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The point to Human Existence? Role of Emotions.
November 4, 2014 at 2:12 pm
I had another thread I was writing in that drifted off onto this topic so I am going to start a new thread here.
What do you believe is the point to our existence? Is there one? Is the only function for Emotion survival? Really curious to know what everyone thinks.
Also has anyone heard of or read 'Why does the World exist?' by Jim Holt? (Curious to know!)
Have a great day everyone!
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RE: The point to Human Existence? Role of Emotions.
November 4, 2014 at 2:17 pm
(November 4, 2014 at 2:12 pm)LostDays Wrote: I had another thread I was writing in that drifted off onto this topic so I am going to start a new thread here.
What do you believe is the point to our existence? Is there one? I don't know what the point of "our" existence is, or if there is one (at least nothing that would satisfy anyone). I can only speak for myself there.
Quote: Is the only function for Emotion survival? Really curious to know what everyone thinks.
The only function, no. A function, yes.
Quote:Also has anyone heard of or read 'Why does the World exist?' by Jim Holt? (Curious to know!)
Have a great day everyone!
Nope, good book? Tell me about it?
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
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RE: The point to Human Existence? Role of Emotions.
November 4, 2014 at 2:22 pm
(This post was last modified: November 4, 2014 at 2:23 pm by Foxaèr.)
The only purpose to life is what each separate individual personally applies to it.
Basically, just live one's life to the fullest while allowing others to live theirs as they see fit.
"Never trust a fox. Looks like a dog, behaves like a cat."
~ Erin Hunter
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RE: The point to Human Existence? Role of Emotions.
November 4, 2014 at 2:29 pm
(This post was last modified: November 4, 2014 at 2:33 pm by LostDays.)
Quote:Also has anyone heard of or read 'Why does the World exist?' by Jim Holt? (Curious to know!)
Quote:Have a great day everyone!
Nope, good book? Tell me about it?
I actually first heard of Jim Holt from watching a TedTalk that he did recently. You can check it out here: http://www.ted.com/talks/jim_holt_why_do...erse_exist
I'm undecided about the book but I just think the things he talks about are pretty interesting. It is a different take on things, one I find I can identify more with than anything!
Quote: Is the only function for Emotion survival? Really curious to know what everyone thinks.
Quote:The only function, no. A function, yes.
I agree with that! What other functions do you feel they serve? I wonder what range of Emotions other living organisms experience?
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RE: The point to Human Existence? Role of Emotions.
November 4, 2014 at 2:49 pm
(November 4, 2014 at 2:12 pm)LostDays Wrote: I had another thread I was writing in that drifted off onto this topic so I am going to start a new thread here.
What do you believe is the point to our existence? Is there one? Is the only function for Emotion survival? Really curious to know what everyone thinks.
Also has anyone heard of or read 'Why does the World exist?' by Jim Holt? (Curious to know!)
Have a great day everyone!
It's a great question, but I think it's a better question to ask is there a will to live in ANY living being. Also why does there seem to be a group consciousness geared towards the continuation of life?
I think about it as a universe which seems overwhelmingly empty of any meaning, morals, values, feelings. Then you have a tiny rock full of movement, thought, values, individual emotions, competition and so on and so on.
The answer might coincide with how did the first life come into being.
But talking about human feelings towards their own lives and the lives of other people around them, I think it's basically down to evolution, it's simply because we put so much meaning and importance on our lives that's why we're still here.
It's like a nervous system, it's important for survival but sometimes you wish it wasn't as powerful as it is, like if you have a bad wisdom tooth.
Sometimes I wish wasn't as scared as death as I am and I didn't love life as much as I do because death is inevitable.
But I inherited these things from the successful living, breeders of the past just like we all did.
Are you ready for the fire? We are firemen. WE ARE FIREMEN! The heat doesn’t bother us. We live in the heat. We train in the heat. It tells us that we’re ready, we’re at home, we’re where we’re supposed to be. Flames don’t intimidate us. What do we do? We control the flame. We control them. We move the flames where we want to. And then we extinguish them.
Impersonation is treason.
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RE: The point to Human Existence? Role of Emotions.
November 6, 2014 at 9:38 am
(This post was last modified: November 6, 2014 at 9:51 am by mralstoner.)
(November 4, 2014 at 2:12 pm)LostDays Wrote: What do you believe is the point to our existence? Is there one? Is the only function for Emotion survival? Really curious to know what everyone thinks. Yep, when you abandon blind adherence to religion, or tradition, then you're left with only human feeling to tell us good from bad, right from wrong.
So, feeling/desire sets our end goals, and we use rationality (ideally) to achieve those goals. Ends and means.
So, whether you're asking small questions, or big "meaning of life" questions, the only answers can be found in what is emotionally fulfilling for you.
I saw a book the other day titled something like: Atheist Mind, Humanist Heart. The contents of the book didn't thrill me, but the title is a good summary of
how to live without religion.
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RE: The point to Human Existence? Role of Emotions.
November 6, 2014 at 10:15 am
(November 4, 2014 at 2:12 pm)LostDays Wrote: I had another thread I was writing in that drifted off onto this topic so I am going to start a new thread here.
What do you believe is the point to our existence? Is there one? Is the only function for Emotion survival? Really curious to know what everyone thinks.
Also has anyone heard of or read 'Why does the World exist?' by Jim Holt? (Curious to know!)
Have a great day everyone!
To perpetuate our genes.
MM
"The greatest deception men suffer is from their own opinions" - Leonardo da Vinci
"I think I use the term “radical” rather loosely, just for emphasis. If you describe yourself as “atheist,” some people will say, “Don’t you mean ‘agnostic’?” I have to reply that I really do mean atheist, I really do not believe that there is a god; in fact, I am convinced that there is not a god (a subtle difference). I see not a shred of evidence to suggest that there is one ... etc., etc. It’s easier to say that I am a radical atheist, just to signal that I really mean it, have thought about it a great deal, and that it’s an opinion I hold seriously." - Douglas Adams (and I echo the sentiment)
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RE: The point to Human Existence? Role of Emotions.
November 6, 2014 at 10:23 am
(November 6, 2014 at 10:15 am)ManMachine Wrote: (November 4, 2014 at 2:12 pm)LostDays Wrote: I had another thread I was writing in that drifted off onto this topic so I am going to start a new thread here.
What do you believe is the point to our existence? Is there one? Is the only function for Emotion survival? Really curious to know what everyone thinks.
Also has anyone heard of or read 'Why does the World exist?' by Jim Holt? (Curious to know!)
Have a great day everyone!
To perpetuate our genes.
MM For how long?
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RE: The point to Human Existence? Role of Emotions.
November 6, 2014 at 10:28 am
(This post was last modified: November 6, 2014 at 10:35 am by abaris.)
(November 4, 2014 at 2:12 pm)LostDays Wrote: I had another thread I was writing in that drifted off onto this topic so I am going to start a new thread here.
What do you believe is the point to our existence? Is there one? Is the only function for Emotion survival? Really curious to know what everyone thinks.
Also has anyone heard of or read 'Why does the World exist?' by Jim Holt? (Curious to know!)
Have a great day everyone!
I never really questioned my purpose. I am here, I had no part in the decision in the first place, so I better make the best of it. Maybe that's why I have been an atheist as long as I can remember without ever admitting it to myself when I was young. I simply had no interest in religion. It bored me, sometimes it scared me, but it never gave me any good feelings or sense of purpose.
Same goes for emotions. I never questioned them, since very early on, being a dog lover, I noticed that animals have them too. Probably on a simpler scale, but I wouldn't bet a days wages on it, since we simply can't talk to them to learn more about their world and their perception. It's always outside observation applying human standards.
And sorry, I never heard about that book you mention.
![[Image: Bumper+Sticker+-+Asheville+-+Praise+Dog3.JPG]](https://images.weserv.nl/?url=1.bp.blogspot.com%2F-d-3rfdI7nG0%2FTerwtFyFXoI%2FAAAAAAAACak%2F7kFSmHeVrng%2Fs320%2FBumper%2BSticker%2B-%2BAsheville%2B-%2BPraise%2BDog3.JPG)
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RE: The point to Human Existence? Role of Emotions.
November 6, 2014 at 10:41 am
(November 6, 2014 at 10:23 am)dimaniac Wrote: (November 6, 2014 at 10:15 am)ManMachine Wrote: To perpetuate our genes.
MM For how long?
Until they mutate.
MM
"The greatest deception men suffer is from their own opinions" - Leonardo da Vinci
"I think I use the term “radical” rather loosely, just for emphasis. If you describe yourself as “atheist,” some people will say, “Don’t you mean ‘agnostic’?” I have to reply that I really do mean atheist, I really do not believe that there is a god; in fact, I am convinced that there is not a god (a subtle difference). I see not a shred of evidence to suggest that there is one ... etc., etc. It’s easier to say that I am a radical atheist, just to signal that I really mean it, have thought about it a great deal, and that it’s an opinion I hold seriously." - Douglas Adams (and I echo the sentiment)
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