UniversalAlien wrote:After many thousands of years of recorded human history I have yet to see a clear direction to this history and the reason for it. Why does man exist? Can anyone give a reason why humans exist? Do we have a purpose, a destiny? And if so what is it??

UA

At last. The right question.

-- Updated May 3rd, 2012, 1:45 pm to add the following --

I originally posted more. But Geheime Staatspolizei. Would not allow it

To just be, I guess, do things, think about and appreciate what we are as Pimp infers above

Like a rock. No purpose other than to be in this wonderful wild whack universe.

what a waste

Schaps wrote:"and the reason for it. Why does man exist? Can anyone give a reason why humans exist? Do we have a purpose, a destiny? And if so what is it?" 1. "why"- There is no answer because there is NO ONE to whom this question may be addressed 2. "purpose"- whatever "feels" appropriate OR maybe none at all?. This is perhaps the most difficult question to answer and ultimately it is up to the individual to continually re-evaluate what their "purpose" may be. One's "purpose" in life changes from moment to moment ( in my opinion) and perhaps the most one can do is to be aware of the opportunity to maximise the likelihood of fulfilling one's " purpose" at each and every moment - whatever that "purpose" may be. This may be another way of referring to the psychologies of "mindful awareness" and "self actualization. I write a blog addressing these crucial questions and the true "connoisseur" may want to explore Herman Hesse's explorations - (Steppenwolf , Siddartha, Journey to the East ) and Nietszche's voyages into the worlds of nihilism. 3. "destiny"- unknown and unanswerable for the same reason as 1. Does it matter?

Schaps

Fulfilling ones purpose? Mine is to make humanity expand. Not on earth. But to edge of milkyway and beyond.

Prill

Peter Kinnon wrote:
The extrapolation of the autonomous exponential growth of technology within the collective imagination of humankind, together with the strong current trends, strongly suggests that, within decades, the "work in progress" which we now call the Internet will become the next implementation of the on-going "life" process. And the generation of that entity,my friends, is by far the most likely the function of our species

Peter

Oh wonderful. 'collective imagination' There is no such thing

XDredg3 wrote:Hjarloprillar, Is there such a thing as a soul? If no, people say there is; if yes, where's the proof? What does there have to be to make something exist, to be such a thing? If there is a collective consciousness, then why couldn't there be collective imagination?

XDredg3

I was sloppy. My point was The 'internet ' was not 'born' from collective imagination. Human beings are simply too ignorant 'collectively' to imagine such a thing. Even the head of IBM said there may be a use for 4 or 5 personal PC's in the future..

Now the net is, because a small few with imagination made it. This is repeated all through history. Like the Manhattan project. Great minds imagine. others follow.. gobsmacked. 'People' don't have any comment on ideas of Nikola Tesla. Or general relativity from Einstein. Cause they do not think of such things. There is no collective consciousness on such ideas. Too hard.

God and soul are easy [or if the earth is flat]

Prill

Alien I'm quite willing to put forward several ideas. I have been watching and waiting for this exact post to do so. However. It seems this particular forum regards only those with bits of paper saying they can think. As qualified to answer.

When as Einstein has shown. Unbridled imagination is what is needed.

Hjarloprillar

Alien said "Can you really call yourself a philosopher or even a student of philosophy without having the ability to speculate on the meaning of human existence?"

No. But very few do so speculate. The question is simple to large in most minds to dwell on. Even though those minds are quite able to do so. I call this FEAR. Fear of sounding stupid. Fear of being flattened by some philosophical diatribe written 200 years ago. Fear of being unable to support an argument with anything but gut feeling. So, when a 'package of understanding' [the answer] is provided. It is grasped at. Religion being the prime example. Whereby all meaning is in the hands of 'god'.

As i mentioned. I have several ideas on this topic. And will put forward one now. The 'reason' for human existence is in the question. Reason. In all the observed universe. What set of material things is smallest.? #1 Is reality #2 Reasoning beings. Such a position is profound. yet we shrug it off [as a species]. Mainly through ignorance. Yes many primates and pre/sentient beings exist. Yet unlike man. They seldom i think, question existence. Though whales for example may do just that, if we could talk to them. Reason. And considered logical adaption to reality an use of it [technology]
Is maybe why we exist.

This presupposes a plan. That reason is a desired outcome. But. does evolution have a plan? The thinking part of humanity agrees evolution is a viable concept. And agree to let their children be schooled so. What plan has evolution? Or is it a process only.

I propose Evolution is a process to result in reason. And reason will eventually export evolution and life itself, to places where such is not viable under natural law. Progenitors. All part of evolution.

Who designed evolution ,for it is far too complex to be random. Is another thread.

Sounds like a worthy meaning to me.

Hjarloprillar