The purpose of life

I'd like to expand on Cyracuz's thesis, because I believe strongly that "our purpose in life" is greatly determined by a) where we are born, b) our parents, c) our genes, d) our environment, e) our peers, f) economics, and g) luck.

I donut believe in luck.

Chumley, This is one of the very few times I'm gonna disagree; the very fact that you are a Canadian is "luck" to some degree; your ancestors just happened to pick Canada instead of country X.

That's happenstance.

But what does this sort of luck have to do with the purpose of life? How does it, among the other things you mentioned, define the purpose of (your) life?

Naturally, he would look to Canada for moral guidance......and better fishing.

That's but a small part of it. (LOL) But, you must admit (be honest now) that being a Canadian citizen has its advantages over many countries of this world.

The very fact that my grandparents came to the US - instead of Mongolia or China - is part of "our family's" luck. Even if our grandparents decided to stay in Japan (Hiroshima), there's a huge question whether we'd be alive today.

The purpose of life is more or less defined by those things I mentioned; the place of birth, your parents, your environment, etc., etc., etc., all has some influence in what one is able to accomplish in life.

The very fact that I was born and reared in the US provided us with the necessary educational and job opportunities to better our lives.

The Chinese (in China) used to call the US the "golden mountain" from the early 19th century. They weren't too far off.

The word "luck" could have a supernatural / superstitious connotation but the word "happenstance" couldn't / shouldn't.

In connecton to what the purpose of life is? I do not agree with that. Since we cannot agree on any grand purpose to life we cannot decide if canada or somalia have the best conditions in which to fullfill this purpose.

Compare the life of an average Canadian over a Somalian, and if I had my druthers, I'd rather be a Canadian 24/7; no question.

I do not disagree with that. But what does that have to do with the purpose of life?
Are you more alive in canada than in somalia? Are you better equipped to fulfill the purpoes of life?

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that a life in Canada is far better than the one in Somalia.

Some of my ancestors stayed in Japan (Hiroshima), and my grandfather and grandmother came to the states in 1893. For any number of reasons, they decided to move to Hawaii to find employment and raise a family there.

My father and two uncles came to the mainland when they were teenagers.

Even within our family group, our ancestors had much to do with how our life turned out - especially for us that can call ourselves American.

I'm not sure there's much difference between happenstance and luck. I feel we are the beneficiaries of both.

As for the purpose of life, this country provided the necessary educational and job opportunities - which translates into what each individual does to create their own purpose of life.

I've seen too many people all over the world who had the potential to do well in the US, but was handicapped by the lack of job opportunities in their own country.

Some with enough gumption/motivation through their own efforts make it to a developed country that provides them with the job opportunities to make them (more) successful than if they stayed tied to their home country.

I'm thankful to my grandfather and grandmother to have made their choice early in their life to make the US their home.

The question "What is the meaning of life?" is subjective. Everybody has their own answer which is right to them.
Me? To make other people happy.

You have my admiration and respect.

I see what you're saying CI, and I have no argument.

My objection was more on a metaphysical level, along the lines of the purpose of all life. Not just my life or human life. But it's not important

I would say that only God can bestow this life with purpose, and as it turns out I do not believe in God.

ep, Actually, your parents bestowed you a life, and what you've done after that depended a great deal on their health, your health, your environment, and other various influences that impacted your life - and what you chose to do with it.

I'm not saying my parents didn't. What I am saying is that the only way life can have objective meaning or purpose is if there is a God. I do not think that there is any objective purpose to life, unless something from the "outside" gives it purpose. It would seem that man creates things and gives them a purpose, the things could not give themselves a purpose, just as humanity cannot give itself a single objective purpose. not in the same way we give for example, a hammer a single objective purpose.

So only God can give man a single objective purpose.

ep, There is "life" outside of religion. You know that old saying "get a life?" Well, that holds true for every one, and it has nothing to do with believing in a "higher power." It has to do with believing in oneself, and to pursue that goal in life that would provide the the meaning in life. Mine is my family and friends - as I'm living today, because I've done what most desire to do; get an education, work, save for retirement, then enjoy it. Not some pie-in-the-sky maybes of eternal life after death.