Our purpose, and why we exist?

[KvdM]

Because most consider the self to be seperate from the rest. In that, most believe, it is seperate from nature.

And that creates purpose and meaning for our existence? Your answer doesn't make sense to my question.

[ib.me.ub]

Well you just don't understand then. Our purpose for our existence is to live in harmony with our planet, to nurture & protect it. We are an extension of our Planet & the Universe.

[KvdM]

Well you just don't understand then. Our purpose for our existence is to live in harmony with our planet, to nurture & protect it. We are an extension of our Planet & the Universe.

So what do you (as a Pantheist) affirm: that there is no difference between one and all with respect to god since since god is all?

[ib.me.ub]

So what do you (as a Pantheist) affirm: that there is no difference between one and all with respect to god since since god is all?

No. This would be better. There is no difference between one and all with respect to the Universe, since the Universe is all.

[Anomalocaris]

Your purpose is to enable as many of the genes which organized matter into you to live on after you. You exist because your ancester fulfilled their purposes. Don't disappoint them.

[tackattack]

Welcome to the forums and feel free to join into as many conversations as you like.

[everythingafter]

But ultimately why do we even question why the universe came to exist? We humans are here due to pure chance. Does it matter, for other reasons that pure curiosity that we evolved from the apes, which in turn evolved from a ball of slime millions of years ago? Our importance here on this planet is no more than an animal or plants’. We have no special place in the universe. There is no higher purpose to our existence ...

It seems to me that once you ask questions like, "What is our purpose or why do we exist," you have already jumped to the assumption that there is a higher reason and that it's up to us to figure it out, neither of which I think is true. Humans specifically nor the planet and all in it are here due to pure chance. Natural selection isn't random. Neither is it chance that something came from nothing. There is a scientific reason, even if we can't fathom what that might be yet. I think people often ask what our purpose is because they can't mentally process that there is no purpose or they aren't willing to accept that there is none. In fact, if there were some purpose in life (procreate, get married, leave ample resources for your children), the people who have not done these things by the time they die would have failed, so the idea of having purpose in life seems unpleasant and limiting to me. As Camus has said, "the point is to live." And there's nothing more under the sun.

[thesummerqueen]

I'm pretty sure the "Pigs in Space" on the Muppets were supposed to have figured this out, but unfortunately the dinner bell rang before they reached the end of the universe (where they would find out the purpose of life) and eating was more important. Infer from that what you will.

[ib.me.ub]

Your purpose is to enable as many of the genes which organized matter into you to live on after you. You exist because your ancester fulfilled their purposes. Don't disappoint them.

Sorry, but I have decided not to have children. It is a hard choice, and plays on me frequently. I can always adopt a child though.

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

But ultimately why do we even question why the universe came to exist?

'We'? What "we"? I don't, and don't care what others question.

I discovered some decades ago that when I think I understand the why of anything. I'm partly right a best ,and as often as not, completely wrong. That a gallon of insight and about $4.00 will buy me a half decent cup of coffee.In my day-to-day reality,I'm far more interested to the what of things than the the why,except in the abstract.