Atheists, is life ultimately meaningful?

[RedDragon94]

Is life ultimately meaningful and [edit] if you don't think life is meaningful [/edit] are you satisfied with it not being meaningful?

If reality is objective then it must serve some purpose. That's what an objective is, it is fulfilling a certain something in order to do something else. Do you agree?

I've heard that there are atheists that embrace determinism in a way. Is this true? Are you one of them? And how can everything be determined without there being an animate being in charge of determining? Where do you draw the line on whether things happen for a reason?

 

[SpeaksForTheTrees]

Is life ultimately meaningful and are you satisfied with it not being meaningful?

If reality is objective then it must serve some purpose. That's what an objective is, it is fulfilling a certain something in order to do something else. Do you agree?

I've heard that there are atheists that embrace determinism in a way. Is this true? Are you one of them? And how can everything be determined without there being an animate being in charge of determining? Where do you draw the line on whether things happen for a reason?

Without god life is everything ?

 

[QuestioningMind]

I find my life to be quite meaningful, so the second half of your question is moot.. I do not embrace determinism... can't see how a true atheist could.

 

[RedDragon94]

I find my life to be quite meaningful, so the second half of your question is moot.. I do not embrace determinism... can't see how a true atheist could.

I edited the question.

 

[RedDragon94]

Without god life is everything ?

Is that a statement?

 

[SpeaksForTheTrees]

Is that a statement?

Not as in eye witness account but logical conclusion
What if no one believed in God and none had even considered what if all humans had been hard wired like Dr Spock for example , funny looking bloke but he was no means nihilist quite the opposite ?

 

[QuestioningMind]

Is life ultimately meaningful and [edit] if you don't think life is meaningful [/edit] are you satisfied with it not being meaningful?

If reality is objective then it must serve some purpose. That's what an objective is, it is fulfilling a certain something in order to do something else. Do you agree?

I've heard that there are atheists that embrace determinism in a way. Is this true? Are you one of them? And how can everything be determined without there being an animate being in charge of determining? Where do you draw the line on whether things happen for a reason?

Also, you are using the two definitions of objective as if they are one. Objective reality means viewing reality while not influenced by personal feelings or opinions in considering and representing facts. The second case you use objective as in a goal. They are not interchangeable.

 

[Revoltingest]

Is life ultimately meaningful and are you satisfied with it not being meaningful?

Meaning is what the individual finds, rather than something conferred by the universe.
It's meaningful enuf to me, although I have a few complaints.

If reality is objective then it must serve some purpose. That's what an objective is, it is fulfilling a certain something in order to do something else. Do you agree?

Purpose is like meaning, in that it also originates in the individual.

I've heard that there are atheists that embrace determinism in a way. Is this true? Are you one of them? And how can everything be determined without there being an animate being in charge of determining? Where do you draw the line on whether things happen for a reason?

What does determinism mean?

 

[RedDragon94]

They are not interchangeable.

But they are the same word.

What if no one believed in God and none had even considered what if all humans had been hard wired like Dr Spock for example

I believe we would still have questions.

 

[RedDragon94]

Meaning is what the individual finds, rather than something conferred by the universe.
It's meaningful enuf to me, although I have a few complaints.

Purpose is like meaning, in that it also originates in the individual.

Just because a being doesn't have any physical properties doesn't mean they aren't there. For example, haunted houses. You can choose to disbelieve accounts of them but you once you experience them they are all too real.

What does determinism mean?

Basically that everything happens because something before caused it to happen.

 

[Aquitaine]

Any "meaning" of life is up to the individual to determine.

 

[RedDragon94]

Any "meaning" of life is up to the individual to determine.

Then there is no meaning. And not only that there is no consequence for our actions because punishment always happens for a reason.

 

[QuestioningMind]

But they are the same word.

I believe we would still have questions.

Yes, it is the same word. And a single word can have more than one definition. In the first case the definition of objective is: not influenced by personal feelings or opinions in considering and representing facts. In the second case the definition of objective is: a thing aimed at or sought; a goal. For instant in the following sentence 'scale' has two distinctive meanings. "Scale the fish completely before weighing it on the scale."

 

[Revoltingest]

Just because a being doesn't have any physical properties doesn't mean they aren't there. For example, haunted houses. You can choose to disbelieve accounts of them but you once you experience them they are all too real.

IMO they're not haunted.

Basically that everything happens because something before caused it to happen.

I can go with that.

 

[QuestioningMind]

Then there is no meaning. And not only that there is no consequence for our actions because punishment always happens for a reason.

No, it just means that there is no singular meaning for everyone. It suggests that everyone has their own individual meaning for life, not that life has no meaning.

 

[RedDragon94]

Yes, it is the same word. And a single word can have more than one definition. In the first case the definition of objective is: not influenced by personal feelings or opinions in considering and representing facts. In the second case the definition of objective is: a thing aimed at or sought; a goal. For instant in the following sentence 'scale' has two distinctive meanings. "Scale the fish completely before weighing it on the scale."

But the fact that the two definitions share the one word tells me that there's a connection.

 

[RedDragon94]

IMO they're not haunted.

And the people that experience them are all hallucinating the same thing?

 

[QuestioningMind]

But the fact that the two definitions share the one word tells me that there's a connection.

Huh? What is the connection' - other than spelling - between the scale on a fish and a scale used to weigh things?

 

[RedDragon94]

It suggests that everyone has their own individual meaning for life, not that life has no meaning.

I believe that everyone has a different purpose in life but life itself is meaningful.

 

[Revoltingest]

And the people that experience them are all hallucinating the same thing?

Yup.
It's just like throngs who see statues cry.