What is the purpose of our lives on earth?

[Sunstone]

Or accept that there is no purpose?

The human brain is a purpose-making factory. Try having no purpose! It's extraordinarily difficult for the brain to go even a few minutes without perceiving purpose(s).

As a species we could unite and define purpose...

Any attempt to impose a single purpose on humanity is tyranny.

 

[Germ]

"And yet we won't survive without our children. Why not nurture them instead of letting them flounder in the same mistakes we made?" i wasnt talking about that.when i say "boom" i mean something over time that could become a problem.if every person has 2+ kids,and their kids do the same,and this trend continues,we could have serious issues.

 

[stacey bo bacey]

I'm interested to hear people's opinions on this.

Foooooooooooood.

 

[Sententia]

The human brain is a purpose-making factory. Try having no purpose! It's extraordinarily difficult for the brain to go even a few minutes without perceiving purpose(s).

Does it matter what the brain wants to do?

Any attempt to impose a single purpose on humanity is tyranny.

I never said we would impose I suggested we as a species could define a purpose... What individuals did with that definition would ultimately be up to them.

I recently saw Wall-E and would say I dont think most would notice or care...

 

[Sunstone]

Does it matter what the brain wants to do?

Yes. Although there is no known objective purpose to life, the brain will perceive purpose almost constantly. That is, it's almost impossible for the brain to stop seeing purpose(s) in life.

 

[Green Gaia]

"And yet we won't survive without our children. Why not nurture them instead of letting them flounder in the same mistakes we made?" i wasnt talking about that.when i say "boom" i mean something over time that could become a problem.if every person has 2+ kids,and their kids do the same,and this trend continues,we could have serious issues.

You're arguing against overpopulation, a completely different issue that although valid, is not on topic here.

 

[autonomous1one1]

The purpose of life is to realize the purpose and then live it.

I suspect the purpose of life is for each of us to discover our own purpose and then live it.

Yes, the words were chosen to leave open your option depending upon the perspective of the reader.

The human brain is a purpose-making factory. Try having no purpose! It's extraordinarily difficult for the brain to go even a few minutes without perceiving purpose(s)..

Yes. Although there is no known objective purpose to life, the brain will perceive purpose almost constantly. That is, it's almost impossible for the brain to stop seeing purpose(s) in life.

If you will allow 'mind' to be substituted for 'brain' and 'purpose' to be within cause and effect as an 'end to be attained,' many with nondual wisdom would agree with you. But, it would be offered also that the mind projects the time, space, cause-effect and other categories of finitude that purpose is made within.

However, a purpose for the dualistic mind can be given to all from the perspective of nondual wisdom. That purpose from a spirituality perspective as Eckhart Tolle put it in "A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose" is to bring the 'power of Awareness' into the world. Said differently, life's purpose is to bring Enlightenment, union with God, the Kingdom of God, etc. into the world. This is to be done within first and then lived in oneness with all. For some of us, that is the primary intent of the original founders of the major religions who gave the example beings.

 

[doppelganger]

"I am putting myself to the fullest possible use, which is all I think that any conscious entity can ever hope to do." - HAL 9000

 

[Magic Man]

"I am putting myself to the fullest possible use, which is all I think that any conscious entity can ever hope to do." - HAL 9000

Leave it to a computer to teach humans how to live life.

 

[tomspug]

I think that life is a struggle between what is good and what is easy.

If this is a purpose, that implies intention, which implies that "God" put us up to it.

 

[texan1]

It sure as heck ain't to die.

But living.....will eventually kill you.

 

[tomspug]

Any attempt to impose a single purpose on humanity is tyranny.

A request for unity isn't an imposition. It's a test of will. There is no use of force implied in the idea of "greater good".

 

[BruceDLimber]

Greetings, LR!

In the Baha'i view, our purpose here is to worship God by acquiring the virtues we'll need in both this life and the Next!

Best regards,

Bruce

 

[Halcyon]

To determine the ultimate question...

 

[+Xausted]

There is no purpose to life IMHO. We are simply another creature that managed to develope quite highly, however we like all others will become extinct. There is no higher meaning, it is simply vainity and fear that keeps most clinging to this notion.

 

[Sententia]

There is no purpose to life IMHO. We are simply another creature that managed to develope quite highly, however we like all others will become extinct. There is no higher meaning, it is simply vainity and fear that keeps most clinging to this notion.

:yes: And ego.