Dec 8th, 2008
Purpose of existence
One central question I keep asking myself is why do we exist? In the past, when this question came up in my head, I would contemplate it for a while and then move on to something else to distract me. But, this time, I’m not letting it go; I can’t let it go. I have changed my life so much to confront this and other questions that are plaguing me. I owe it to myself as well as those who care about me to do my best to answer them.
OK, back to the question. Theists have a ready answer to my question. They say, we exist because God has created us and he has a purpose for us. We don’t usually know what this purpose is because he is mysterious, but just trust us; he has a purpose in mind for each one of us. Existentialists usually answer this question by saying “because we exist” and that’s that. We are here so we have to live. For them, it seems like the question of "why" doesn’t come up. Then I was reading an article by an atheist who thinks the question "why do we exist" is foolish because the “why” in that question assumes there's a cause or motive for our existence. Although he didn’t seem to know the answer to the cause of existence, he said atheists believe that the universe is motive free. This is because a motive would suggest there’s a power beyond us that has designed a purpose for us. This then falls into the theist realm.
Based on that argument, and my own lack of belief in a higher power that has a design for us, I can agree that there is no answer to the question why we exist or if there’s a purpose to our lives. In addition, it is my fundamental belief that humans are not special and they are just part of nature. I don’t buy the argument that, just because we think, it makes us different from animals. Who knows, it is entirely possible that animals do think or have special understanding that we don’t. So, an argument can be made that we have no special purpose in life or reason for existence any more than the other animals. This is the rational, thinking side of me.
But there’s the emotional part of me that “wants” to have purpose for this life, something to live for. If, ultimately, the purpose of life is to just live, why can’t I just accept that and live my life the best way I can or want? If I’m just part of this nature, shouldn’t I be happy enough to go through life, i.e. eat, sleep, work, enjoy my time with whoever I please, do whatever pleases me? Then why do I feel that there’s something lacking in the pursuit of my own happiness? Why am I not able to just accept the fact that "I exist therefore I am"?
2 comments:
i dont think there is any purpose of our existence. We are just part of the machinery of the universe. Just as a rock or a tree is a combination of molecules, we happen to be a combination.
The reason it feels good to find purpose is because we like to find strong reasons to stay alive. Being interested in one's own life just because one is alive is not sufficient. We want to find roles where our part is important and vital. People makes statements like "my life was worthless until i became a mother" etc because of this reason. We want to feel needed, wanted, and appreciated. That is one of the lower level reasons why we look for purpose.
When all of the basic needs are met and we have time to contemplate, or when unfair things happen, spirituality pops up. Since we cannot explain how world works in a language yet to be understood, we jump to a conclusion that there must be a higher being setting course and hence there might be an actual reason for our existence.
Well said! However, I'm looking for those reasons beyond the feelings of needed, wanted and appreciated.
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