Atheists - What is the meaning of life?

Paralipomenon

Personally I am a agnostic with a complete rejection of a personal god. Without the concept of salvation my belief structure states that when I die, very likely that is it.

No amount of good or bad deeds will extend my life past the point of my death. So, what is the meaning of life?

After you die, you may be remembered for a few years by some, by many if you make a deep impression or be written into the history books if you make a large impact on the world. But the end is still the same.

If there is no afterlife, what is the meaning of life?

Gregor

First of all when you refer to "life" you should consider in your observation all life, animals and plants included . The first step is putting your human life into perspective in this framework. All life goes through a cycle that includes reproduction of ones kind. Birth-Reproduction-Death. Obviously, just as with animal/plant life, individual specimens may not reproduce for various reasons but that is the obvious basic 'reason' they are living.

For intelligent, thinking beings there are almost endless possibilities in how one might spend ones life between birth and death. Healthy specimens strive to enjoy the journey in a state of contentment. Life is not a dress rehearsal. If one is not content with their individual life it is up to them to either change the external circumstance, their internal perspective or better yet, a combination of the two. As the old song goes "Is this all there is?" The answer for an atheist is -Yes. And that's just fine with us.

If one prefers to live with a big imaginary friend, like "Harvey" the 6 foot rabbit, that's their choice. If they function better without living life in the "raw"and want to sleep with a Teddy bear who is to say them nay?

Awakened07

Well - there can't really be an ultimate "meaning of life" - who would decide what that should be?

One could say (and some do) that to have offspring would be the 'purpose of life', but evolution is not some sentient being telling you what to do, and neither is the universe.

But there can certainly be "meaning in life" nevertheless. And that for an atheist wouldn't differ much from that of a theist. Perhaps it would have a somewhat wider scope, as it wouldn't have the same limitations as described in some text. But generally it would be the same; appreciate and love your family and friends, art, music, poetry, beauty, life...

The theistic "meaning of life" differs basically in time span; people will do the same, but for time indefinite. That, and they'll do what God tells them to (whatever that is).

Personally, even though I'm an atheist, I would actually love to live forever. Perhaps an atheistic outlook seems glum and empty compared to that theistic eternity.

However - I have to except that life is what it is.

If some lottery told me "you have already won", and that in twenty years I'd get access to a bank account holding $50 million if only I fulfilled certain obligations to them in the meantime, that would probably fill me with hope for the future and I would make big plans, but when I eventually found out that the whole lottery was a scam, I would do best to cut my losses and forget about it. I could decide to continue to believe it - perhaps there were other lottery "winners" around who continued to do so - but that wouldn't mean the money was in my future. I would have to make due with what I had earned by normal means, and accept that I wouldn't become a millionaire. It would suck compared to what I had briefly believed in and hoped for, but so what? There never were any money there for me in the first place.

That wouldn't be the end of my (financial) life, though. I would go on with what money I had earned, and make perhaps more humble plans that I could now afford, but that were basically just as fulfilling.

BizzyBee

Atheists - what is the meaning of life?

Wouldn't it be the same as for believers? What we humans believe or don't believe wouldn't alter reality - would it?

nicolaou

Life's what you make it, find your own meaning and your own purpose in life. It may be selfish or charitable but it will be yours.

sweetface2233

I believe this issue has been debated and questioned since the beginning of time. Life has a different meaning for everyone. The meaning is even different for me at different periods in my life. To waste time dwelling on the issue is a waste of the life itself, don't you think?

LtCmd.Lore

If there is no afterlife, what is the meaning of life?

Whatever you WANT it to be.

If you enjoy making people happy, then how about making it your goal in life to help as many people as possible?

Or you could make your goal in life to discover a cure for cancer.

Personally, at the moment, my goal is simply to be as happy as possible, while causing the most amount of good and the least amout of harm in the process. (But I can feel free to change that goal when, if ever, I please.)

If you like, your purpose in life could be to create new life and raise a family. Or your purpose in life could be to save a life that already exists.

You can chose whatever purpose you want, it is YOUR life after all.

I find that to be MUCH more satisfying than simply saying that my purpose is to praise some god forever. What good has that ever done?

Lore - What.Would.Satan.Do?

mavie

Whatever you want it to be. Find your own purpose.

"Man's Search For Meaning" by Viktor Frankl is a classic and is one great way to answer this question.

http://www.amazon.com/Mans-Search-Meaning-Viktor-Frankl/dp/080701429X/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1199296445&sr=8-1

stillajwexelder

to better oneself and humanity in general

DT

I would say that the primary goal of my life is to try to discover the meaning of life, if it exists. Maybe my search will provide some answers or be beneficial in some unknown existence after death. Maybe not. Maybe there will eventually develop something in this universe that we would consider divine or meaningful. If so, I would be pleased to have played a role in its development, even if I'm long gone by then. I know that my search for meaning might be pointless, but accepting a false religious hope would only ensure defeat.

Atheists - What is the meaning of life?

Share this