The meaning of Meaning
bmx.transworld.net
Our dreams and ambitions are often rooted in the desire to create a reality of purpose, a life of personal gain & success, and in most cases improving the lives of those we love. How do we determine if we are in fact following something of a fantasy rooted in a complex fabric of misconceptions or a vision that can transform our lives for the better a life that will have value and will ultimately have meaning?
The following definition of the meaning of life establishes some of the most commonly grasped concepts relating to the philosophical nature of meaning;
"The meaning of life is a philosophical question concerning the significance of life or existence in general. It can also be expressed in different forms, such as "Why are we here?", "What is life all about?", and "What is the purpose of existence?" It has been the subject of much philosophical, scientific, and theological speculation throughout history. There have been a large number of proposed answers to these questions from many different cultural and ideological backgrounds.
The meaning of life is deeply entrenched in the philosophical and religious conceptions of existence, social ties, consciousness, and happiness, and borders on many other issues, such as symbolic meaning, ontology, value, purpose, ethics, good and evil, free will, the existence of a or multiple Gods, conceptions of God, the soul, and the afterlife. Scientific contributions focus primarily on describing related empirical facts about the universe, exploring the context and parameters concerning the 'how' of life. Science also studies and can provide recommendations for the pursuit of well-being and a related conception of morality. An alternative, humanistic approach poses the question "What is the meaning of my life?" The value of the question pertaining to the purpose of life may coincide with the achievement of ultimate reality, or a feeling of oneness, or even a feeling of sacredness.” www.wikipedia.org (meaning of life)
The following definition of the meaning of life establishes some of the most commonly grasped concepts relating to the philosophical nature of meaning;
"The meaning of life is a philosophical question concerning the significance of life or existence in general. It can also be expressed in different forms, such as "Why are we here?", "What is life all about?", and "What is the purpose of existence?" It has been the subject of much philosophical, scientific, and theological speculation throughout history. There have been a large number of proposed answers to these questions from many different cultural and ideological backgrounds.
The meaning of life is deeply entrenched in the philosophical and religious conceptions of existence, social ties, consciousness, and happiness, and borders on many other issues, such as symbolic meaning, ontology, value, purpose, ethics, good and evil, free will, the existence of a or multiple Gods, conceptions of God, the soul, and the afterlife. Scientific contributions focus primarily on describing related empirical facts about the universe, exploring the context and parameters concerning the 'how' of life. Science also studies and can provide recommendations for the pursuit of well-being and a related conception of morality. An alternative, humanistic approach poses the question "What is the meaning of my life?" The value of the question pertaining to the purpose of life may coincide with the achievement of ultimate reality, or a feeling of oneness, or even a feeling of sacredness.” www.wikipedia.org (meaning of life)
This definition from wikipedia notes some of the characteristics that many identify when trying to define meaning both universally and personally. The fact that it has been a question encroached on by philosophy, science & religion is obvious. As the definition expands into issues of ontology, conceptions of God(s), morality and well being we may quickly recognize the challenge and complexity of defining the meaning of life. Moreover, one could easily recognize some of these qualities such as, the pursuit of well-being, social-ties, ethics/morality, the sacred or divine feeling of oneness, that are related to meaning, though they may not really have a clue as to what is the actual meaning of meaning itself. We could say that meaning, or finding our meaning in life, is based on a hierarchy of these features organized according to each individuals choice. However, we could easily say that these features give us purpose and direction, whether or not we 'find meaning' in choices really depends on something of a larger context. That context is relational and where we began with the 'big M questions' of existence; does the cosmos have a purpose, is there a creator, or a soul that lives on in the afterlife.
One of the core concepts being explored in meaning tree is that one does not have to answer the 'big M' questions to live with purpose. We can and should get the most out of life, living with purpose in the pursuit of meaning. For those who feel compelled to pursue meaning it will almost certainly reveal its character in a very individualistic way.
One of the core concepts being explored in meaning tree is that one does not have to answer the 'big M' questions to live with purpose. We can and should get the most out of life, living with purpose in the pursuit of meaning. For those who feel compelled to pursue meaning it will almost certainly reveal its character in a very individualistic way.
Trees are basically made of wood and leaves. If we see a pile of wood and leaves that does not imply we have seen a tree.
The meaning of purpose & the purpose of meaning
So when people say, “What should I do with my life?” or “What is my life purpose?” what they’re actually asking is: “What can I do with my time that is important?”
http://markmanson.net/life-purpose
“The mystery of human existence lies not in just staying alive, but in finding something to live for.”
― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov
“Plato says that the un-examined life is not worth living. But what if the examined life turns out to be a clunker as well?”
― Kurt Vonnegut, Wampeters, Foma and Granfalloons
http://markmanson.net/life-purpose
“The mystery of human existence lies not in just staying alive, but in finding something to live for.”
― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov
“Plato says that the un-examined life is not worth living. But what if the examined life turns out to be a clunker as well?”
― Kurt Vonnegut, Wampeters, Foma and Granfalloons
The ultimate reward, besides success, to living with purpose is that we have lived with purpose!
Hitler lived with purpose as did Mother Theresa. Hitler’s purposes brought suffering, Mother Theresa’s purpose brought healing.
Purpose may be viewed as being somewhat neutral to a hierarchy of value.
The question of meaning brings value into the equation
Perhaps, one way to make this process of understanding meaning simpler, is determining not only the confusion about what it might be, but, what it is not as well. I have come to believe that part of the problem is actually rooted in linguistic confusion over the modern usage of the words purpose and meaning. In the above definition of meaning, (‘meaning of life’) there is no mention of purpose, and I believe, this is correct. I additionally believe, that using the terms purpose and meaning interchangeably can cloud issues concerning meaning in particular. Once we get past this fundamental linguistic issue I believe we will be able to determine on the one hand the importance of living with purpose and on the other the significance of answering the question of meaning. First, let us make the simple distinction.
Living with purpose is largely dependent on goals. In Western thinking, living with purpose is considered a near non-negotiable something of unquestioned value. As Robert Byrne stated "the purpose of life is a life of purpose" However, as we shall consider purpose is value neutral. Neither good or bad or guaranteeing emotional or intellectual satisfaction. For example, one could live for the purpose of making lots of money and perhaps becoming a CEO of a corporation. Sounds great! However, suppose that such an individual is ruthless in that process alienating friends, family and co-workers? Suppose that he does so at the cost of the environment or even the overall benefit of the corporation itself? Such an individual may have with every waking hour of life, a strong sense of purpose, but, in the end be bankrupt of true meaning. Another individual may look upon their purpose of rising everyday with the goal of providing for a young family and eventually in hope that this commitment will lead to a freedom of time and resources in helping friends and the community. Such an individual may have little guarantee that such will be the coarse of history. However, the process will speak to the meaning of their life.
In the above scenarios, both individuals live with purpose but with a very different final goal. They perceive the ultimate 'purpose' or meaning of their lives with very different definitions of what is actually important relationally or what has true value. Both understand that their vision for life, involves process, commitment and ultimately a way of assessing what the purpose of their life ultimately adds up to. For the CEO, the status of wealth, power and the prestige that comes with the acquisition of a title, regardless of how it is achieved is what is the reward of a life lived with purpose. For the other, the knowledge that his hard work served a purpose in creating a better life for others will ultimately be the final assessment.
A purpose is better than no purpose. To live with purpose is better than to live haphazardly without goals and dependent on others. However, even in living with purpose there is no guarantee that we will discover meaning in life. Living with purpose is good, but, in the end it may imply nothing more than the fact that we life lived with purpose.
Living with purpose is largely dependent on goals. In Western thinking, living with purpose is considered a near non-negotiable something of unquestioned value. As Robert Byrne stated "the purpose of life is a life of purpose" However, as we shall consider purpose is value neutral. Neither good or bad or guaranteeing emotional or intellectual satisfaction. For example, one could live for the purpose of making lots of money and perhaps becoming a CEO of a corporation. Sounds great! However, suppose that such an individual is ruthless in that process alienating friends, family and co-workers? Suppose that he does so at the cost of the environment or even the overall benefit of the corporation itself? Such an individual may have with every waking hour of life, a strong sense of purpose, but, in the end be bankrupt of true meaning. Another individual may look upon their purpose of rising everyday with the goal of providing for a young family and eventually in hope that this commitment will lead to a freedom of time and resources in helping friends and the community. Such an individual may have little guarantee that such will be the coarse of history. However, the process will speak to the meaning of their life.
In the above scenarios, both individuals live with purpose but with a very different final goal. They perceive the ultimate 'purpose' or meaning of their lives with very different definitions of what is actually important relationally or what has true value. Both understand that their vision for life, involves process, commitment and ultimately a way of assessing what the purpose of their life ultimately adds up to. For the CEO, the status of wealth, power and the prestige that comes with the acquisition of a title, regardless of how it is achieved is what is the reward of a life lived with purpose. For the other, the knowledge that his hard work served a purpose in creating a better life for others will ultimately be the final assessment.
A purpose is better than no purpose. To live with purpose is better than to live haphazardly without goals and dependent on others. However, even in living with purpose there is no guarantee that we will discover meaning in life. Living with purpose is good, but, in the end it may imply nothing more than the fact that we life lived with purpose.
Personality vs. Precept
Our first step is to rethink our relationship to certain ‘concepts’ in our own personal psyche. The best comparison I can make is the experience of love. Few of us feel compelled to define love within specific academic/rational or philosophical parameters. Most almost always intuitively understand love without studying it formally. The reason we have failed so miserably and have philosophically struggled with so little success in pursuit of a definition of meaning, is not entirely to be blamed on its mysterious nature, but rather, that it is more akin to love than a philosophical concept. It certainly possesses qualities that can share a common ground with concepts such as justice, relativism or even truth, however, it has a very real personal dimension, often revealing its importance in psychological contexts and relationships.
Meaning is best understood, received and experienced like love.
Meaning is best understood, received and experienced like love.
The personality of meaning seems to be universal in origin yet, paradoxically deeply personal or individualistic in its realization & scope.
In his book The Search For Meaning, Dennis Ford has identified the complex nature of meaning dividing his research into two main categories, classical sources of meaning, and contemporary sources of meaning. This approach to the categorization of meaning, helps us to understand some qualities of meaning particularly as it pertains to history and our shared collective struggle to define its enigmatic nature. The book also identifies how we all have in varying degrees been influenced by these collective notions and worldviews. This is a big part of our story but, not the only part. The deeper we dig into the essence of meaning, the more we will come discover it has been a part of our life regardless if we identified it or were pursuing it. There is a good reason for this, which we will not begin to consider.
For many, the pursuit of meaning may possess a very practical connection to the purpose of attaining specific, achievable, measurable and significant goals, while for others it might entail a much deeper transcendent, existential or spiritual character that looms at the threshold or horizon of our perceptions & consciousness. In other words, some may feel the importance of meaning is deeply spiritual as opposed to practical in nature. Still yet, many simply seek out meaning in the goal of harmonious human relationships. None of this are completely correct or wrong. Each of us, in a sense, imposes meaning on life through our choices and what we pursue ambitiously in purposeful living. Within our human psyche we posses something of a holistic process, that knits together our level of knowledge, our passions (emotional propensities), memories, dreams/aspirations, tastes/choices, habitual behaviors as well as a host of other factors. Those factors come to create what we define as our self, the 'I' in the 'Me', or what has traditionally been referred to as the soul. One reason the question of meaning has been so difficult to answer philosophically or even religiously, is, it is not exclusively a philosophical or religious question. It is a question that each and every soul can, does and will answer for itself. Because the soul is a complex hierarchy of psychological features comprising what we more or less refer to as personality, posing the meaning question requires that we contextualize meaning itself within a rubric of personality. This will be a great help in dealing with the complexity of meaning.
Let us make some 'real world' comparisons.
When we consider the differences of how we perceive meaning, in the purpose of life sense, perhaps a good place to start would be parenting. Nearly all mothers understand, almost instinctively, that their purpose day in and day out is the welfare of their child, especially newborns. However, there may be a discrepancy between one set of parents and others as to what is the best way to raise, educate or even feed a child . There is on the one hand a universal model in parenting but there is also the deep personal sense of purpose that one has with the responsibility of raising their particular child. Almost all of can agree on the importance parenting but not all of us will implement parenting in the same way.
In a deeply personal individualistic sense, We do not all agree on what exactly good parenting is or the best way to raise to children. This does not imply that parenting does not have a universal quality. However, as each parent(s) raises their children they bring to the role their own approaches and unique qualities.
For many the individual's pursuit of meaning is often perceived or defined as deeply transcendent or as a spiritual engagement, perhaps the principle reason why, until recently, is because religion has been the 'go to' for when seeking a model to live by. However, possessing an undeniably important obligation that relates to the many aspects of the human experience and relationships, meaning has often been found in the contexts of the pursuit of true love, peace and the highest levels of human introspection, a powerful tool to help guide us in determining what is truly important and worthy of our energy and time and what is not. Most religions possess certain universal truths, and most of internalize those truths in a way that reaches into our own psyche. This is one reason why religion has been the 'go-to' in the human pursuit of meaning. It supposedly provides universal truths that are contextualized in a deeply personal way.
In this sense when we consider the individual"s pursuit, the meaning of meaning is defined by the thoughts we think, the choices we make and the life we live.
For many, the pursuit of meaning may possess a very practical connection to the purpose of attaining specific, achievable, measurable and significant goals, while for others it might entail a much deeper transcendent, existential or spiritual character that looms at the threshold or horizon of our perceptions & consciousness. In other words, some may feel the importance of meaning is deeply spiritual as opposed to practical in nature. Still yet, many simply seek out meaning in the goal of harmonious human relationships. None of this are completely correct or wrong. Each of us, in a sense, imposes meaning on life through our choices and what we pursue ambitiously in purposeful living. Within our human psyche we posses something of a holistic process, that knits together our level of knowledge, our passions (emotional propensities), memories, dreams/aspirations, tastes/choices, habitual behaviors as well as a host of other factors. Those factors come to create what we define as our self, the 'I' in the 'Me', or what has traditionally been referred to as the soul. One reason the question of meaning has been so difficult to answer philosophically or even religiously, is, it is not exclusively a philosophical or religious question. It is a question that each and every soul can, does and will answer for itself. Because the soul is a complex hierarchy of psychological features comprising what we more or less refer to as personality, posing the meaning question requires that we contextualize meaning itself within a rubric of personality. This will be a great help in dealing with the complexity of meaning.
Let us make some 'real world' comparisons.
When we consider the differences of how we perceive meaning, in the purpose of life sense, perhaps a good place to start would be parenting. Nearly all mothers understand, almost instinctively, that their purpose day in and day out is the welfare of their child, especially newborns. However, there may be a discrepancy between one set of parents and others as to what is the best way to raise, educate or even feed a child . There is on the one hand a universal model in parenting but there is also the deep personal sense of purpose that one has with the responsibility of raising their particular child. Almost all of can agree on the importance parenting but not all of us will implement parenting in the same way.
In a deeply personal individualistic sense, We do not all agree on what exactly good parenting is or the best way to raise to children. This does not imply that parenting does not have a universal quality. However, as each parent(s) raises their children they bring to the role their own approaches and unique qualities.
For many the individual's pursuit of meaning is often perceived or defined as deeply transcendent or as a spiritual engagement, perhaps the principle reason why, until recently, is because religion has been the 'go to' for when seeking a model to live by. However, possessing an undeniably important obligation that relates to the many aspects of the human experience and relationships, meaning has often been found in the contexts of the pursuit of true love, peace and the highest levels of human introspection, a powerful tool to help guide us in determining what is truly important and worthy of our energy and time and what is not. Most religions possess certain universal truths, and most of internalize those truths in a way that reaches into our own psyche. This is one reason why religion has been the 'go-to' in the human pursuit of meaning. It supposedly provides universal truths that are contextualized in a deeply personal way.
In this sense when we consider the individual"s pursuit, the meaning of meaning is defined by the thoughts we think, the choices we make and the life we live.
Shedding light on Meaning
Perhaps one of the most important questions we can raise concerning meaning is its origin and the nature of its character or personality. Do we have reason to believe it is transcendent in origin, or as some believe, like any other feature of consciousness, just the aftermath of neuro-chemical reactions in the brain. As we consider this question we should be aware that this is perhaps one of the most debated matters in science today and is referred to in many different ways such as the 'mind - brain' or 'consciousness problem'.
A question that science has raised is, did God create the brain or did the brain create God? The question is pertinent to the origin of meaning itself, because if the brain creates God, then, it also creates love, happiness, and meaning. Francis Crick co-discoverer of the DNA helix summed it up this way; "Your joys and your sorrows, your memories and your ambitions your sense of personal identity and free will, are in fact no more than the behavior of a vast assembly of nerve cells and their associated molecules. As Lewis Carroll's Alice might have phrased: "Your nothing but a pack of neurons." (Mario Beauregard & Denyse O'leary The Spiritual Brain p-114) The view of Crick and others, that our thoughts are only the by-product of the physical brain, has dominated neuroscience for decades. In the last twenty or so years there has been a slow but noticeable movement away from this position for several reasons. The first is that the brain itself has not yielded a complete materialistic explanation of how it produces what we experience as consciousness. For certain, some very hard working scientists have given the world some stunning insights into the workings of the brain. However, in the process of discovery more questions have been raised particularly in regard to certain fundamental features of the inner experience, one which has been identified as the 'hard problem of consciousness', by philosopher David Chalmers. The hard problem of consciousness raises questions concerning what is referred to as qualia. Why our brains recognize red as red or the identification of any stimuli that neuro-transmission itself does not explain or define. In other words how does the firing of synapses between neurotransmitters result in us thinking we observed a red object. Brain chemistry itself, the complex relationships of neurons we observe in magnetic imaging has no direct correlation to the real world. However, there is nothing more central to the question of consciousness as that of self-awareness. How does the firing of the neurotransmitters not only result in consciousness, but, in consciousness that is capable of becoming aware of itself, what we know to be 'me' or 'I' and what the ancients referred to as soul? It is out of this complex feature of consciousness, that what we cherish as our self, may come to ask, "what is the meaning of my life?".
It has been argued particularly by atheists that meaning is much more illusion than reality. That meaning like the many other chemical reactions of the brain and consciousness itself merely constructs of brain activity They on the one hand declare that, yes, they do love their spouses and children, and go to work with a sense of purpose, even an awe of creation, but in the end it will not really anything other than the experience itself. It all becomes a part of a large chaotic process in which the brain and consciousness itself, really amounts to nothing more than illusion. World renowned atheist and author Richard Dawkins, has famously stated that the question of meaning is irrelevant. (see U-Tube debate Mexico University) Does Richard Dawkins have a scientific precedence for reducing the pursuit of meaning to a chemical mishap of a failed evolutionary defense mechanism in the brain? Is such a view built on solid philosophical conclusions drawn from science itself?
The question we want to briefly consider here is whether or not we have a good scientific reason to believe that there is anything in nature or in the scientific investigation that is for all practical purposes beyond a three dimensional-time dependent explanation. Is there any phenomenon or observable effect that can not be traced to a materialistic source which has very measurable effects on the physical nature of reality? Furthermore, if we can determine that this is the case is their justification in building a model for the pursuit of meaning that is inclusive of spirituality or the concept of transcendence in particular.
For the non-scientist or layman this would seem to be a difficult question. As it turns out many are very surprised to discover the truth. Unfortunately, few of us really do not understand the mysteries of our own lives let alone the mysteries of creation and what challenges the best of scientific thinkers & philosophers. Like religion and even the depths of psychological insight, sometimes we need to trust others in their finding and interpretations of what has been discovered.
As we pursue to consider not only the nature of reality, but, the role of meaning in our relationship to that reality we soon come chin to chin with a a long established conundrum for science. It is something we are all deeply familiar with, yet, know so little about, and is easily taken for granted. It is the mystery of the exact nature of light. Not exactly the light which we recognize with our eyes, the light of the stars and sun, or energy from a bulb in a lamp or flashlight, but rather a light that is present in the deepest fabric of matter, the energy that is the source of all that is. The 'E' in Einstein's E=Mc2 and a phenomenon that led to the scientific revolution referred to as Quantum Theory. It is the prime mover of physicist Richard Feynman's quantum electrodynamics, a theory that has been referred to as the "jewel" of modern scientific investigation because of its accuracy. In this theory light is declared to be "mass-less", and having a speed that is "unapproachable", outside or beyond the limits of time, and without any material explanation of origin!
Would it not be imperative that we view the emergent phenomenon of consciousness and its qualitative features such as love and meaning as being categorically the same as light or gravity? Being that such phenomenon does exist would it not be logical that such qualities of consciousness such as meaning in particular be considered relevant both scientifically and philosophically to the human experience and in the investigation of reality? Does it not seem philosophically inconsistent that we treat one emergent phenomenon as illusion and not others?
Again, we are not exactly speaking about what we see with our eyes and what illuminates our world but the sub-atomic stuff that moves matter. What science has discovered in its investigation of the profound multi-faceted nature of light.
Without light there would literally be nothing. We experience it every moment of life. Yet, the light of Einstein's famous equation is thought to arise outside of, or beyond, our three-dimensional time dependent reality. No one has even remotely produced a theory concerning the nature or origin of light via the scientific method. When studying quantum theory we constantly use, and perhaps take for granted, terms such as virtual photons or massless & messenger particles. Simply stated "massless", "messenger" or "virtual" though described by science as emergent, may as well be transcendent. Clearly massless implies nothing other than non-material, without physical substance, not reducible. Transcendent. Yet, none of us from scientist to layman can deny the fundamental importance of light, experientially as well as its role in the creation of matter.
It has been argued particularly by atheists that meaning is much more illusion than reality. That meaning like the many other chemical reactions of the brain and consciousness itself merely constructs of brain activity They on the one hand declare that, yes, they do love their spouses and children, and go to work with a sense of purpose, even an awe of creation, but in the end it will not really anything other than the experience itself. It all becomes a part of a large chaotic process in which the brain and consciousness itself, really amounts to nothing more than illusion. World renowned atheist and author Richard Dawkins, has famously stated that the question of meaning is irrelevant. (see U-Tube debate Mexico University) Does Richard Dawkins have a scientific precedence for reducing the pursuit of meaning to a chemical mishap of a failed evolutionary defense mechanism in the brain? Is such a view built on solid philosophical conclusions drawn from science itself?
The question we want to briefly consider here is whether or not we have a good scientific reason to believe that there is anything in nature or in the scientific investigation that is for all practical purposes beyond a three dimensional-time dependent explanation. Is there any phenomenon or observable effect that can not be traced to a materialistic source which has very measurable effects on the physical nature of reality? Furthermore, if we can determine that this is the case is their justification in building a model for the pursuit of meaning that is inclusive of spirituality or the concept of transcendence in particular.
For the non-scientist or layman this would seem to be a difficult question. As it turns out many are very surprised to discover the truth. Unfortunately, few of us really do not understand the mysteries of our own lives let alone the mysteries of creation and what challenges the best of scientific thinkers & philosophers. Like religion and even the depths of psychological insight, sometimes we need to trust others in their finding and interpretations of what has been discovered.
As we pursue to consider not only the nature of reality, but, the role of meaning in our relationship to that reality we soon come chin to chin with a a long established conundrum for science. It is something we are all deeply familiar with, yet, know so little about, and is easily taken for granted. It is the mystery of the exact nature of light. Not exactly the light which we recognize with our eyes, the light of the stars and sun, or energy from a bulb in a lamp or flashlight, but rather a light that is present in the deepest fabric of matter, the energy that is the source of all that is. The 'E' in Einstein's E=Mc2 and a phenomenon that led to the scientific revolution referred to as Quantum Theory. It is the prime mover of physicist Richard Feynman's quantum electrodynamics, a theory that has been referred to as the "jewel" of modern scientific investigation because of its accuracy. In this theory light is declared to be "mass-less", and having a speed that is "unapproachable", outside or beyond the limits of time, and without any material explanation of origin!
Would it not be imperative that we view the emergent phenomenon of consciousness and its qualitative features such as love and meaning as being categorically the same as light or gravity? Being that such phenomenon does exist would it not be logical that such qualities of consciousness such as meaning in particular be considered relevant both scientifically and philosophically to the human experience and in the investigation of reality? Does it not seem philosophically inconsistent that we treat one emergent phenomenon as illusion and not others?
Again, we are not exactly speaking about what we see with our eyes and what illuminates our world but the sub-atomic stuff that moves matter. What science has discovered in its investigation of the profound multi-faceted nature of light.
Without light there would literally be nothing. We experience it every moment of life. Yet, the light of Einstein's famous equation is thought to arise outside of, or beyond, our three-dimensional time dependent reality. No one has even remotely produced a theory concerning the nature or origin of light via the scientific method. When studying quantum theory we constantly use, and perhaps take for granted, terms such as virtual photons or massless & messenger particles. Simply stated "massless", "messenger" or "virtual" though described by science as emergent, may as well be transcendent. Clearly massless implies nothing other than non-material, without physical substance, not reducible. Transcendent. Yet, none of us from scientist to layman can deny the fundamental importance of light, experientially as well as its role in the creation of matter.
There is no scientist on Earth that would declare, that because we cannot explain the emergent origin of light according to materialistic-reductionism, that it should not be recognized in our explanation of reality or that its purpose has no relevance.
Perhaps consciousness is a little like light, an emergent phenomenon we cannot explain in a materialistic sense but undeniably important. Might meaning itself be like light capable of exerting influence, deeply integral to a host of multi-faceted relationships and in many ways somehow beyond materialistic or reductionistic explanation. If so, is such a position unscientific or is it completely consistent with the way in which science approaches other emergent phenomenon?
The important concept that I am trying to get across is that the current atheistic argument concerning the notion of consciousness and meaning is built upon on the foundation of a paradigm of materialistic reductionism. The proponents of this worldview declare that consciousness is illusory because it is an emergent phenomenon. However, to be consistent philosophically and scientifically then perhaps we should reconsider the inclusion of light into the theories and models of the modern scientific paradigm. Unfortunately, to do so would imply not having modern science as we know it as it is built on the foundation of our understanding of light as well as its mysterious nature!
The important concept that I am trying to get across is that the current atheistic argument concerning the notion of consciousness and meaning is built upon on the foundation of a paradigm of materialistic reductionism. The proponents of this worldview declare that consciousness is illusory because it is an emergent phenomenon. However, to be consistent philosophically and scientifically then perhaps we should reconsider the inclusion of light into the theories and models of the modern scientific paradigm. Unfortunately, to do so would imply not having modern science as we know it as it is built on the foundation of our understanding of light as well as its mysterious nature!
Light is crucial in its role in building and illuminating reality. Meaning is crucial to integrating our relationship to reality as well as ourselves.
For now it is in no way foolish or unscientific to believe that meaning like light is transcendent in origin.
For now it is in no way foolish or unscientific to believe that meaning like light is transcendent in origin.
When less can mean more
blogspot.nysca.org
“I have seen the burden God has laid on men. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that
there is nothing better for man than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone
may eat and drink and find satisfaction in all his toil – this is the gift of God.”
Ecclesiastes 3:11-12
there is nothing better for man than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone
may eat and drink and find satisfaction in all his toil – this is the gift of God.”
Ecclesiastes 3:11-12
In modern culture we have lost touch with something very basic and sensible concerning purposeful living.
We are losing our sense of knowing when enough is enough. When is it that we have enough money, enough things and even for the first time in history, on a mass level, enough food! It seems that we have culturally become disconnected with the goodness of the simple things in life.
We have forgotten that simple living is a worthy pursuit. Thankfulness for the basic features of life that were once considered privileges such as eating, sleeping, working, playing, gardening, children, the arts, having pets, love making and just the enjoyment that harmonious human relationships could bring us are all activities that are indicative of a good, honorable and purposeful life. These are all human activities and pursuits that are worthwhile, but are they everything?
Think of those who have been given the terrible news of their impending demise in 3 years, months or even weeks. They may quickly come to see every moment spent awake as invaluable. Just the privilege of breathing, eating and thinking being conscious is a gift.
We are losing our sense of knowing when enough is enough. When is it that we have enough money, enough things and even for the first time in history, on a mass level, enough food! It seems that we have culturally become disconnected with the goodness of the simple things in life.
We have forgotten that simple living is a worthy pursuit. Thankfulness for the basic features of life that were once considered privileges such as eating, sleeping, working, playing, gardening, children, the arts, having pets, love making and just the enjoyment that harmonious human relationships could bring us are all activities that are indicative of a good, honorable and purposeful life. These are all human activities and pursuits that are worthwhile, but are they everything?
Think of those who have been given the terrible news of their impending demise in 3 years, months or even weeks. They may quickly come to see every moment spent awake as invaluable. Just the privilege of breathing, eating and thinking being conscious is a gift.
When more equals less
fsp.bc.edu
"Naked I came from my mother's womb,
and naked I will depart.
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;
may the name of the Lord be praised."
From the story of Job (Job 1:21)
and naked I will depart.
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;
may the name of the Lord be praised."
From the story of Job (Job 1:21)
What we are left with is the life pursuit of more of everything; knowledge, experience and things but perhaps this can obscure our vision of the meaning of life.
The least bit of reflection or introspection into modern life, in the West, will lead us to the obvious conclusion that we are addicted to stuff. More of everything. More gadgets, clothes, furnishings, and just about any pleasure money can buy. Some if not most of us struggle with various kinds of materialism. Most would admit that stuff and things do not give a sense of lasting satisfaction. There are two ways that stuff robs us in our pursuit of meaning. First, we waste valuable time working and making or hording money for the sake of getting things. Second, we once we have things we invest enormous amounts of energy and time thinking and worrying about them. Oddly, some are so busy they never really come to really enjoy the stuff because lifestyles are so busy in the acquisition of more things and maintaining stuff, that nothing really satisfies.
Many do not care as much about stuff and things as about relationships or the emotional state of connectedness that friendship, family and romance provides. People can and do put so much energy and time into relationships that they essentially lose themselves in the constant communication and enormous time that relationships often seem to require. Relationships are very high in the hierarchy of important features in purposeful living and the pursuit of meaning. However, because of their complexity and often changing nature there can be a point when more relationally comes to be less in the grand scheme of things.
Many do not care as much about stuff and things as about relationships or the emotional state of connectedness that friendship, family and romance provides. People can and do put so much energy and time into relationships that they essentially lose themselves in the constant communication and enormous time that relationships often seem to require. Relationships are very high in the hierarchy of important features in purposeful living and the pursuit of meaning. However, because of their complexity and often changing nature there can be a point when more relationally comes to be less in the grand scheme of things.
Many will ask if we are not living with the goal of living with more things and investing everything left over into relationships then where should we put our energy in purposeful living?
Answering such a question takes time. In the larger picture of the totality of our days there remains the persisting problem of time. Unfortunately, we cannot give the pursuit of meaning all our time and resources. We need something of a model to build our lives on. One that is simple or parsimonious enough to pass on to our children.
The question being raised is based on several facts already considered and tentatively established:
Answering such a question takes time. In the larger picture of the totality of our days there remains the persisting problem of time. Unfortunately, we cannot give the pursuit of meaning all our time and resources. We need something of a model to build our lives on. One that is simple or parsimonious enough to pass on to our children.
The question being raised is based on several facts already considered and tentatively established:
- The question of meaning is one that is difficult to answer.
- Its importance should not be ignored.
- Meaning itself is multifaceted and has many relational aspects that grow over time.
- It is a question that could take a life time of experience to understand.
In the meantime how do we lead our lives without a real tangible understanding or definition of meaning? We can live with purpose
The quote at the top of the section is from the book of Ecclesiastes written well over three thousand years ago yet its wisdom speaks to something about the human condition that I believe we have lost sight of in modern culture.
It could be summed up in several ways:
It could be summed up in several ways:
- Hard work is honorable.
- Happiness, eating, drinking, doing good to others are all the indications of a reasonably purposeful existence.
- Ancient wisdom suggests that enjoyment of such activities are to be valued for their own merit. If we choose a world view that is spiritual or religious we can also see all these human activities as a gift from God.
These sound ridiculously simple yet according to ancient wisdom they are noble as legitimate pursuits. It is my feeling that they can be recognized as a default life of simplicity when life becomes glaringly complex, when we want much more than we really need.
Part of the dilemma is we so often come to believe that our purpose is much more complex than what it really needs to be.
Sometimes it is much better to be satisfied with less and realize what a gift it is just to have the basics.
Part of the dilemma is we so often come to believe that our purpose is much more complex than what it really needs to be.
Sometimes it is much better to be satisfied with less and realize what a gift it is just to have the basics.
What does meaning 'mean' in the end?
theorthodoxwayoflife.com
Some of us get it. Perhaps we were raised to believe that a certain approach to life, a healthy model of living is perfectly honorable. That it is normal to expend as much energy and work as hard as is necessary to make life worthwhile.
However, in the big picture of things many of us cannot figure out how it all works together. After all one could believe rather strongly that their life has purpose and pursue it without doubt yet, not really understand what it all means in the end. I know that many would say that is it really not all that important that we know in the end that it all meant something. That our life served a purpose.
I have three reasons why I believe this is a faulty premise First because, as this Meaning tree argues, the pursuit of meaning is itself a catalyst for better living and a more purposeful existence. Second, none of us know what those twilight years of life will be like. There are many, in a few years over a million in America alone, who will live beyond 100! With a lack of adequate physical health to be able to lead mobile lifestyles, many of us will be able to spend a considerable amount of time either in celebration or regretting how our lives was spent. Third and most important is that the realization of our meaning is as equally or more important to our children and their children as it to us. I believe that this is perhaps one of the greatest shortcomings of western culture in particular. Few of us really see the value of understanding the stories of the lives of those who came before us. Worse yet, even less of us have begun to grasp the lessons and truths discovered concerning life and meaning by those we share both ancestry with and a common history.
Why is this?
What has replaced the importance of passing on a legacy of a life of meaning to our children and their children?
Hollywood? The internet? The pursuit of wealth?
However, in the big picture of things many of us cannot figure out how it all works together. After all one could believe rather strongly that their life has purpose and pursue it without doubt yet, not really understand what it all means in the end. I know that many would say that is it really not all that important that we know in the end that it all meant something. That our life served a purpose.
I have three reasons why I believe this is a faulty premise First because, as this Meaning tree argues, the pursuit of meaning is itself a catalyst for better living and a more purposeful existence. Second, none of us know what those twilight years of life will be like. There are many, in a few years over a million in America alone, who will live beyond 100! With a lack of adequate physical health to be able to lead mobile lifestyles, many of us will be able to spend a considerable amount of time either in celebration or regretting how our lives was spent. Third and most important is that the realization of our meaning is as equally or more important to our children and their children as it to us. I believe that this is perhaps one of the greatest shortcomings of western culture in particular. Few of us really see the value of understanding the stories of the lives of those who came before us. Worse yet, even less of us have begun to grasp the lessons and truths discovered concerning life and meaning by those we share both ancestry with and a common history.
Why is this?
What has replaced the importance of passing on a legacy of a life of meaning to our children and their children?
Hollywood? The internet? The pursuit of wealth?
Target points
- Our ability to answer as well as our attitude toward the question of meaning and Meaning itself, seems different than many other questions we commonly encounter.
- Meaning has a multifaceted nature making it difficult to define in simplistic terms.
- More of everything; knowledge, experience and things seems to be the goal of modern living, and these pursuits though often honorable can obscure our vision of the meaning of life.
- Meaning does not have to be complex if we impose the simple, honorable and time-tested, honest activities of hard work and enjoyment of the simple pleasures in life. In the quest for meaning some of us may discover less may very well in the end add up to more.
- A more detailed description of creation according to scientific reductionism has resulted in less emphasis on consciousness and the importance of meaning.
- Sometimes it is much better to be satisfied with less and realize what a gift it is just to have the basics.