It is often said that asking “what’s the meaning of life?†is like asking “what’s the meaning of a rose?†Why indeed are we so intent on imposing some sort of “meaning†or, for that matter, “purpose†to everything? Why do things have to make “sense�
In fact, in some respects, making sense of things seems almost counter to how we prefer to experience them.
“Why do we love Lewis Carroll with his ‘’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves did gyre and gimble in the wabe, all mimsy were the borogroves, and the mome raths outgrabe…’? Why is it that all those old English songs are full of ‘Fal-de-riddle-eye-do’ and ‘Hey-nonny-nonny’ and all those babbling choruses? Why is it that when we get ‘hep’ with jazz we just go ‘Boody-boody-boop-de-boo’ and so on, and enjoy ourselves swinging with it? It is this participation in the essential glorious nonsense that is at the heart of the world, not necessarily going anywhere…the true meaning of life is no meaning…its purpose is no purpose…its sense is non-sense.â€
(Alan Watts, “The Tao of Philosophyâ€, emphasis added)
This is interesting to contemplate, it seems to me. What are the ramifications? How, if we end up agreeing with this idea of a universe of “non-sense†are we to comport ourselves? How are we to behave?
What do we do once we stop searching for “meaning†in everything…?
here we go to a book for answers;the same book that answers almost all questions. so i hope you got a translation that’s easy to understand!
we are here for no reason?->Isaiah45:18
there are many more answers in there,for those willing to look for them.
and yes philosophy is about asking “why”, but if we repeat this process for ever,will we ever get an answer to anything that we can actually accept??
Hi, Drift. Welcome to ILP. Thanks for the book recommendation. I am familiar with it.
I don’t think I’m arguing that there’s no reason. No, actually I’m not arguing that at all. I’m just wondering why we’re so intent on imposing meaning.
Jerry my closest guess as to why we need meaning to everything is because we must know. We have a natural desire, as human beings, to know. In my opinion, the only reason why you or I is alive is because somewhere we decided we needed to know, thus we were born. Life = knowledge and vice-versa.
By asking, “Why do we need meaning?” you are looking for meaning …
It is called the meaning of meaning.
Your question is no better than, “What’s the point?”
Why must you know this? I think it is because you are alive. If you were dead you really wouldn’t care, would you?
We look for meaning, because it is all around us, inside of us, everywhere. It only wait to be discovered, like the beauty of that rose you mentioned, or the mind of an individual such as yourself. All one needs is an open mind, and there is an entire universe outt here to discover, why wouldn’t so many of us want to discover that universe? It’s a lot more interesting than becoming vegetables.
Because its in our nature to suppose that there is a point to it all. Because lets face it, we never do anything consciously unless it has a point or a benefit to us.
Lifes only point is to survive, our lives are designed merely upon surviving and breeding. Our ability to enjoy life enables us to live longer and therefore even having fun has the purpose of survival.
there is meaning and there isn’t
i was thinking that if every perticle in the universe experiences that nothingness you experience when you sleep, then the universe really is nothing. But it is still something as well to those with perception. Confused? I dont know how all this stuff is possible but i think it is beautiful. we are just those little ants you see walking on your kitchen sink, those little ants who could never possibly grasp that the mountains they are walking on are dishes or forks or whatever. beautiful.
i belive jesus’s meaning on that was the importance of the preaching work.
and i dont know exaclty what your meaning of all this is,your point,but if you think christainity is meaningless,you obviously didnt look up the scriptures i referred to. only IF though.
You make a good point. And I would never attempt to argue against logic.
My point, which I am perhaps not making well, is that there is perhaps no meaning to life beyond the idea that life is to be lived. For its own sake. That is to say that there is nothing more to it than simply that. But that is enough. And I am proposing further that that meaning is an objective meaning, thus giving it meaningfulness. This, as opposed to the idea of life being totally devoid of any meaning whatever, outside of the subjective meaning any given individual would ascribe to his or her life.
I think that perhaps your question can only make sense from an eastern perspective.If you’re reading Watts, I know that is the case. There is a difference between the western concept of being and nothingness and the eastern understanding of presence and absence. And so, it can easily be said that there is no purpose and there is nothing but purpose at the same time. There might be a few pages of explanation to go with this, but that would go beyond the scope of our usual three sentence gloss.
Without being a complete smartass, I would venture that life is to be lived recognizing that there is no purpose - and living that life purposefully.
See? I told you that coherency is an illusive commodity.
Folks, this is instructive and if I can stray from the topic for a moment (it’s mine, so why not?), I think it’s worth considering.
This post from angst-ridden is a good example, I think, of the kind of lack of common courtesy and uncivil tone that has come to mark this place lately, an attitude that, to a large degree at least, has chased away one (and very possibly more) very significant members recently (and had a hand in keeping me away for two and half months). In one post, this particular poster has slammed two people. And for what reason? What’s the purpose behind it? What, I am wondering, does angst-ridden, hope will be furthered by it?
For the record, I found W.J.’s post interesting. And if you don’t find any value in the thread, simply ignore it. One can do so with a simple click of the mouse.
Not to pick on angst-ridden, who I’ve no doubt is a decent enough fellow (or gal as the case may be). I’m just using this as an example. I just think it’s worth considering and contemplating what kind of discourse we want to have here, and what kind of discourse we don’t want to have here.
Off my soapbox.
Carry on.
(You can take your shots at me now, angst-ridden….I am imagining that you want to do just this).
There is a difference between the western concept of being and nothingness and the eastern understanding of presence and absence. And so, it can easily be said that there is no purpose and there is nothing but purpose at the same time. There might be a few pages of explanation to go with this, 
but that would go beyond the scope of our usual three sentence gloss.