The meaning of life
Lots of people worry about the meaning of life. I never really understood what that meant, the expression "meaning of life." On NYE I hung out with Alastair, and he described it as the reason that life exists, the why we're here. I'd heard that question before, but I'd not realised it might actually be the same thing as 'meaning of life.'
I look out the window and I can see a signpost. The sign has letters on it, coloured paints arranged in a particular pattern. Why that pattern? Because somebody wanted to communicate some piece of information.
As it happens, the sign is caked with mud, splashed up by passing cars. The mud forms a particular pattern. Why that pattern? There doesn't seem to be a reason; nobody caused it to deliberately form that pattern, except maybe mud fairies, or God. It seems like the pattern is meaningless.
It seems like to ask the 'meaning' of something, presupposes an intention behind it; and therefore an agent to hold that intention, a creator.
It makes total sense to ask 'why are we here' if you believe in God, because what you're asking is, "Why did God create us? What was His intention, His vision for us?" If you ever found out His address, you could write Him a letter and ask Him. It's also a question that's interesting, because if you care about pleasing Him, you'll want to know what He had in mind for humanity so you can try and bring it about.
If you're an atheist - or if you believe in a kind of God that can't hold intentions - it doesn't seem to make sense to ask the question.
I look out the window and I can see a signpost. The sign has letters on it, coloured paints arranged in a particular pattern. Why that pattern? Because somebody wanted to communicate some piece of information.
As it happens, the sign is caked with mud, splashed up by passing cars. The mud forms a particular pattern. Why that pattern? There doesn't seem to be a reason; nobody caused it to deliberately form that pattern, except maybe mud fairies, or God. It seems like the pattern is meaningless.
It seems like to ask the 'meaning' of something, presupposes an intention behind it; and therefore an agent to hold that intention, a creator.
It makes total sense to ask 'why are we here' if you believe in God, because what you're asking is, "Why did God create us? What was His intention, His vision for us?" If you ever found out His address, you could write Him a letter and ask Him. It's also a question that's interesting, because if you care about pleasing Him, you'll want to know what He had in mind for humanity so you can try and bring it about.
If you're an atheist - or if you believe in a kind of God that can't hold intentions - it doesn't seem to make sense to ask the question.