It is hard to prove any intrinsic purpose to the universe. Even if you embrace the existence of a g-d, how can that g-d necessarily bring intrinsic purpose to the universe? What does spiritual advancement mean, even? Where can we find "absolute" truths with absolute meanings that give us some sort of absolute value to our lives?
These questions are hard ones to answer. Mostly because it doesn't seem that there is any answer to them on face value. Once you embrace that not even a g-d can give intrinsic purpose to the universe, then where do you find purpose from? You can feel maybe satiated by the chance that there is some purpose to the universe that is unreachable to humans. But, that feels like a rather cruel trick for g-d to play. And if you don't believe in g-d, well, then just embracing that there is no absolute purpose to the universe sucks.
But I think logically, devoid of the existence of even a g-d, you can figure out some intrinsic purpose to the universe. Or, more specifically, life. What is life? Life, in its most simple form, uses energy to counter entropy. Entropy, the idea that the entire Universe is heating up, that everything ends up being heat, the speed at which atoms rub together continues to increase wherever you are, is a truth of physics. It is the natural result of the cycle of energy creation.
But, life resists that temptation, we maintain a temperature, and use up chemical energy to resist entropy. And we exert a ton of energy to do so. Yet, what does this give us? What differentiates a living creature from a rock for example? And then, a human from an animal?
To me, it seems that the only difference is the ability to create, and as one becomes increasingly evolved, the ability to enjoy oneself and also, consciously process that pleasure. And humans, more so than any other creature (that we know), can experience pleasure and truly appreciate and process that pleasure. We can take pleasure and satisfaction in the things we do.
Thus, I tend to embrace a form of ethical hedonism and moral relativism as a reaction to nihilism. There may be no absolute purpose to the universe, but I think we can perhaps derive an intrinsic purpose to life. And I think that intrinsic purpose is to pursue pleasure. By the process of elimination, described above, we see a purpose that seems intrinsic to the unique form "life" itself. It is an aspect of living, part of living, and seeing as that is unique amongst other "forms" in the universe, perhaps it should be examined as something worth pursuing and enjoying. Because by doing so we actually enjoy something that we can uniquely appreciate due to the way that we currently exist in the universe.
That pleasure isn't necessarily easily defined. In fact, I think it can almost only be a mixture of personally and socially defined. For example, I don't think that you can experience the highest levels of pleasure while other people suffer, because we are attached to each other, socially. In this way, this brand of hedonism is in some senses "ethical." However, I like to avoid the branding of "ethical hedonism" because it comes with it the idea of some "absolute" means of enjoyment. Asceticism, denying yourself food or sex, or whatever, may cause you joy and make you feel closer to a g-d, but that is your own personal form of enjoyment. And I think it is the individual quest to understand how one can derive personal pleasure, while avoiding negating the pursuit of joy of others by hurting them.
Then, how does g-d come back into the picture? (If you don't believe in g-d you can ignore this part.) I think that "being with g-d" is part of experiencing the highest pleasure you can intellectually conceive of. Being with g-d is similar to the perception of nirvana that exists in Buddhism. It is unlimited joy devoid of negativity and things that would regularly drag someone down and make them not happy. It is the most blissful state that one should be in. However, I don't feel that asceticism necessarily allows for this state, I think that "life" exists as a unique form because we are supposed to enjoy life, and the bodies and physicality involved in it.
Well, though I feel like a student nodding and smiling at a professor, I'm going to pretend I understood most of what you said. From what I gather, you believe that the purpose of life is to get as much joy and pleasure as possible. I believe this to be true. I'm personally an atheist (as you know) and I've been asked time and again what I think the "purpose to life" is. Quite simply, I don't believe there is a spectacularly mind-blowing purpose. That's like asking what the purpose of video games are. There really isn't one, and frankly if there was a purpose, it'd probably be a hell of a lot less fun. The "purpose" that many religious or spiritual people search for is very extrinsic in regards to life itself. It's all about appeasing the big man upstairs, or getting into heaven. Very little to do with the here and now. Back to the video game analogy; if you are playing a video game for the hell of it, it's a lot of fun. But if a man offers you a hundred dollars if you beat the game in a day, the game itself loses almost all intrinsic value to you. Now the game is simply a device through which you will earn a hundred dollars. Ultimately, if you remove the extrinsic qualities to life, the intrinsic and ultimately more fulfilling qualities emerge.
ReplyDeleteThanks Matt.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I mean that is sort of the point though. I see an acceptance of experiencing "pleasure" or positive things you can be cognitive of. It isn't about believing in a g-d even, but instead finding pleasure. And I think it is important to enjoy yourself, ultimately, because the ability to experience pleasure is something unique to life, and something human's are particularly a good at compared to other animals.
The reason I think this is helpful to people is because often people don't ever try to enjoy themselves. Or cut themselves off from self-enjoyment because they feel they don't "deserve it" or should be focusing on more "serious" things. But I don't feel like there are many things more "serious" than the pursuit of pleasure and enjoyment in your life.