QUOTE (Vninect @ 19/2/2012, 11:26)
Life and existence seem to be facts. Like a hammer. Is there a meaning to a hammer? When it is not hitting stuff, is there a point to its existence? If it is hitting stuff, is it in a more happy place?
Meaning is applicable in communication and symbolism. The point of things is used to evaluate conscious processes. To see the universe or life as either one, I think, is a mistake. They are procedural at best. But you don't ask, say, a shifting sand dune where it is going. It's not "going" anywhere. It's being shifted by the wind and gravity. Because the process is a fairly simple one, we can make predictions on where it is going, but it has no destination - just a trajectory.
Hmm but I think when people, specifically people/humans call existence into question it's less about the fact of something existing and thinking more on the reason why. Objects exist because they were created and have a said purpose same could be said for anything found in nature. Their existence isn't called into question because as far as a person can tell it's not self-aware. Existence is questioned from a person's mind. And typically to their own existence and not much else, hahaha.
People tend to question their existence cause life is hard to find a direction. So I think it makes people feel better to have a "purpose". And therefore it does matter, because to individuals existence has meaning. So telling a person you exist just because you do typically feels pretty empty and "not good enough" to them.
Or you could wonder human existence in general of how did we become conscious people who think in the manner that we do? How have we advanced in the world, and why are there so many different development differences in various parts of the world. For example why are some parts still in a tribal state while others have sought to continue to progress and develop.
Actually I find it all quite interesting, because you can track so much of today's history to various ancient civilizations such as Greeks, and Egyptians or uhh at some point Mesopotamian stuff comes in. However in that aspect I wonder where is that tribal stage for most of European stuff. I mean it's those countries that just developed rapidly and put us in the world we are in today. Whereas other areas Mayans and such were either wiped out by the snobby white people or we have tribes left intact today and yet they don't grow. For example there are still tribes in various parts of South America which stay tribal. They don't advance. Which is interesting since most cultures have history of advancement. What caused certain areas to stagnant?
Though that said certain areas got screwed, like Africa, where various countries basically just continuously screwed them over and just dumped and forced their ways on it. Actually you have to wonder a little if tribes in Africa or even Native American tribes in The U.S were left to their own devices where would they be? Would they have advanced like European countries? (and I say European because I dunno what else to call it, since they're the hardest to track back to an ancient civilization, cause even Ancient Greece is far more advanced than people who live in straw huts and such. Even though Egypt is now part of the Middle East who's development is not quite on the same page as the rest of the world. And when I say development I mean cities and technology and such)
