed to myself that yes a life without meaning is a life without love...and hedonism in such a scale will raise its self indulgent head.
I then saw your latter post.

Love and hedonism go together like peaches and cream.

chaz wyman wrote:

attofishpi wrote:

SpheresOfBalance wrote:I see that the meaning of life is to live, and that to live is to enjoy life, ALL life, that the universe has yielded equally, as it all is the product of the universe, one way or another.

Yes all is well until you are judged to become the product for man...666 has reason.

Yes its the british emergency phone number upside down. Call the beast when you are having a good time!

Lol...liked that one.

CW wrote:

Love and hedonism go together like peaches and cream

One is self sacrificing and the other selfish pursuit of pleasure. I don't see any connection between the two.

reasonvemotion wrote:CW wrote:

Love and hedonism go together like peaches and cream

One is self sacrificing and the other selfish pursuit of pleasure. I don't see any connection between the two.

But they do go together: Love thy neighbour as thyself, as Jesus put it. It's when you want the best for others and yourself alike. In an ideal society, as in an ideal relationship, there is no give and take, only give and receive.

Yes, Mr Notvacka has put it very well.

And: One needs to find another soul for this mutual exchange of generous gifts.

A soul mate, yes (let us not be afraid of this quaint expression).

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The meaning of life could also be to find out interesting truths and to share them with a buddy.

There is a difference between worldly and christian hedonism.

I am certain CW was not referring to christian hedonism. Indeed, it would be a miracle if he was. LOL

reasonvemotion wrote:There is a difference between worldly and christian hedonism.

I am certain CW was not referring to christian hedonism. Indeed, it would be a miracle if he was. LOL

There is? What exactly would the difference be? Anything like the difference between, well, AC/DC and, what? Stryper?

2 Timothy 3: 2-5

People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobediant to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treachorous, rash, conceited. lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God having a form of Godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.

reasonvemotion wrote:2 Timothy 3: 2-5

People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobediant to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treachorous, rash, conceited. lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God having a form of Godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.

Lots of adjectives there. And, sure, people are and will be all of those things. Though not all at once. As for loving pleasure rather than loving God, how about loving God by loving pleasure?

reasonvemotion wrote:CW wrote:

Love and hedonism go together like peaches and cream

One is self sacrificing and the other selfish pursuit of pleasure. I don't see any connection between the two.

People get joy from loving another- agree or not? That is why love is part of the pursuit of pleasure.
If you think love is about self sacrifice alone, then I pity you and those you love.