The Enigma of Meaning
(real honesty about what is perhaps life's most important and difficult question-and with any luck have a little fun thinking about it!)
kurzweilai.net
“Mystery creates wonder and wonder is the basis of man’s desire to understand.”
Neil Armstrong
"Our days come to us as a riddle, and the answers aren't handed out with our birth certificates."
John Eldredge The Journey of Desire p-2
“So what is this mysterious thing called Meaning? Well, it can come in many shapes and sizes, but one thing is for sure: it’s something we humans all want. And in today’s world our desire for it has taken on new intensity….Meaning solves the mystery even as it deepens it. It brings us home even as it opens infinite landscapes of possibilities. Ultimately, though, it eases the pain.”
Laura Berman Fortgang The Little Book of Meaning p-ix, xiii
Neil Armstrong
"Our days come to us as a riddle, and the answers aren't handed out with our birth certificates."
John Eldredge The Journey of Desire p-2
“So what is this mysterious thing called Meaning? Well, it can come in many shapes and sizes, but one thing is for sure: it’s something we humans all want. And in today’s world our desire for it has taken on new intensity….Meaning solves the mystery even as it deepens it. It brings us home even as it opens infinite landscapes of possibilities. Ultimately, though, it eases the pain.”
Laura Berman Fortgang The Little Book of Meaning p-ix, xiii
Why meaning?
sodahead.com
Let us return to those questions.
What am I here for? why are we here?
What is the meaning of life?
Or perhaps the one I like to discuss as of lately,
What is the purpose of meaning?
Or a subtle variation,
What meaning does purpose have in life?
Why does such a notion as 'the meaning of life' even exist? Is there an evolutionary explanation as to why such a deep seated human desire, the passion to know and understand our purpose or that of the creation even exists? What pragmatic purpose could the pursuit of 'the meaning of life' serve in a scenario in which survival is the primary goal. Engaging in deep contemplation about the meaning of life does not guarantee a good hunt on the plains, or make one more attractive to the opposite sex for the goal of mating and continuing one's genetic lineage. like those other human characteristics associated with consciousness; love and empathy the notion of meaning seems to resist a scientific explanation. However, like love and empathy there is no denying its significance. Dennis Ford describes this well;
"Along with mind, of course, the scientific mind also dissolved free will, moral values, motivations, ideologies, politics, the soul, and meaningful ends, as each was, in turn, reduced to indifferent, mechanistic causes. From this perspective, the human spirit and its capacity for beauty and love is an evolutionary accomplishment. No whys, just hows; no ends, just origins and means; no reasons, just causes." (The Search for Meaning p-94)
The scientific approach, as embraced by many as a the one rational model for understanding reality has little use for something like consciousness or Meaning. However, this does present us with a serious philosophical flaw that has been pointed out in debates by John Lennox. That is so long as the scientist declare that consciousness, mind and meaning are all merely constructs of chaotic materialistic process this leads to the implication that all of science, which depends on reason and the brains ability to understand is at best itself rooted in chaos and perhaps should not be trusted.
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The land of confusion
dmn3.com
"There's too many people
Making too many problems
And not much love to go round
Cant you see
This is a land of confusion."
The rock band Genesis 1986
As we have already identified, the pursuit of meaning, or at the very least a sense of purpose, is for many mysterious, a notion that in some ways defies reason yet is deeply intertwined in the fabric of our humanity, what it implies to be human. It is profoundly important yet frustratingly illusive and notoriously difficult to to even define. Though many of us are willing to keep the importance of meaning and living with purpose at bay, or even try to ignore it completely, it would probably be best not to avoid it indefinitely. For some of us it takes a lifetime of experience, pain and even suffering and the inevitability of sickness or death before we finally reflect or consider the question of meaning and its many faceted relational qualities. The question of meaning is also notoriously difficult to answer because it is on the one hand, is deeply personal, yet, on the other, requires that we learn from history and the struggle of others to grasp its illusive nature.
I think it would be safe to say that most of us born in the past fifty or so years were not raised in homes that had a strong sense of religion or even a belief system that was detailed enough to address the issue of the meaning of life. Almost all of Europe and a better part of America has become what could best be defined as secular philosophically and morally. Institutionalized religions such as large Protestant denominations, Catholicism and the Orthodox Church are beginning to see a decline in membership despite the exponential growth of the world's population. However, in some parts of the world particularly in the southern hemisphere there has been growth. The other exception is in parts of the world in which Islam is growing perhaps because of the increase in population or in some cases outright coercion. What is for certain is the noticeable deterioration of religious influence on the integral policy trends that move our nations laws and cultural trends. We would be hard pressed to find a culture in the West, and perhaps the Far East, that is not more swayed and influenced socially by entertainment & media empires than by religious institutions. This has all been facilitated by technology which is slowly becoming so integral to our lives and sense of norms that it is becoming unimaginable to live without it. Clearly institutionalized religion is on the decline.
For all of recorded history we have been nurtured and oriented to a certain sense of purpose, understanding of our relationship to creation and its creator and how these features of our perception of reality play out in our sense of meaning. However, it seems that we are on a threshold of sorts and the modern world has begun to completely undermine our understanding and perceptions of the meaning and purpose of life. Atheists such as, the late Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins, and Sam Harris do not see this as a problem. They all in various ways have basically stated that we have little choice concerning God, religion, and believing that life has a meaning. They have argued that meaning is illusory simply because God does not exist. It has been clearly stated by the atheist camp that the pursuit of meaning is pointless, beyond rationality and above all unscientific.
Most of us are relatively confident we can find examples of those who through choice or misfortune have led a life with little or no meaning, that it is easier to find examples of a life without meaning than one with. Though in careful consideration even that can be largely subjective simply because we are compelled to make a comparison or judgement of sorts with what is perceived to be a meaningful life or the type of life that according to some nondescript standard was worth living. It is my hope that an honest and non-defensive approach to this quest may result in some degree of an open minded understanding of history, creation, and the limitations inherent in what it means to be human. Perhaps more importantly it may serve as a catalyst to promote a deeper sense of what is of real importance, what has real value.
What are the implications of attempting to live with purpose amidst the many challenges of the modern age which seems, for better or worse, erasing any notion of spirituality as a romantic myth left over from days when religious beliefs and ideologies ruled the world? Most of us do see the merit in science and many of us feel perhaps more comfortable trusting a scientist over clergy. Perhaps this has something to do with the trend in the west which seems to indicate that the fastest growing “belief system” is atheism. However, does adopting the many virtues of science and even its trustworthiness imply that we have to give up our spirituality and the pursuit of a life of meaning, a life worth living because it has the desire and ability to reflect on its own being and still feel compelled to grasp at the bigger picture?
I think it would be safe to say that most of us born in the past fifty or so years were not raised in homes that had a strong sense of religion or even a belief system that was detailed enough to address the issue of the meaning of life. Almost all of Europe and a better part of America has become what could best be defined as secular philosophically and morally. Institutionalized religions such as large Protestant denominations, Catholicism and the Orthodox Church are beginning to see a decline in membership despite the exponential growth of the world's population. However, in some parts of the world particularly in the southern hemisphere there has been growth. The other exception is in parts of the world in which Islam is growing perhaps because of the increase in population or in some cases outright coercion. What is for certain is the noticeable deterioration of religious influence on the integral policy trends that move our nations laws and cultural trends. We would be hard pressed to find a culture in the West, and perhaps the Far East, that is not more swayed and influenced socially by entertainment & media empires than by religious institutions. This has all been facilitated by technology which is slowly becoming so integral to our lives and sense of norms that it is becoming unimaginable to live without it. Clearly institutionalized religion is on the decline.
For all of recorded history we have been nurtured and oriented to a certain sense of purpose, understanding of our relationship to creation and its creator and how these features of our perception of reality play out in our sense of meaning. However, it seems that we are on a threshold of sorts and the modern world has begun to completely undermine our understanding and perceptions of the meaning and purpose of life. Atheists such as, the late Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins, and Sam Harris do not see this as a problem. They all in various ways have basically stated that we have little choice concerning God, religion, and believing that life has a meaning. They have argued that meaning is illusory simply because God does not exist. It has been clearly stated by the atheist camp that the pursuit of meaning is pointless, beyond rationality and above all unscientific.
Most of us are relatively confident we can find examples of those who through choice or misfortune have led a life with little or no meaning, that it is easier to find examples of a life without meaning than one with. Though in careful consideration even that can be largely subjective simply because we are compelled to make a comparison or judgement of sorts with what is perceived to be a meaningful life or the type of life that according to some nondescript standard was worth living. It is my hope that an honest and non-defensive approach to this quest may result in some degree of an open minded understanding of history, creation, and the limitations inherent in what it means to be human. Perhaps more importantly it may serve as a catalyst to promote a deeper sense of what is of real importance, what has real value.
What are the implications of attempting to live with purpose amidst the many challenges of the modern age which seems, for better or worse, erasing any notion of spirituality as a romantic myth left over from days when religious beliefs and ideologies ruled the world? Most of us do see the merit in science and many of us feel perhaps more comfortable trusting a scientist over clergy. Perhaps this has something to do with the trend in the west which seems to indicate that the fastest growing “belief system” is atheism. However, does adopting the many virtues of science and even its trustworthiness imply that we have to give up our spirituality and the pursuit of a life of meaning, a life worth living because it has the desire and ability to reflect on its own being and still feel compelled to grasp at the bigger picture?
Throughout the centuries, our species has sought to acquire information not just to better master and manipulate our world but also to understand our place in it. We seek out knowledge with the hope that each new discovery will contribute another piece to some sort of cosmic jigsaw puzzle which, once complete, may one day yield us a definite picture of why we are here.”
Matthew Alper,
The “God” part of the Brain
Matthew Alper,
The “God” part of the Brain
More discovery - less mystery?
M.C Escher
Why does 'overlook' and 'oversee' mean two different things?
With a rate or pace unimaginable only thirty years ago science is making certain strides at revealing the nature of creation simultaneously deepening our understanding and the mystery as well. The progress has proven to result in the continuation of the many philosophical problems that quantum theory raised eighty or so years ago. With the widely accepted Big bang model of the cosmos, or a creation with an ‘in the beginning’, the problem of consciousness and the mysterious seemingly transcendent nature of light, there has been somewhat of a renewal in reconsidering how to philosophically contextualize scientific discovery and theory. A visit to the bookstore’s science section will clearly reveal this by just assessing how many book titles possess the word ‘god’ or some other term that evokes the notion of a possible divine origin or involvement in the creation and evolution of the cosmos. Beginning in the 1960’s or so there has been an increasing interest in the discussion between theism (religion, faith) and science (secularism, reductionistic-materialism). However this debate has recently turned its attention to a related topic and its many difficulties and philosophical snags, the problems of meaning-purpose and morality. The question being considered here is; has science and scientific discovery made it clear that there is no need for belief in a creation that has purpose and one in which we can find meaning?
For most of us struggling day in and day out working, raising a family, going to school and just living the debate between science and religion is perhaps somewhat negligible. However, most of us know, at least on some deep unspoken level, just how important these human endeavors are on the model we live by and the world views we choose. Most of us would like to have some assurance that what we spend our life energy on and how we invest our time is worthwhile. Few of us are willing to take one person’s word for it, or even a religious institution with a history of thinkers and teachings. On the other hand, many of us find the scientific world view to be emotionally unsatisfying, cold and somehow overwhelmingly incomplete. There has been little success in producing a model that is capable of bringing both science and religion or the great wisdom traditions, like that found in the Bible, coherently together for the purpose of attaining a model for a life of meaning. So despite all the wondrous discovery about creation meaning remains somewhat enigmatic.
For many there remains a strong demarcation between religion and science. Most simply give up the pursuit and decide to take on the religious beliefs of their families in an obligatory fashion observing weddings, funerals and holidays, meanwhile leading a lifestyle consistent with popular culture, their peers, and the philosophical leaning of secularism or some odd combination of all the above. Trying to discern where purposeful consistent philosophical living begins and ends in all of this is very confusing indeed. It is my suspicion that most of are going through the motions. We really do not know what it all means.
With a rate or pace unimaginable only thirty years ago science is making certain strides at revealing the nature of creation simultaneously deepening our understanding and the mystery as well. The progress has proven to result in the continuation of the many philosophical problems that quantum theory raised eighty or so years ago. With the widely accepted Big bang model of the cosmos, or a creation with an ‘in the beginning’, the problem of consciousness and the mysterious seemingly transcendent nature of light, there has been somewhat of a renewal in reconsidering how to philosophically contextualize scientific discovery and theory. A visit to the bookstore’s science section will clearly reveal this by just assessing how many book titles possess the word ‘god’ or some other term that evokes the notion of a possible divine origin or involvement in the creation and evolution of the cosmos. Beginning in the 1960’s or so there has been an increasing interest in the discussion between theism (religion, faith) and science (secularism, reductionistic-materialism). However this debate has recently turned its attention to a related topic and its many difficulties and philosophical snags, the problems of meaning-purpose and morality. The question being considered here is; has science and scientific discovery made it clear that there is no need for belief in a creation that has purpose and one in which we can find meaning?
For most of us struggling day in and day out working, raising a family, going to school and just living the debate between science and religion is perhaps somewhat negligible. However, most of us know, at least on some deep unspoken level, just how important these human endeavors are on the model we live by and the world views we choose. Most of us would like to have some assurance that what we spend our life energy on and how we invest our time is worthwhile. Few of us are willing to take one person’s word for it, or even a religious institution with a history of thinkers and teachings. On the other hand, many of us find the scientific world view to be emotionally unsatisfying, cold and somehow overwhelmingly incomplete. There has been little success in producing a model that is capable of bringing both science and religion or the great wisdom traditions, like that found in the Bible, coherently together for the purpose of attaining a model for a life of meaning. So despite all the wondrous discovery about creation meaning remains somewhat enigmatic.
For many there remains a strong demarcation between religion and science. Most simply give up the pursuit and decide to take on the religious beliefs of their families in an obligatory fashion observing weddings, funerals and holidays, meanwhile leading a lifestyle consistent with popular culture, their peers, and the philosophical leaning of secularism or some odd combination of all the above. Trying to discern where purposeful consistent philosophical living begins and ends in all of this is very confusing indeed. It is my suspicion that most of are going through the motions. We really do not know what it all means.
The virtue of Enigma
tremeritus.com
"A disciple once complained, "You tell us stories, but you never reveal their meaning to us."
Said the master, "How would you like it if someone offered you fruit and chewed it up before giving it to you?"
No one can find your meaning for you.
Not even the master."
The Spirituality of Imperfection Ernst Kurtz & Katherine Ketcham p-viii
In a sense how we pursue meaning and how we live in that process, is as pivotal in our success as the actual goal itself.
In this treatise, Meaning tree, I will begin by identifying some features of the pursuit of meaning, historical, academic as well as ancient wisdom & spiritual traditions. The first step is to explore the way in which we attempt to define meaning and how this process effects how we choose our models for pursuing a meaningful life. I am in no way seeking to tell or offer a specific method of achieving that goal or offer myself or my personal story as an example of how to pursue this most intimate aspect of the human endeavor. It has been my finding that a large amount of information out there concerning the topic of meaning and life purpose seems to be biased or targeting groups of people according to their existing belief systems or lack thereof. I am in no way saying this is wrong I just believe that the best model should stand as equally relevant from as many perspectives as possible.
Consider all the self help books that been written in the past fifty or so years, going back to "How to influence people and win friends by Dale Carnegie, or Think and grow rich by Napoleon Hill. They all take similar approaches in which information or Truth is identified, organized and placed into a systematic perspective or paradigm of life. Though the breaking down information down manageable pieces and categories for better comprehension, has proven useful, especially in scientific-intellectual endeavors I do not believe that there are ‘three steps’, ‘seven ways’ or a simple method to the realization of meaning, a goal that has riddled mankind’s collective and individual quest since recorded history. Rather, just as an investigator assembles information and evidence surrounding a crime, I am merely seeking out the ‘facts’ concerning the modern human condition as it pertains to the individual and the collective movement of history.
In this treatise, Meaning tree, I will begin by identifying some features of the pursuit of meaning, historical, academic as well as ancient wisdom & spiritual traditions. The first step is to explore the way in which we attempt to define meaning and how this process effects how we choose our models for pursuing a meaningful life. I am in no way seeking to tell or offer a specific method of achieving that goal or offer myself or my personal story as an example of how to pursue this most intimate aspect of the human endeavor. It has been my finding that a large amount of information out there concerning the topic of meaning and life purpose seems to be biased or targeting groups of people according to their existing belief systems or lack thereof. I am in no way saying this is wrong I just believe that the best model should stand as equally relevant from as many perspectives as possible.
Consider all the self help books that been written in the past fifty or so years, going back to "How to influence people and win friends by Dale Carnegie, or Think and grow rich by Napoleon Hill. They all take similar approaches in which information or Truth is identified, organized and placed into a systematic perspective or paradigm of life. Though the breaking down information down manageable pieces and categories for better comprehension, has proven useful, especially in scientific-intellectual endeavors I do not believe that there are ‘three steps’, ‘seven ways’ or a simple method to the realization of meaning, a goal that has riddled mankind’s collective and individual quest since recorded history. Rather, just as an investigator assembles information and evidence surrounding a crime, I am merely seeking out the ‘facts’ concerning the modern human condition as it pertains to the individual and the collective movement of history.
The scope of the investigation of meaning is very broad and the implications deeply personal.
The pursuit of meaning is a personal quest and may begin with different drives depending on each individual. These are a few reasons or motivations for why an individual may want to seek out an answer to the question of the meaning of life and purpose:
The pursuit of meaning is a personal quest and may begin with different drives depending on each individual. These are a few reasons or motivations for why an individual may want to seek out an answer to the question of the meaning of life and purpose:
- A deep seated persistent emotional impulse which is terribly real in the “heart and mind” of an individual. For many to live without meaning is like living a life absent of love.
- A feeling or intellectual conviction that there is something incomplete and missing from the commonly accepted belief system and the modern paradigm of purpose and to be truly informed implies being a more complete person.
- The motivation of being a complete person and as knowledgeable as possible about issues concerning the subjects of meaning and purpose, implies being able to provide guidance and leadership to those who struggle with these issues.
In part, I believe that because creation itself is potentially coherent according to the discoveries of modern science. Humanities desire and ambition to unravel its truths, makes it somewhat possible to achieve a reasonable argument for what reality is and our what our role in it implies. It is very possible that we may be approaching an age when there is a possibly of being able to build at the very least a model for the pursuit of meaning that is inclusive of ancient spiritual wisdom and the discoveries of modern science. However, it places an enormous burden and learning curve as we will need to examine the flaws of r religion, scientism, philosophy and human reasoning that at best possesses an incomplete even distorted perspective of reality. Furthermore, there is a danger that this could be seen as a mere intellectual exercise for the purposes of establishing what an individual or a particular group - institution feels is or should be the unquestioned truth. Rather, I hope that through an honest assessment of the socio-psycho collective mess that history characterizes, we may see our individual challenges in our pursuit of meaning is in no way independent of the world condition. In fact the greatness of a story, if we really consider it carefully is often determined by how the individual failed or succeeded against the odds that the world they lived in posed against them.
So many of us long for more in life because the world in which we were born, nurtured, and grew into has not given us the tools for leading a satisfying and truly meaningful existence. In striving to find that model which is truly the one we would want to pass on to our children we should at the very least be familiar with the challenges our ancestors faced and how modern thinking may be robbing us of the fundamental beauties of life and the wonder of meaning. It will help to be acquainted with history, the basic fundamental differences between religions, the role of psychology in why we learn and choose as we do, how modern scientific theory and discovery is confirming a reality that is rooted in unseen, timeless, dimensions intricately knit and connected to consciousness not to mention how science like theology is subject to interpretation. All of these factors and more play an ambient role in the spirit of the age we live in and pursuit our dreams and sense of meaning. Our faith in our beliefs, religious or not, are also largely determined by the strength or conviction that our cherished truths are capable of being “living and active” as opposed to lifeless or static ideals.
The story of our lives are in greater and lesser degrees intertwined with these many facets of the world we live in and share with others.
So many of us long for more in life because the world in which we were born, nurtured, and grew into has not given us the tools for leading a satisfying and truly meaningful existence. In striving to find that model which is truly the one we would want to pass on to our children we should at the very least be familiar with the challenges our ancestors faced and how modern thinking may be robbing us of the fundamental beauties of life and the wonder of meaning. It will help to be acquainted with history, the basic fundamental differences between religions, the role of psychology in why we learn and choose as we do, how modern scientific theory and discovery is confirming a reality that is rooted in unseen, timeless, dimensions intricately knit and connected to consciousness not to mention how science like theology is subject to interpretation. All of these factors and more play an ambient role in the spirit of the age we live in and pursuit our dreams and sense of meaning. Our faith in our beliefs, religious or not, are also largely determined by the strength or conviction that our cherished truths are capable of being “living and active” as opposed to lifeless or static ideals.
The story of our lives are in greater and lesser degrees intertwined with these many facets of the world we live in and share with others.
At the heart of the matter is the fact that meaning is deeply enigmatic but perhaps this is part of its virtue. After all something that is so easily acquired may not be all that valuable or desirable.
Target points
- There is no scientific definition for meaning. Particularly in materialistic-reductionistic terms. (However, this does not imply that science has nothing to add to our understanding & pursuit of meaning)
- The modern debate between atheists and theists has recently drawn attention to the question of meaning.
- Like the mysteries of light, gravity, quantum theory love & consciousness-mind, meaning remains enigmatic.
- Modern thinking as well as the World's leading spokespersons for atheism have reduced the question and pursuit of meaning as illusory.
- Despite the many successes of science the questions remaining concerning the many mysteries particularly those related to consciousness remain compelling.
- The enigma also remains simply because of the deep and persistent need for that many sense and seek to remedy.
- The pursuit of meaning is a personal quest and may begin with different drives depending on each individual.
- At the heart of the matter is the fact that meaning is deeply enigmatic but perhaps this is part of its virtue. After all something that is so easily acquired may not be all that valuable or desirable.