(August 30, 2019 at 9:18 pm)Lek Wrote:(August 30, 2019 at 8:42 pm)polymath257 Wrote: That's because NOBODY knows for sure.
I don't even know what it would mean for something to exist beyond our physical universe (or multiverse)/
Why would you expect there to be some 'transcendent meaning'? For that matter, why would you expect that humans are anything other than a fluke in this huge universe? The only reason I can see is a form of ego: you don't like the idea that your life isn't really important in the grand scheme of things.
But the point is that a candle flame can give light and have meaning for a while, even if it eventually burns out. Life is more like that, in my opinion.
It's usually a pretty bad idea to step off a cliff. Just saying.
One aspect is that 'non-existence' isn't the side that needs to be proved: 'existence' is. The burden of proof is on the one making the positive existence claim.
We both agree about the things we don't know. And yes, I like to believe that everything has transcendent meaning and I believe it does. Mankind has recognized this from the beginning. It's what makes sense.
Well, people thought we were the center of the universe for a LONG time. If you read, for example, Archimedes, you will find that the thinking was the whole universe was small enough to fall within what we now would have be the orbit of Saturn.
Under such conditions, maybe, having 'transcendent meaning' might make some sense.
But today, we know the Earth is one small planet orbiting a rather dull star in one of billions of galaxies. Thinking there is some transcendent meaning that includes us seems rather egotistical to me.
