Why the hell does there have to be a point in existence....

[Sylar]

"Point (or purpose) of our existence" invites a fallacy.  What we need to do is define the meaning of "purpose."  It can mean "the intention."  It can also mean "what something does."  You might ask a question about biology along the lines of, "What is the purpose of the heart?"  Here you understand that it means "what something does," and in this case, you are not implying the heart has an intention to pump blood.  It simply pumps blood.  No foul has been committed.

But when "the purpose of existence" is posed in religious context, it usually means, "What was the intention of the creator?  What purpose did he endow mankind with?"  A penalty flag goes down; A foul has been committed: "Fallacy of Begging the Question!:  Five yard penalty."  <The referee signals to the downs keeper by executing the face palm gesture>

The design of the question is intended to trick the responder into accepting that existence has a purpose.  An unsupported assumption, posing as an answer already hidden in the question, setting a trap for further (and ironically "pointless") discussion about the irrelevant answer which is presupposed, "If a creator didn't give us a purpose, then who did?"

That is a fair point, but I personally do not acknowledge the existence of a 'creator' thus I wasn't compelled to qualify my answer.

I do agree, though, that it is good practice to be precise when answering loaded questions.

[Unbeliever]

We don't get meaning from the universe, the universe gets its meaning from us.

[doorknob]

I don't know how I feel about that.

I tend not to fight the universe. It has a mind of it's own and if you mess with it messes you up.

You could say the universe is my god.

[Unbeliever]

No, the universe has no mind without evolved minds like us to perceive it.

[Baruch]

No, the universe has no mind without evolved minds like us to perceive it.

Object vs subject.  We are the evolved mind of the universe, and we do perceive it (process the sensual data into meaning).  Pantheism doesn't have to be metaphysical.  I am a planetary biosphere relative to the trillion cells that make me up.

[Unbeliever]

But aren't we both object and subject?

[aitm]

We affect the universe as much as a dust mite does, as much as a single bacteria does, as much as a single atom does.

[Unbeliever]

Maybe, but given the infinite size of the universe, even Laniakea is ultra-tiny. I don't think size means anything. Being the self-aware part of the universe gives meaning to it, regardless of size.

[Baruch]

But aren't we both object and subject?

You are on a good path.  If you meet the Buddha on the way ... kill him!  The doggie means well, but he is a sad doggie ;-(

[Unbeliever]

I've just finished my first reading of Tegmark's book, and I'm having fun exploring the 4 levels of the multiverse.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Mathematical_Universe

[Baruch]

I've just finished my first reading of Tegmark's book, and I'm having fun exploring the 4 levels of the multiverse.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Mathematical_Universe

Yes, heard of this.  The ultimate in Pythagoreanism.  Got right triangles?

[Unbeliever]

Apparently, with just the level I multiverse, there are an infinite number of each of us (cosmic twins?) "out there" and an even larger infinity of "cosmic cousins." I think Greene put the average distance at 10^10^122 meters. How far is that in furlongs?

Also, I suppose each and every fictional character that can physically and logically exist actually does exist somewhere in the multiverse. Any other fictional characters that need magic or somesuch for their stories may exist in the level II or III multiverse, and we all float down here...

[doorknob]

We affect the universe as much as a dust mite does, as much as a single bacteria does, as much as a single atom does.

This may be so but let me tell you something....

the universe has had a profound impact on my life.

[dtq123]

Why you say? Because we want to? â'¨

[aitm]

This may be so but let me tell you something....

the universe has had a profound impact on my life.

I would argue that you wonder at the universe and are thusly profoundly impacted by "it". If a single grain of sand, at the bottom of an ocean, any ocean, anywhere, is disturbed by a passing fish or eel, does it effect the sun? Does a single squirrel, chasing after a fallen acorn somewhere in the remotest part of Nevada, or Brazil effect anything on Jupiter? Does a human, with thousands of years of self aggrandizing ego consider that a piece of tree bark already rotting on the forest floor, a mere few percentile of DNA different than ours have the same right to claim that it as well, has an "in" on the universe? Humans are such arrogant things. I think, therefore I think I am, therefore I think I am all.