Fruitcake MIDI Forum Treasury

Izzhov · Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2007 10:18 am Post subject: What is the meaning of life?

I choose "all of the above."
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Dr Fruitcake · Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2007 10:38 am Post subject:

Y'know, it's always bugged me that in WoW, there's a "/question" emote that produces the text "[Name] wants to know the meaning of life" but no corresponding "/answer" emote. Razz

But that's neither here nor there.

As far as your poll is concerned, I'm torn between the first and fourth options. For obvious reasons.

Although I'm sure the vast majority of the Giant Death Robot demographic would agree with #3. Isn't that so, Calibretto?

"Life has no meaning. Only machines matter on a cosmic scale."

Quite.
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Damian · Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2007 10:39 am Post subject:

Yes, of course it's 42. Sad

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chzrm3 · Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2007 11:31 am Post subject: WORD

There was some guy, I think a Greek philosopher, who said "The most futile waste of a human life is spending it trying to figure out why we exist." I thought that was pretty depressing, but when you think about it it's pretty circular. It suggests that their either is no true purpose why we exist, or, if there is, it's not something worth spending a lifetime figuring out. But, if there's no actual purpose for us to be alive, could you consider anything we do a 'waste'?

I dunno. I like cereal so I voted 2.
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Tommy · Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2007 11:58 am Post subject:

You don't want to know because it's boring. It involves religion. Bit of a mood killer.
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JK9000 · Warnings: 1 Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Posts: 1320

Mightn't the meaning of life, as with the nature of Truth itself, be entirely or partially subjective? Our friend Calibretto may very well consider only the mechanical aspects of the universe revelant-- such as physics, for example, or strict biology, leaving out the matter of consciousness entirely-- while many of us appreciate the cold scientific reasoning and research from which 42 spawns.

Yet there is a philosophical simplicity in answer 2; in simply living for life's sake. Dr. F's conflict between answers one and four provides an illuminating example-- if there is an objective truth in the purpose of life, should such a purpose be persued at the cost of that which brings us joy? Are we each of irrevelant in the grand scheme things; our individual inclinations and personalities nothing more than an obstacle to our "true" purpose?

This paints a depressing picture which naturally draws us to answer #2. Surely there if there is a purpose, it is our own happiness? Surely existence is not so cruel as to plant the means of personal satisfaction, only to expect us to discard them for some grander design?

Yet there is a certain noble quality to the idea of giving up one's self for the sake of the greater. Indeed, is not such a thing the heart and soul of the word "Hero", that which we assign to those we praise above all else? Considering the purpose of life to be our own happiness certianly appears to be selfish. And if we are each persuing our own happiness, surely at one point we will step over someone's elses. Who, then, has priority? Could the purpose of life be considered a majority of happiness; to have the highest number of people happy at one time possible? Should we forsake those it is overly difficult to satisfy as a natural cost for the greater good?

And Tommy, of course, is right that religion plays a part. Purpose, after all, goes hand in hand with consciousness. Can life be said to have purpose unless we admit there is some higher being who set it in motion towards that purpose? An axe, after all, only has the purpose of either cutting wood or cutting a person becuase we have endowed it with such a purpose. Elsewise, it would be naught but a stick of wood topped with a sharpened slab of metal.

But, one might argue, a tree has the purpose of filling the air with oxygen, and a worms possess the purpose of recycling dead matter without anything nessicarily endowing them with a purpose. Evolution and ecological balance seem quite nicely able to give a thing purpose without the need for a "God."

However, do the tree and worm and such truly possess a purpose, or do they merely exist as they are and we arbitraily attach a purpose to thier existence as a part of our human desire to see patterns and meaning where they do not exist? Even if they can be correctly said to possess a purpose, does that not mean that Calibretto was right all along, and the mechanical purpose of life is dominant and our human consciousness is only a distraction?

The fifth answer, now... The fifth answer. This... well, that clearly touches on so many deeper philosophical nuances that it blows everything else I've said today clear out of the water. I haven't studied a third as long as I need to before I can even begin to compentently discuss such a thing.

Shadow Blade · Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2007 12:45 pm Post subject:

Well, for an Atheist, it's a very good question. But for a Christian...it's still a good question. Hmm.

Oh well, I don't think that it would even be worth knowing, I mean, it's not like our purpose is so that we can stop the Universe from 'Sploding or anything....but, wait..what if it..is THAT'S IT I'M DEDICATING MY LIFE TO FIND THIS.
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Izzhov · Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2007 5:13 pm Post subject:

Izzhov · Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2007 5:14 pm Post subject:

Damian · Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2007 6:15 pm Post subject:

Yeah, don't double post... Neutral

JK: tl;dr for now, but that looks very, very deep from skimming it.
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JK9000 · Warnings: 1 Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Posts: 1320

Don't worry, it only appears deep and well-thought-out. In actuality it is nothing more than an uncouth regurgitation of the first psuedo-philosophical ideas that bubbled up in my mind.

I should have thought it's silliness would be apparent when I refered to "purple monkey diswasher" as an inescapably deep philosophical concept.

Izzhov · Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2007 8:04 pm Post subject:

Dr Fruitcake · Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 9:55 am Post subject:

@Chaz - Mm, of course, but as with any philosophical issue, there are always people who stand just as vehemently on the opposite side. For instance, quoth Big Daddy Socrates: "The unexamined life is not worth living."

Shadow Blade · Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 11:24 am Post subject:

Life is a Bord-game isn't it? Ooops, wrong "Life".

Wait, in my search, I found this:

"
–noun 1. the condition that distinguishes organisms from inorganic objects and dead organisms, being manifested by growth through metabolism, reproduction, and the power of adaptation to environment through changes originating internally.

2. the sum of the distinguishing phenomena of organisms, esp. metabolism, growth, reproduction, and adaptation to environment.

3. the animate existence or period of animate existence of an individual: to risk one's life; a short life and a merry one.

4. a corresponding state, existence, or principle of existence conceived of as belonging to the soul: eternal life.

5. the general or universal condition of human existence: Too bad, but life is like that.

6. any specified period of animate existence: a man in middle life.

7. the period of existence, activity, or effectiveness of something inanimate, as a machine, lease, or play: The life of the car may be ten years.

8. a living being: Several lives were lost.

9. living things collectively: the hope of discovering life on other planets; insect life.

10. a particular aspect of existence: He enjoys an active physical life.

11. the course of existence or sum of experiences and actions that
constitute a person's existence: His business has been his entire life.

12. a biography: a newly published life of Willa Cather.

13. animation; liveliness; spirit: a speech full of life.

14. resilience; elasticity.

15. the force that makes or keeps something alive; the vivifying or quickening principle: The life of the treaty has been an increase of mutual understanding and respect.

16. a mode or manner of existence, as in the world of affairs or society: So far her business life has not overlapped her social life.

17. the period or extent of authority, popularity, approval, etc.: the life of the committee; the life of a bestseller.

18. a prison sentence covering the remaining portion of the offender's animate existence: The judge gave him life.

19. anything or anyone considered to be as precious as life: She was his life.

20. a person or thing that enlivens: the life of the party.

21. effervescence or sparkle, as of wines.

22. pungency or strong, sharp flavor, as of substances when fresh or in good condition.

23. nature or any of the forms of nature as the model or subject of a work of art: drawn from life.

24. Baseball. another opportunity given to a batter to bat because of a misplay by a fielder.

25. (in English pool) one of a limited number of shots allowed a player: Each pool player has three lives at the beginning of the game.

–adjective 26. for or lasting a lifetime; lifelong: a life membership in a club; life imprisonment.

27. of or pertaining to animate existence: the life force; life functions.

28. working from nature or using a living model: a life drawing; a life class.

—Idioms29. as large as life, actually; indeed: There he stood, as large as life. Also, as big as life.

30. come to life, a. to recover consciousness.
b. to become animated and vigorous: The evening passed, but somehow the party never came to life.
c. to appear lifelike: The characters of the novel came to life on the screen.

31. for dear life, with desperate effort, energy, or speed: We ran for dear life, with the dogs at our heels. Also, for one's life.

32. for the life of one, as hard as one tries; even with the utmost effort: He can't understand it for the life of him.

33. get a life, to improve the quality of one's social and professional life: often used in the imperative to express impatience with someone's behavior.

34. not on your life, Informal. absolutely not; under no circumstances; by no means: Will I stand for such a thing? Not on your life!

35. take one's life in one's hands, to risk death knowingly: We were warned that we were taking our lives in our hands by going through that swampy area.

36. to the life, in perfect imitation; exactly: The portrait characterized him to the life.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Origin: bef. 900; ME lif(e); OE līf; c. D lijf, G Leib body, ON līf life, body; akin to live1]

—Synonyms 13. vivacity, sprightliness, vigor, verve, activity, energy.
—Antonyms 13. inertia.
"

Hmm, is seems that there are LOADS of meanings for life.

Well, there you have it Razz

.

"For his whole life, it was his life, to have eternal life, it just came to life, but even though it's life may not have been that long, it was the life of the party! But many lives were lost, so that plant life could live, so the life of that guy was to find the meaning of LIFE (and learn to to get into the Millionaire Estates), and eat lots of it."

Hmm, I dunno, what the meaning of life is, but I really think that we ought to GET ONE.
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Izzhov · Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 1:31 pm Post subject:

Damian · Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 1:51 pm Post subject:

It also depends on how stupidly you want to respond. Razz

Meaning doesn't necessarily mean definition after all!
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Banjo-Fella · Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 6:11 pm Post subject:

Well, I haven't got any insight to offer more elaborate or thoughtful than something like "make sure to eat a sufficient amount of biscuits, and occasionally say something that causes someone else to smile", and everyone's taken most of the good Hitchhikers references already, but I might as well throw one more into the ring. Hang the meaning of it all, just keep yourself occupied... anyway, what does the meaning matter? I'd rather be happy than right any day. But that's where it all falls down, of course.

Also, Shadow, you receive -1 points for not consulting Chambers when seeking the meaning(s) of life, and an additional -4 for not saying "*fetches Chambers*" before doing so. You can't do that, it's just not right. It was part of what gives life meaning, and you did it wrong. Tsk, etc.
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Yoshgunn · Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 6:27 pm Post subject:

All I got is something I heard a few years back, something to do with the nature of humans. It went something like "humans need something to do". It didn't make sense to me then, but... have you ever gone a whole day and you haven't like, done anything at all? It kinda feels like you didn't really live that day at all. Maybe that's a bit extreme, but meh.

Aside from that, all I have is the good ol Catholic definitions for the meaning of life, and I know no one here wants to hear that, so, yeaaaah.
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Jake · is an Arsecrumpet™ Joined: 07 Oct 2007 Posts: 136

Trying to determine the supposed meaning of life is rather degrading. There is no meaning of life per say, rather it is up to each individual whether to assume a purpose for him or herself only. As far as I'm concerned life is simply meant to be lived out without speculating so much on what will happen in the future that would define myself with such importance. I can't accept that there is some grand purpose in all of us being here in the first place.

The Kroc · is a stale Arsecrumpet™ Joined: 27 Jun 2007 Posts: 166

Yeah, everyone should find the meaning of their own lives. I think it's simply to be happy. And respect/help others if you have the time.
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Shadow Blade · Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2007 3:38 pm Post subject:

'Nuff said.

Also, I have no idea what Chambers are. Do they taste anything like LIFE?
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Izzhov · Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2007 4:33 pm Post subject:

Shadow Blade · Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2007 5:15 pm Post subject:

I'm sorry, I just like to poke fun at this. I understand the question completely.
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Izzhov · Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2007 5:35 pm Post subject:

Shadow Blade · Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2007 5:42 pm Post subject:

That's fine. Very Happy

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