in the end, what is our purpose and how is it defined?

Forums: Philosophy, Purpose, Teleology, Generalizing
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Type: Question • Score: 17 • Views: 6,819 • Replies: 101

[+3] - aking-kasarinlan - 05/17/2011We have no purpose whatsoever.
[+3] - BillRM - 05/17/2011My purpose seems to be the buying and then opening cat food at the demands of my cats at any hour they happen to get hungry.
[+3] - Pukka Sahib - 05/22/2011The philosopher said that the purpose of life is to search for the truth. The poet said that the purpose of life is to live. The preacher said that the purpose of this life is to prepare one for...
[+3] - Whitmofomonkysmugla2 - 08/02/2011Are purpose is defined by what we do if we've accoplished nothing then what was our purpose? Affect someones life? Enlighten someones day? Our purposes are sometimes small so they hide in the...

View best answer, chosen by Tifinden

@Tifinden,

End? Purpose?

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@Tifinden,

We have no purpose whatsoever.

1 Reply

@Tifinden,

What would be the purpose of having a purpose found by another?

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@aking-kasarinlan,

I see. Tomorrow you are as worthless as you are today. Pity.

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@Tifinden,

Defining a collective purpose is a risky business. My state of being is my compulsory purpose.

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@Tifinden,

Quote:

Verse 1: All of the true things that I am about to tell you are shameless lies.

Verses 2-4: In the beginning, God created the earth, and he looked upon it in His cosmic loneliness.

And God said, "Let Us make living creatures out of mud, so the mud can see what We have done." And God created every living creature that now moveth, and one was man. Mud as man alone could speak. God leaned close as mud as man sat up, looked around, and spoke. Man blinked. "What is the purpose of all this?" he asked politely.

"Everything must have a purpose?" asked God.

"Certainly," said man.

"Then I leave it to you to think of one for all this," said God.

And He went away. "

Verse 5: Live by the foma that make you brave and kind and healthy and happy.

First Book of Bonkonon

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@Tifinden,

My purpose seems to be the buying and then opening cat food at the demands of my cats at any hour they happen to get hungry.

1 Reply

@BillRM,

Of course. I buy and serve Fancy Feast to my feral cat who stratches me every chance he gets.

1 Reply

Not to get out of here alive!

and bowl.

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@JLNobody,

Effeminate feline beasts, they are. Though, they can be quite endearing at times.

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@Tifinden,

I don't believe there is a generalized "purpose" for everyone...or at least none that we will ever be able to comprehend to any significant measure. With that said, our life purpose is our choosing and is defined by choices.

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@Tifinden,

I like what Nietzsche said, "Mankind, as a whole, has no goals", and consequently humanity has no purpose. It is through what Nietzsche called "impure thinking" that we assign values to things, by overlooking mankind in general.

Nietzsche suggested that by focusing on limited parts of mankind, such as the pursuit of the "less egotistical type" for example, then we can say that man has a "goal" or "purpose". However, when you take human existence as a whole, then you find that really, at bottom, mankind, and human existence, is aimless.
Its only through "impurity of thought", through overlooking the ultimate aimless of existence, that we can develop a purpose for our own existence; and that is the burden of human existence, to create a purpose for oneself, "in spite of" (Tillich) the apparent aimlessness of existence.

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@Tifinden,

Have you not heard? We are slaves to capitalism. The purpose is to generate as much capital as we can. Why? Because some rich fat men fooled us into thinking that is what we want. We are slaves to the degenerate lives we have been brought up to lead, slaves to our wants, impulses and fears.

Do you not agree? Then join the revolution.. Oh wait, there is no revolution. I guess we are all too lazy after a day of meaningless labor to care too much when we get home, and besides, there is a football game on TV.

Or, you can just try to be happy and creative, to learn and enjoy life and be a positive force in the lives of others. Your choice.

My purpose is to pour sand into the machinery and challenge what is considered "meaningful living" these days. My choice.

2 Replies

@Cyracuz,

Cyracuz wrote:

Have you not heard? We are slaves to capitalism. The purpose is to generate as much capital as we can. Why? Because some rich fat men fooled us into thinking that is what we want. We are slaves to the degenerate lives we have been brought up to lead, slaves to our wants, impulses and fears.

Do you not agree? Then join the revolution.. Oh wait, there is no revolution. I guess we are all too lazy after a day of meaningless labor to care too much when we get home, and besides, there is a football game on TV.

Or, you can just try to be happy and creative, to learn and enjoy life and be a positive force in the lives of others. Your choice.

My purpose is to pour sand into the machinery and challenge what is considered "meaningful living" these days. My choice.

There is a revolution...they're just to poor to advertise it.

1 Reply

@Chights47,

See, that's my kind of humor.

But seriously, we need radical change, and I am trying to make my small contribution to the global awakening that seems to be happening even now.

1 Reply

@Cyracuz,

Cyracuz wrote:

See, that's my kind of humor.

But seriously, we need radical change, and I am trying to make my small contribution to the global awakening that seems to be happening even now.

I agree that there should be a change, but I don't think that it would realistically work. If this were an ideal world and there weren't so many stupid dumbass idiot people walking around with the thumbs up there butts, then it would work. The truth of the matter though, is that people are too stupid and money is the only thing that gets there drive going to actually do anything. If you saw that Star Trek movie (the one with the borgs) then they talk about the future with no money and how everyone does everything just to help people out...that's just a beyond ridiculous concept. The only thing that would work, other than money, would be to go back to bartering...and money is easier.

1 Reply

@Chights47,

I think that it a pessimistic outlook, and perhaps true only because so many think it is true. In the end it is a choice, and we have made it very easy for ourselves to rationalize our choices these days.

1 Reply

@Cyracuz,

I'm actually an optimist...but not foolish. I've worked in customer care for years so I've dealt with many many people...and Einstein was very correct "Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former." In this world, evil has a much bigger impact than good. Evil only creates more evil while normal everyday good is nothing. People can do the worse of things at the slightest wrong doing while good is always just expected. I'm not saying that all people do, or even most. Just that most people are more inclined to think more for themselves than for other people. Whether they do that out of pure selfishness or something else is besides the point.

I like to think of it like this; there are people, and then there are individuals. People are stupid, incompetent, arrogant, evil, selfish...you get the idea. While individuals actually have brains and are basically good, understanding, and have some measure of wisdom.

3 Replies

@Chights47,

I do not have time to give a proper response at the moment, but I think it is a fine line between being realistic and being optimistic/pessimistic. I'll get back to you when I have time. Smile

1 Reply

in the end, what is our purpose and how is it defined?

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