Philosophy Now Forum

Thinking on the question:

"What is the meaning of life?"

I came across this alternative question in an article on Philosophy Now:

"What is it that makes your life worth living?"

I found this alternative question to bring a sense of relief and direction. Now, I am wonder what suggestions people here might have for even more alternative questions. Which questions do you find helpful as alternatives to "What is the meaning of life?" (if any)

I'm new here - this is my first post. So - thanks and I look forward to interacting.

bergler wrote:Which questions do you find helpful as alternatives to "What is the meaning of life?" (if any)

"How did life get popularly construed as a symbol for signifying something else?"

"If life was matter organizing / behaving purposefully, then why would the purposefulness redundantly need a purpose?"

"Where do I find this thing called a dictionary?"

"Can my life acquire importance by my becoming deeply in debt to many people and companies?"

"Why not just go ahead and learn any random trade or profession that pays well, choose anyone who expresses interest in you as a significant other, and become part of a community -- since you can afterwards still chuck it all and become a hermit if that eventually reveals itself to be your life's calling?"

"What do I live for ?"

"What keeps me going ?"

The meaning of life is to learn how to avoid living.

To live in the now is to make life the most reducible.

Most people in society try to become nothing but fail at it due to the broken structure of society. They live in ignorance in attempts to become nothing. But this doesn't work because the fools who structured social norms were not very wise. Social norms are by their nature, exclusory and mostly unnattainable fantasies. Ignorance is not the reliable cure. Living in the now or living in the nostalgic past or living in the dreamy future, or living in dreams is.

However the goal is to become non-existent completely, as living in the now is not always reliable. To do this would require certain elements and keys in place, to ensure that upon death one did not reincarnate.

bergler wrote:Thinking on the question:

"What is the meaning of life?"

I came across this alternative question in an article on Philosophy Now:

"What is it that makes your life worth living?"

I found this alternative question to bring a sense of relief and direction. Now, I am wonder what suggestions people here might have for even more alternative questions. Which questions do you find helpful as alternatives to "What is the meaning of life?" (if any)

I'm new here - this is my first post. So - thanks and I look forward to interacting.

What time is lunch, I'm hungry for a nice thick, juicy steak, rare please.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1nxaQhsaaw

thedoc wrote: What time is lunch, I'm hungry for a nice thick, juicy steak, rare please.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1nxaQhsaaw

Typical offtopic post only meant to annoy good honest persons trying to stop animal cruelty. Like many of thedocs posts, tend to be completely devoid of philosophical content as well as unrelated to the topic at hand. In short, thedocs philosophical contribution translates to "blood make ape happy"

GreatandWiseTrixie wrote:

thedoc wrote: What time is lunch, I'm hungry for a nice thick, juicy steak, rare please.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1nxaQhsaaw

In short, thedocs philosophical contribution translates to "blood make ape happy"

Trixie, do you realize that your Militant Veganism is wearing thin.

thedoc wrote:

GreatandWiseTrixie wrote:

thedoc wrote: What time is lunch, I'm hungry for a nice thick, juicy steak, rare please.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1nxaQhsaaw

In short, thedocs philosophical contribution translates to "blood make ape happy"

Trixie, do you realize that your Militant Veganism is wearing thin.

Militia's are founded for a reason, to bring harmony to the land. Second of all, you derailed this thread, which had nothing to do with food, with your meat-eating propaganda. The militant one is you, my militia is formed to defend the land and free the victims from oppression. I don't care if it's wearing thin I hope it wears so thin it snaps you in half, so you can realize what you've done. For starters, you derailed this thread, I didn't even mention anything about it until you came on here with the Nazi-esque propaganda.

GreatandWiseTrixie wrote:

thedoc wrote:

thedoc wrote: What time is lunch, I'm hungry for a nice thick, juicy steak, rare please.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1nxaQhsaaw

Trixie, do you realize that your Militant Veganism is wearing thin.

Militia's are founded for a reason, to bring harmony to the land. Second of all, you derailed this thread, which had nothing to do with food, with your meat-eating propaganda. The militant one is you, my militia is formed to defend the land and free the victims from oppression. I don't care if it's wearing thin I hope it wears so thin it snaps you in half, so you can realize what you've done. For starters, you derailed this thread, I didn't even mention anything about it until you came on here with the Nazi-esque propaganda.

FYI, you didn't start the thread, you haven't even contributed to it, at least my question was a meaningful contribution, so I haven't derailed the thread, I have kept it on track. That you have not mentioned food and eating is totally irrelevant, you did not start the thread. Your ranting about veganism is what is derailing the thread. Your Militant Veganism has nothing to do with a properly organized Militia, your comments are just stupid drivel. The thread is about important questions about existence, and food and eating are relevant to that issue.

thedoc wrote:

GreatandWiseTrixie wrote:

thedoc wrote:
FYI, you didn't start the thread, you haven't even contributed to it, at least my question was a meaningful contribution, so I haven't derailed the thread, I have kept it on track. That you have not mentioned food and eating is totally irrelevant, you did not start the thread. Your ranting about veganism is what is derailing the thread. Your Militant Veganism has nothing to do with a properly organized Militia, your comments are just stupid drivel. The thread is about important questions about existence, and food and eating are relevant to that issue.

Right, I guess the world is fucking upside down then. I guess my comment about the nature of ultimate reality is drivel, and your question about "when is lunchtime" is absolute genius. You also gave us such gems as gradeschool level slutshaming in another thread, which was offtopic and pointless as always.

Trixie wrote:

However the goal is to become non-existent completely, as living in the now is not always reliable. To do this would require certain elements and keys in place, to ensure that upon death one did not reincarnate.

I don't understand any of this.

Can you elaborate?

GreatandWiseTrixie wrote:

thedoc wrote: FYI, you didn't start the thread, you haven't even contributed to it, at least my question was a meaningful contribution, so I haven't derailed the thread, I have kept it on track. That you have not mentioned food and eating is totally irrelevant, you did not start the thread. Your ranting about veganism is what is derailing the thread. Your Militant Veganism has nothing to do with a properly organized Militia, your comments are just stupid drivel. The thread is about important questions about existence, and food and eating are relevant to that issue.

Right, I guess the world is fucking upside down then. I guess my comment about the nature of ultimate reality is drivel, and your question about "when is lunchtime" is absolute genius. You also gave us such gems as gradeschool level slutshaming in another thread, which was offtopic and pointless as always.

Yes.
Yes.
And Yes.
What happens in another thread is irrelevant to this one.

reasonvemotion wrote:Trixie wrote:

However the goal is to become non-existent completely, as living in the now is not always reliable. To do this would require certain elements and keys in place, to ensure that upon death one did not reincarnate.

I don't understand any of this.

Can you elaborate?

Would if I could. The keys are a mystery to me. the dali lama claimed that upon his death, he would cease to reincarnate, but I have doubts on that, and no scientific way to verify his claims.

My hunch is that more study must be performed on light, and death, and the stuff consciousness is made of (the real you.) My best guess is the consciousnesses were exiled from their homeworld and are stuck in a planet where they don't belong.

Otherwise, we would be just like the dali lama, that upon death, just "hope" it all works out and cease to exist (although in all likely hood he would probably just reincarnate and forget about it.)

Returning the homeworld (if there is one) is a subgoal, as the humans have a poor track record and I doubt much progress will be made on this world, although either way the humans assistance will be required somewhat. Then once we learn more we can return to earth (if it still exists, provided humans haven't committed hari kari) and see if humans have gained the ability to destroy the universe (since they excel at destruction, it's in their DNA.) There must be a reason we are stuck on this planet, whether it is to save it or obtain information it I am unsure.

If there is no reason for our placement here other than random causation, or we are here for no option other than the homeworld being destroyed, destroying the universe would likely be a better solution than enduring this planet's ruling lifeform's any longer, as they would surely propagate throughout the galaxy (like an uncontainable virus.)

You ask why the universe? Left to its own devices the universe would create more earthlike planets, and more humanlike races, (thought i doubt quite as nasty as homosapiens.)
The possibility is humans will someday evolve and become slightly bearable to coexist with. Unfortunately they will also become sterile and boring at this time. At this future state they would likely reject the teaching that life is bad, as they would believe themselves in "bliss." The goal is nonexistence, or at least returning to the homeworld (if it exists.) The goal is not living as a sterile, boring, future civilization with rules and regulations, who would surely reject such teachings they percieve as "pessimistic" (as they would still be human.) Best scenario would be a human DNA altering device.

Possibility is the homeworld is actually the host of this world, and this world is a simulation. Possibly created to alleviate the suffering in the homeworld, but programmed badly and with much oversight.

GreatandWiseTrixie wrote:

reasonvemotion wrote:Trixie wrote:

However the goal is to become non-existent completely, as living in the now is not always reliable. To do this would require certain elements and keys in place, to ensure that upon death one did not reincarnate.

I don't understand any of this.

Can you elaborate?

Would if I could. The keys are a mystery to me. the dali lama claimed that upon his death, he would cease to reincarnate, but I have doubts on that, and no scientific way to verify his claims.

My hunch is that more study must be performed on light, and death, and the stuff consciousness is made of (the real you.) My best guess is the consciousnesses were exiled from their homeworld and are stuck in a planet where they don't belong.

Otherwise, we would be just like the dali lama, that upon death, just "hope" it all works out and cease to exist (although in all likely hood he would probably just reincarnate and forget about it.)

Returning the homeworld (if there is one) is a subgoal, as the humans have a poor track record and I doubt much progress will be made on this world, although either way the humans assistance will be required somewhat. Then once we learn more we can return to earth (if it still exists, provided humans haven't committed hari kari) and see if humans have gained the ability to destroy the universe (since they excel at destruction, it's in their DNA.) There must be a reason we are stuck on this planet, whether it is to save it or obtain information it I am unsure.

If there is no reason for our placement here other than random causation, or we are here for no option other than the homeworld being destroyed, destroying the universe would likely be a better solution than enduring this planet's ruling lifeform's any longer, as they would surely propagate throughout the galaxy (like an uncontainable virus.)

You ask why the universe? Left to its own devices the universe would create more earthlike planets, and more humanlike races, (thought i doubt quite as nasty as homosapiens.)
The possibility is humans will someday evolve and become slightly bearable to coexist with. Unfortunately they will also become sterile and boring at this time. At this future state they would likely reject the teaching that life is bad, as they would believe themselves in "bliss." The goal is nonexistence, or at least returning to the homeworld (if it exists.) The goal is not living as a sterile, boring, future civilization with rules and regulations, who would surely reject such teachings they percieve as "pessimistic" (as they would still be human.) Best scenario would be a human DNA altering device.

I must say, you have a good imagination.

Trixie wrote:

Left to its own devices the universe would create more earthlike planets, and more humanlike races, (thought i doubt quite as nasty as homosapiens.)

Does your disillusionment with your fellow human beings also include you, or do you consider yourself to be removed from it all.