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What does science say about purpose in life?


We are back to our normal programming. We will not answer the question but look forward to hearing your thoughts.

I, on my part, think those asking this question are not living.

We will allow the author to speak.

 

About makagutu

As Onyango Makagutu I am Kenyan, as far as I am a man, I am a citizen of the world

28 thoughts on “What does science say about purpose in life?”

  1. Veracious Poet says:
    August 10, 2017 at 15:04

    Only an artist can interpret the meaning of life — Novalis

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  2. tildeb says:
    August 10, 2017 at 15:14

    I’m sorry, Mak. I agree with you!

    The term ‘purpose’ is problematic because it has different meanings. Purpose in the scientific sense seems to me to be an explanation for how the product of function has come about whereas in the philosophical or religious sense it seems to be the best-guessed explanation for why the function serves (or at least indicates) some larger goal. The former is about how life expresses itself and is factual; the latter is about why it expresses itself and is metaphysical.

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  3. inspiredbythedivine1 says:
    August 10, 2017 at 15:17

    All real scientists know that the meaning of life is The Great Golden Boot. Do as he wants, or get a swift kick in the ass.

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  4. SelfAwarePatterns says:
    August 10, 2017 at 16:07

    We can make purpose and meaning within certain scopes such as evolution or society, but ultimately science tells us it’s all headed toward the heat death of the universe, or the big rip, or some other cosmic anticlimactic ending.
    https://qph.ec.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-41c530add6e301297d74b9d9482d964c-c

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  5. The Pink Agendist says:
    August 10, 2017 at 16:56

    My purpose is to annoy and upset people. I believe I fulfil that purpose well 😀

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  6. renudepride says:
    August 10, 2017 at 18:51

    Good question and I, for one, believe that none of us truly know the answer to this eternal question, The author, by his own admission, used some very vague and technical language which, I think, confused the issue instead of clarifying his argument. I trust you’ll offer his second paper? Naked hugs, my Kenyan brother!

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  7. john zande says:
    August 10, 2017 at 19:15

    Bejan’s Constructal Law says the reason is a better tomorrow, constant improvement.

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  8. atheistsmeow >(^-^)< says:
    August 10, 2017 at 21:33

    I don’t have a purpose.
    Items have purpose….cars/bikes/scooters for driving, vacuums for picking up dirt. mops for floors, fridges for food, stoves for cooking…..etc. All non-human things built for purposes.
    I didn’t ask to be born, but I’m here, & don’t need anyone telling me I have a purpose……NO, I don’t!

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  9. Robert A. Vella says:
    August 10, 2017 at 23:24

    The author, Michael E. Price, is attempting to mix hypothetical science with metaphysics. His attempt is both inconsistent with the empirical foundations of science, and an intellectual incongruence of (dare I say it?) biblical proportions. I understand the human desire to see purpose in life, but science is not now the platform to do so because so much of our cosmological origins remain undiscovered. He wrote:

    >>> “The truly novel aspect of my Complexity article is the explicit application of adaptationist theory to spell out exactly why life, as the least entropic known thing, is the most likely mechanism of universe replication. It’s not novel, however, to propose in more general terms that life, evolved to a sufficiently intelligent form, might constitute such a mechanism.”

    Firstly, the “complexity” of life is a relative concept. Since we have not yet discovered life beyond Earth, we cannot objectively assess how complex it really is. In comparison to extraterrestrial life in the universe or beyond, terrestrial species might be quite simple. We just don’t know. Secondly, Price’s suggestion that “life… is the most likely mechanism of universe replication” (i.e. in a larger multiverse) is pure unadulterated speculation without even a shred of supporting evidence. Such metaphysical musings are not scientific, and should be delegated to the purview of philosophy and/or religion. Price should have ended his article with his first paragraph:

    >>> “Does humanity exist to serve some ultimate, transcendent purpose? Conventional scientific wisdom gives the answer as a definitive no. This is the answer provided in this recent New York Times piece ‘The universe doesn’t care about your purpose’, for example, and also by physicist Lawrence Krauss in his latest book. According to Krauss, the fact that we evolved on this planet is just a “cosmic accident”, and people who believe otherwise are probably suffering from some kind of religious delusion.”

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  10. Liberty of Thinking - Moshe Ben Yehuda says:
    August 21, 2017 at 22:46

    There’s NO purpose IN life.
    Life itself is a purpose…
    The question is, whose…

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  11. Mudassir PZ says:
    August 26, 2017 at 04:30

    Robert Byrne said, “The purpose of life is a life of purpose.”

    Some say purpose is the destination, living without it is dangerous. While others say, purpose is not just a goal to be achieved, but also an intention to do your best and a desire to feel a certain way.

    And to answer your question Moshe Ben Yehuda: My friend, it is better when the purpose is “Ours” than “Mine”.

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