What's the meaning of life?

[Edward J. Bartek]

The universal, ideal meanng of life is to fulfill one's purpose in life. It is to fulfill one's spiritual-rational-sensual potential to the maximum, but relative to one's dominant being, whether it be spiritual, rational, or sensual. It is to have balancing, moderated, stabilized changes between these beings to enable an harmonilous unity with the different dominant beings of society.

Before reaching this ideal state, one must achieve prior purposes. These are in sequential prior order of: Survival, Hardship (Non-pain), Security, Free will, Self-realization (Of dominant being, Self-fulfillment(of potential), Happiness, Moderation (A duty), Harmony (With God-man-nature).

[nameless]

Uh, ahem, a Perspective on 'meaning';

'Thoughts' are where 'meaning' is
found by 'thoughts' that
find 'meaning'
(in completely arbitrary
and uniquely Perceived 'patterns');
a
very
insular
loop...

(Is it getting stuffy in here?)

[Belinda]

There is no such thing as 'the meaning'of anything. The meaning of a text is one thing for the transmitter of the text, and something else for the receiver of the text.

True, anyone can say that she means something or other. She may also say that she intends, or purposes, something or other. However a text is not the sort of thing that purposes or intends, although the text's author probably intends, or purposes, or means something.

Life neither is the sort of thing that purposes, intends, or means.

Edward Bartek's ideas about the meaning of life , if they are applied to what Edwar Bartek intends are sound , and only then.

Indeed I suspect that to ask what the meaning of life is, implies a covert or overt belief in some supernatural Meaner.

[nameless]

There is no such thing as 'the meaning'of anything.

As you said, there is, of course, 'meaning', but it is a very 'personal' thing when found.

(I can't even reply (most of the time) to someone with such insular hubris as to assume a 'knowledge' of the 'Meaning of Life' (or anything else, for that matter) so as to state his opinion as some sort of 'universal law' that applies to all!)

Perhaps a slight semantic evolution of the phrase as to replace the medieval 'the' with a critically updated 'a'; "what is a meaning of life?"
With the shift/update, I'd predict less conflict (egos), and the benefits of a wide variety of Perspectives. If there is a 'meaning' (beyond the 'personal'), it might be better reached by ADDING all Perspectives rather than arguing any one as 'right' and others as 'wrong' (ego, ego, ego)!

[Edward J. Bartek]

For my previous answer, the question should have been been, "What gives meaning to life?" Regarding the universality of what I said about meaning, about fulfilling one's potential? Doesn't life have meaning when one can function to do something, not when one is in a como? If this applies to all persons, doesn't that mean that a universal means to have meaning in life is to fulfill one's potential?

Doesn't the same principle apply to achieving meaning by sequentially achieving surivival, ridding hardship (Pain), finding security, using fee will to have freedoms, realizing one's dominant being, and finding happiness with harmony. Which of these would any person reject as giving no meaning to his life? Doesn't that make these to be universal purposes to give meaning to life?

[nameless]

Doesn't life have meaning when one can function to do something, not when one is in a como?

'Function' as in able to wipe ones butt? Be able to get dressed unassisted? Find a cure for cancer? Stumble on a new 'universal law'? For those who draw circles around themselves, where would you put the '0' on that scale, at which point would you say that you have 'meaning' and not? Your 'neighbor'? 'Meaning' remains, of course, in the 'eye of the beholder'.

If this applies to all persons, doesn't that mean that a universal means to have meaning in life is to fulfill one's potential?

Again, it depends on 'Perspective', which negates your 'universal' claim, other than to be universal of one's own private 'universe'/Perspective.
I, for instance, don't see things in the context of 'having a potential' and 'fulfilling it'. We are a manifested 'fulfilled potential' every moment of existence; a complete whole, lacking nothing, nor having too much... We can do no other than 'fulfil potential'. We have no 'choice'.
Just because something is not a 'universal law', its 'local validity' is not negated.

Doesn't the same principle apply to achieving meaning by sequentially achieving surivival,

'Sequentially achieving survival'? From the Perspective of evolution? Like having one kid at a time rather than quintuplets?
Actually, despite the howls of wounded egos, we, as people/communities/societies are no more than a gene's means of survival and reproducing. They are the 'stars', we are the mules. I'm not sure that a gene ponders 'meaning'. But we, as a gene's vehicle, do ponder these things as pondering them aids the genes survival. Evolution.

ridding hardship (Pain),

'Hardship and pain' are one of the three necessary conditions for evolution to appear; both in/as 'species' and 'personal' growth (mental, emotional), biological...

finding security,

There is no security in life. You can find a 'feeling' of security, if you need. But there really is none. You can never know but at any moment your loved ones can die, you can die, life takes a 280 degree turn into Hell.. Every moment can actually be your last. This is a difficult place to live, with such knowledge, and most do not. Feelings of security can come at great expense; look at what the Amerikkkans are willing to give up (and commit!) for that 'feeling'; their 'rights and freedoms' for starters, and they have no more 'real security' now than ever.

using fee will to have freedoms,

...Another 'feeling' and associated 'belief' (that the 'feeling' is more than 'just' a feeling). The 'feeling' of having 'choices' and 'free-will' to enjoy the 'feeling' of 'freedom'...

realizing one's dominant being,

??? Dominant being?? Mistress Boops??? Multiple personality disorder? 'God'?

and finding happiness with harmony.

Different Perspectives find 'happiness' where thay may. I'm sure that some, find moments of harmony in which they 'feel' happy, I know many that are happiest when engaged in 'battle' and the chaos of life! Different strokes...

Which of these would any person reject as giving no meaning to his life?

If there is 'meaning' to this ('my') 'life', it would be in its existence, as it is. I find no other 'meaning' anywhere else. I need not 'qualify' and 'justify' myself to anyone, hence, 'meaning' is not high on the list of 'real stuff', for this Perspective.

Doesn't that make these to be universal purposes to give meaning to life?

Not necessarilly, it depends on Perspective...
The First Law of Soul Dynamics;
"For every Perspective, there is an equal and opposite Perspective."

[Belinda]

If this applies to all persons, doesn't that mean that a universal means to have meaning in life is to fulfill one's potential?

The meaning of your life applies to you only, and you might choose to assert that such and such is the meaning of your life.

It is interesting that there may be some same universal meaning or intention that is the same for each and every person. I am not sure that I agree with nameless that the gene is the ultimate unit of value ;( I gather that that is what he claims).The universal meaning in every person's life , if such exists, is likely to be some over-arching ethic such as 'To glorify God' or 'To seek happiness' or 'To understand the four noble truths' or 'To accept the state of not-knowing without as Keats said(approximately) some irritable reaching after certainty'. But the fact that I have quoted four over-arching ethics rebuts that there may be only one.

Me, I think value systems are many and each value system applies to a different situation and the practical decisions that have to be made.I like the Keats one though.

[Edward J. Bartek]

Meaning is a rational concept that call for a rational answer. There is one way to find rational meanng in your life, whether it be good, normal or bad:

Ask yourself? Whey do I do this? Why do I do that previous answer?...... Keep asking why of why you what you do, with each questin and answer coherently moving out of the previous one. When theultimate why is asked and there is no answer, then the ultimate answer is what gave rational meaning to all your prior acts.

[nameless]

When the ultimate why is asked and there is no answer, then the ultimate answer is what gave rational meaning to all your prior acts.

Is this from personal experience?

[jb]

When the ultimate why is asked and there is no answer, then the ultimate answer is what gave rational meaning to all your prior acts.

Is this from personal experience?

Is your question, a question, Nameless
or a statement?

[nameless]

Is this from personal experience?

Is your question, a question, Nameless
or a statement?

Is your question, a question, jb, or a statement?
What's your point?
I'm sure that Edward J. understands what I mean. That 'question mark' at the end of the sentence is a dead giveaway!

[nameless]

When theultimate why is asked and there is no answer, then the ultimate answer is what gave rational meaning to all your prior acts.

Edward, the nature of the mind is to find problems (questions) and answer (solve) them. The only 'ultimate question' is the one asked, by the individual, as he dies (as there can be no further questions or answers).
In a functioning mind the 'questions' (problems) never stop. We apply 'questions' and 'inagine' answers. It is what the mind does, almost ceaselessly. There are no 'questions' or 'answers' (all subjectively arbitrary) in a 'meditational state', a Zen state.
You seem 'enamored' of the notion of 'ultimates'. Why? Are you even finding 'ultimates' in your own life? The only 'ultimate/universal' that ever interested me enough to actually put in the energy is 'Truth/Reality', the only 'ultimate'.
Perhaps your quest for 'ultimates' will, eventually, lead you to that only 'ultimate', 'Truth/Reality', as all the 'false ultimates' dissolve...

[Seraphim]

I've just recently join this forums, so... Maybe i won't be able to follow up... But i also have an opinion about the meaning of life...



It's to fulfill our dreams, in life we'll have dreams (In one note:We must be sure about that dream,whenever it'll be our "destination" or not)
We must also need to make ourself to be better from times to times...
Never give up in life, life is very precious...

Sorry to be so late to give my opinion...

[xtropx]

Is 'meaning' a required property of 'life'?
(Does 'life' require a 'meaning' or 'purpose' to 'exist'?)

If we are talking about 'life' in general, define it. 'LIFE' is difficult to define, as it is based on our limited capablity to understand it.

[system-hater]

For centuries preceding the development of industrial-society, the life of man has been dependent on survival and adaquate progress of academics, which was a natural and sufficient way to live. However, at this point, we have noticed a change of venue in relation to our interchangable desires and urges. By interchangeable it is meant to say that our base needs and wants stem from instinctual and biological foundations, that for the past century have been deprived and repressed. A meaning to a life that can only be lived in a technological society today, is rather uncertain and precarious to say the least. So much of what we have lost, (individuality, personal freedom, roaming space) has not only been a result of technology and institutions, but mass propaganda perpetrated by the senseless media and entertainment industries. If we are to find meaning in our lives, in today's world, we must look beyond mere "images" and "design" that society creates and instead tap into our true and rightous ability to rebel against it. Because without rebellion, we cannot acheive restitution, hence, a meaningless life.