Where do you get the idea that humans stay on the same path for most of their lives? That's completely wrong. Most people will change careers on AVERAGE of 7 times during their liftime. We're built for change, to grow, to learn, to "unfold". The people who aren't changing aren't growing, and their usually the ones who experience the most depression/despair/hopelessness/anxiety. We're not afraid of change, we embrace change. We're afraid of that which we cannot comprehend.
It's funny you should say that, considering with lions the dominant one will not share his food with the rest of his pack. They care only about their own survival, not their species, yet they survive with no problems. the same goes for the alpha male of monkeys, they do not share, they do not care if the others die, they only care of their own survival. Perhaps you should study up on the survival behaviors of animals, because they are not for the good of the species, they are for the good of the animal alone.
Intellect is highly beneficial to the success of a species as is our rational capacities. Why wouldn't being able to logically analyze and deduce problems be highly beneficial? And depending on your definition of core behaviors, one being such as the necessity to reproduce, that's extremely beneficial. Well, from an evolutionary point, every organism is shaped by it's environment. (Famous example is Moths in England changing from white to black because the trees were becoming so contaminated with smoke that they were no longer white. It was more pragmatic for the moth to inherit traits of black color.) Humans have a pretty unique ability to vocally express what they need to each other. Language evolved to what it is now. So when humans no longer required language for survival, it became sort-of a hobby. Religion is comforting and inspires certainty to individuals. As Voltaire famously said, "If god didn't exist, it would be necessary to create him." After rational thinking was used other than survival, it was used to invent creative ideas.
I understood smokethebear the first time he said it. Alligators have been on earth for a very long time, and they still have not developed any sense of 'mutual respect'. Same goes for sharks. He wasn't saying alligators dis the sharks, or the sharks are being dis to the alligator. Having said that, I believe the alligators do have a sense of mutual respect amongst them. Not sure about sharks though. I believe the alligators have some kind of mutual respect amongst them because when it's feeding time, there's an order in how they eat their food. Fish, on the other hand, has no sense of mutual respect. Imagine a fish pond. You throw a bucketful of fish food, and the fish all jump on it. There's no order, it's complete chaos. BUT, when you throw a bucket of chicken meat into the alligator pit, they don't all jump on it at once, but they eat according to some kind of order. And some times you see alligators attacking another alligator, and I assume that some kind of order has been violated, and hence the attack. So the alligators must have some kind of mutual respect amongst them, and that mutual respect is what prevents them from biting each others' heads off.
We fear it because one moment we can be really happy and the next moment we can get hit by a car and be nomore. The unpredictability and uncertainty of death makes it worse.
I could only assume you were talking about the more common anthropomorphic human like deity because "the all", pantheistic, god is even more devoid of purpose and meaning. Is it not? The vast majority(and probably 100%) of things that occur in the universe(including morality and emotions) can be explained by natural processes like natural selection. Even alligators, lions and sharks have some form of unity and what they lack in morals they can make up in other traits that favor natural selection. For a lot of other species, especially mammals, intelligence and morals are essential to our survival. no way... i never said that we should discard it I hope im not coming off as closed minded because im really not... think about it and understand where i'm coming from... I think the idea of any god is improbable so to claim there is one, to claim that it itself has a purpose, to claim that also gives us a purpose and/or to even remotely understand the purpose seems ridiculous to me. But!! I dont just dismiss the idea....ive asked you guys repeatedly to explain how you know we have a purpose and how you know what it is, yet neither of you guys havent answered any of those important questions expect for ignoring them or saying that you are sworn to secrecy. I'm open to his ideas but you guys need some form of evidence for me to believe you.
No one really knows... Not you,me or anyone on this forum can imagen what death is really like. That's why.
I think that oddly enough our purpose is to discover our purpose and then accomplish that purpose. According to tris that purpose is to teach our soul valuable wisdom, to you its just to live and die. I kinda lean more towards tris in that regard, I think we have the capability to learn for a reason, not just survival. I've never met a genuinely happy person who didn't believe he had some sort of purpose.
Isn't that because humans are self-important? Don't we create purpose out of the search of happiness and fulfillment while on earth? He is happy because he created a purpose with some value. Doesn't mean there was any sort of real meaning behind his existence in the beginning. Deep inside I tend to feel as if I have a purpose as an individual, but its hard to debate but b/c my views do go both ways. And its hard to say with a mental disorder. I will agree with most of what Trismeg has said. But its down to belief and understanding the faults of the mind.
I shit you not, But I thought of this exactly the way you put it last night. You literally took the words out of my brain.
I think the fact they survive with no problems is because of the fact that the dominate ones care only for their own survival. They live to reproduce while the weak die off. but to answer your original post... i believe this is all coincidence, and when i die that's that, the end. i will have no recollection of what my life was like, the fact that i even existed won't matter, memories won't matter, experiences won't matter, what i did won't matter. it won't matter if i have kids, because they'll die too. it won't matter. life doesn't matter. it's pointless. but the simple fact that it's all coincidence is what makes life great. it's a gift, so to speak. a rarity. why throw it away? that is where the "fear" comes into play. i don't "fear" death, i know i'm going to die. it could be when i'm old and gray from natural causes, it could be a lightning strike, it could be a car wreck, it could be me choking on food. my death will be as much of a coincidence as my conception. but i'm gonna do what i can to avoid it so i can experience this thing called life. it's interesting to me, i'm curious to see what happens next, even if its nothing significant.
the bold is what the bible tells people. Thats what happens when you die.. It says so in the "bible". As for me, I believe that part of the bible but I am still confused as to how people can go into haunted houses with scientific equipment and find spirits... The "people" who use to lived in the house in conclusion.. once again, the bible is a lie as scientific data proves otherwise. this is what I truly believe. I also believe that a lot of people are scared of it.. yes, even Christians because the very fact the believe in the bible proves it.
And it sounds rather why boring, which is why we could possibly come to live. Energy. And where does it say that in a bible? I thought it was heaven and hell situation? No a scientific theory. it would make sense, I mean a organism lives - it feels, touches, smells, sees, etc etc. And when you're dead there's no recollection of anything b/c simply you are nothing anymore. B/c you are not a material such as an organism that can simply do anything. Its just a contribution, a fun kind of stimulation. an escape from such vast nothing. Meaning there is absolutely no meaning to existence. But its good that not everyone knows it for obvious reasons. That's how the universe tends to work. Its how the universes law works. Rules can be broken, if theyre not rules to begin with. Which is why I say the rules are meant to be broken, and have total disregard for some of the law. You just need to to know the consequence for actions b/c that is how the universe will work. I come to believe people take life granted and are blind for their whole life. But I guess ignorance is bliss. B/c to some happiness is different for different people. /rant over.
I will insist that this is all coincidence and there is nothing after we die. I do not fear being dead, I do fear dying. Why you ask? We are hard wired for survival, first and foremost. If there are two things that are innate to all animals, really all organisms, it is the desire to survive, and to reproduce. This concept is something I still struggle with somewhat: if life has no meaning, why do I bother doing anything at all. Its something that I will probably never answer better than: I only get one chance to live, and an eternity to not be alive, so I will do what I can with my time. That and a strong desire to help humankind as we are all one species, and collective survival is important to me. As a side note, this type of question is what started my path to athiesm. I started questioning whether there was some meaning to life, and I started reading the works of Epicurus, which really fit the way I thought, and it took off from there.
Such is the absurdity of life. As Camus basically puts it, finding meaning in life is futile because it is absolutely lacking of one. In order to solve this absurdity humans took the avenue of religion, suicide, or the most difficult of all paths; accepting the absurd.
the bold is what the bible tells people. Thats what happens when you die.. It says so in the "bible". No we will not "miss" our last life, but would you mind pointing out where it says in the bible that we cease to exist into nothingness and this is the reason we wont? Also I wouldn't mind you finding a part in the new testament that states we only live one life as well, since it's a pretty big highlight of a belief of people who supposedly follow the teachings of Jesus lol. As for me, I believe that part of the bible but I am still confused as to how people can go into haunted houses with scientific equipment and find spirits... The "people" who use to lived in the house in conclusion.. once again, the bible is a lie as scientific data proves otherwise. In conclusion, there is no such things as ghosts. Your scientific equipment isn't detecting souls. Intelligences of a person can be contacted, however, the soul will never manifest into our plane, nor will a soul ever be trapped in a place for 100's of years. You can detect astral shells, you can detect strong outputs of energy that linger, you will never detect an actual essence aka soul and spirit of a person.
Isn't that what makes life as exhilarated as it is? You dont know what will happen next, or at all; the sensation. I see death as an adventure into the unknown.