Greater purposes

[SalixIncendium]

To continue the species.
Without out it there would be no one to be happy

Are you sure?

 

[ppp]

This belongs here....

I love early BBC budgeting constraints.

 

[Trailblazer]

So you dont know but say you do because...

All knowledge is not based upon facts we can prove. I cannot prove what I know is the truth so it is not a fact, in the sense of definition #1 below. However, I can know according to definition #2 below.

knowledge;
1. facts, information, and skills acquired by a person through experience or education; the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject.
2. awareness or familiarity gained by experience of a fact or situation.
knowledge means - Google Search

That said, I would never claim what I believe is true and expect others to believe it is true because I cannot prove it is true and claims require proof. But I can still say "I know" what I believe is true because I have an inner certitude, an inner knowing.
Of course I realize I could be wrong but I never worry about that possibility, not for more than a few seconds.

I realize that people all have their own reasons for spending so much time on this forum, but if I was not absolutely certain that my beliefs are true, I would be off sunning myself on a beach somewhere or on a cruise, not here on this forum.

 

[MNoBody]

Happiness is just a chemical reaction.

then we are all junkies then.
hopeless addicts to some substance we cook up in our glandular labs
breaking bad on a whole new level
hmmmmm.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

then we are all junkies then.
hopeless addicts to some substance we cook up in our glandular labs
breaking bad on a whole new level
hmmmmm.

We are. Happiness, love, joy, excitement, anger, sex, etc. all cause dopamine to be released in our brain.

 

[MNoBody]

We are. Happiness, love, joy, excitement, anger, sex, etc. all cause dopamine to be released in our brain.

yes, I am hip to that, tragically so,

as the band emphasized

 

[Twilight Hue]

What should compel me to I consider a purpose that has nothing to do with us to be greater. Or existent?

Because I accepted that we don't own the universe, but its the universe that owns us.

 

[ppp]

Because I accepted that we don't own the universe, but its the universe that owns us.

Not only a slavery not a greater purpose, but it's among the lowest among the reviled purposes.

 

[Milton Platt]

Is there a greater purpose than personal happiness? What is that purpose? And how is it greater?

This is happiness in the sense of contentedness, or fulfillment.
"Are you happy in life?" is not asking if you are always merry. It is asking if your life is, on balance, a fulfilling one.

Define "greater"

 

[chinu]

Is there a greater purpose than personal happiness? What is that purpose? And how is it greater? This is happiness in the sense of contentedness, or fulfillment.

No. there's no greater purpose than personal happiness in the sense of contentedness, or fulfilment.

"Are you happy in life?" is not asking if you are always merry. It is asking if your life is, on balance, a fulfilling one.

It is clearing a doubt.

 

[chinu]

To continue the species.
Without out it there would be no one to be happy

Animals also do the same.

 

[chinu]

Well, ok. Why continue it though if they ain't going to be happy?

Perhaps its like being busy in attaining happiness.

 

[Mock Turtle]

Is there a greater purpose than personal happiness? What is that purpose? And how is it greater?

This is happiness in the sense of contentedness, or fulfillment.
"Are you happy in life?" is not asking if you are always merry. It is asking if your life is, on balance, a fulfilling one.

I think a greater purpose for humans is for each individual to have the happiness of others in consideration whilst seeking their own, such that what they do doesn't necessarily deprive others of such - which is a tall ask, given that virtually everything we do does tend to affect others. But we are not going to get happier, or contented, overall if we blindly aim just for our own happiness. Fulfilment as an individual - which can vary so enormously anyway - gives us plenty of scope to make our own lives happier. And in my experience, anything that one achieves that harms no other tends to give one the best chance for such, and where perhaps one learns something about oneself or in general. I think it is folly to expect one to live in some state of happiness but just coping with the ups and downs of life would seem a more realistic option - and many cannot do this.

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

I think a greater purpose for humans is for each individual to have the happiness of others in consideration whilst seeking their own, such that what they do doesn't necessarily deprive others of such - which is a tall ask, given that virtually everything we do does tend to affect others. But we are not going to get happier, or contented, overall if we blindly aim just for our own happiness. Fulfilment as an individual - which can vary so enormously anyway - gives us plenty of scope to make our own lives happier. And in my experience, anything that one achieves that harms no other tends to give one the best chance for such, and where perhaps one learns something about oneself or in general. I think it is folly to expect one to live in some state of happiness but just coping with the ups and downs of life would seem a more realistic option - and many cannot do this.

Evidence, please!

 

[Mock Turtle]

Evidence, please!

Look around at all those who exploit others?

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

Look around at all those who exploit others?

Yeah, but that is not evidence. If we follow your reasoning it ends as a feeling in you. I accept that you can do that as you, but I doubt you are a "we". In effect you have stated your opinion for how we ought to do happiness.

 

[Mock Turtle]

Yeah, but that is not evidence. If we follow your reasoning it ends as a feeling in you. I accept that you can do that as you, but I doubt you are a "we". In effect you have stated your opinion for how we ought to do happiness.

Well I doubt one can provide any solid evidence on this. It just seems to me that a very small number do affect the lives of others so much more, and often where their behaviour is for self-promotion - an example being the excellent Trump twit. And this tends to apply in so many areas - that some are much more inclined towards their own 'success' as they are in the welfare of any others. For whatever reasons, many do seem to be much more selfish than others, and affecting the lives of so many.

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

Well I doubt one can provide any solid evidence on this. It just seems to me that a very small number do affect the lives of others so much more, and often where their behaviour is for self-promotion - an example being the excellent Trump twit. And this tends to apply in so many areas - that some are much more inclined towards their own 'success' as they are in the welfare of any others. For whatever reasons, many do seem to be much more selfish than others, and affecting the lives of so many.

Yes! But nothing follows from that. In effect you have hit the "is-ought" problem. It is as you described, therefore I, you, we ought to do what?

 

[Mock Turtle]

Yes! But nothing follows from that. In effect you have hit the "is-ought" problem. It is as you described, therefore I, you, we ought to do what?

Learn, discuss, educate others, etc. - all the normal things we do in life - and to use our votes to not vote in the idiots or the oppressors, or to stand up to them when they vote themselves in. But basically, to be honest when looking at evidence or in searching such out, even if one isn't endowed with the best mind. So as not to put one's own needs, desires, or preferences as being higher than others - just in seeing that others have such too and deserve as much of a life as we would want.

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

Learn, discuss, educate others, etc. - all the normal things we do in life - and to use our votes to not vote in the idiots or the oppressors, or to stand up to them when they vote themselves in. But basically, to be honest when looking at evidence or in searching such out, even if one isn't endowed with the best mind. So as not to put one's own needs, desires, or preferences as being higher than others - just in seeing that others have such too and deserve as much of a life as we would want.

But there is no evidence for this:
"So as not to put one's own needs, desires, or preferences as being higher than others - just in seeing that others have such too and deserve as much of a life as we would want."
That is a belief without evidence. In effect it requires a form/sort of trust/certainty/dogmatic approach in that you have to believe in it for it to work. It only works, if you believe in it.
You have to believe in it. I accept you do that, I am just pointing out that there is no evidence or any of these other words as justified reason, logic, rationality, objectivity or what not.