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If one person can explain to me why our existence is even in the least bit significant, I would love to hear ir.

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Significance and meaning would not exist without us.

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If you have a problem with hedonism, you're probably not doing it right.

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In terms of our existence within the universe, we are smaller than grains of sand on a beach. Our existence affects no one besides the people directly near us, and the end of our existence would have the same result.

We breed nothing but destruction; as we seem to be the only species with the capibility of tearing apart something far bigger and greater than us. The only thing we have the ability to benefit is one another, which only perpetuates the cycle of destruction.

If one person can explain to me why our existence is even in the least bit significant, I would love to hear ir.

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I was thinking the same thing last night.

All we do is pollute, kill, and destroy.
We kill eachother. We kill the earth with pollution and construction. Whole species have been destroyed and yet we remain so selfish. Only thinking of and looking out for ourselves.

Seems we aren't capabe of haveing a change of heart and fixing the mess we've made of our society and the Earth.

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My president is black. So what?!

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Quote: from Jettie12 at 9:46 pm on Aug. 7, 2008

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Quote: from greatescape11 at 9:45 pm on Aug. 7, 2008

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Quote: from Jettie12 at 8:35 pm on Aug. 7, 2008

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Ants have the capability of destroying something bigger and greater than them.    

   We're not important to the planet, the planet isn't important to the solar system, the solar system isn't important to the galaxy, and on and on.

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  They do but only as a means of necessary consumption.  They destroy what they need to survive.  What I should have said was that we seem to be the only species that destroys so needlessly.  

  And the second bit is my point.  We are meaningless.  So what's the point?

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 The point is that what you're looking for has an obvious answer.  
 

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Which is?

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Sure that's your point, but it's the only answer that could be summed up if you are measuring our importance with the universe.  

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I snort like a true woman. - CherryD

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If one person can explain to me why our existence is even in the least bit significant, I would love to hear ir.

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Significance and meaning would not exist without us.

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If this is true, then the significance of all the universe is dependent upon mankind?

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Everybody knows that
You'd break your neck to keep your chin up

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Quote: from Wilder at 10:06 pm on Aug. 7, 2008

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If one person can explain to me why our existence is even in the least bit significant, I would love to hear ir.

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 Significance and meaning would not exist without us.

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If this is true, then the significance of all the universe is dependent upon mankind?

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I suppose another species could stumble upon the concept, but setting them aside due to their uncertain existence I would suggest that meaning is a purely human concept. As such there's nothing particularly wrong with allowing our biases to affect it. It's contrary to the concept of meaning to seek an objective meaning, ergo the common pitfall of looking at the universe and asking "why?".

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If you have a problem with hedonism, you're probably not doing it right.

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Quote: from greatescape11 at 9:13 pm on Aug. 7, 2008

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Quote: from Wilder at 10:06 pm on Aug. 7, 2008

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If one person can explain to me why our existence is even in the least bit significant, I would love to hear ir.

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  Significance and meaning would not exist without us.

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 If this is true, then the significance of all the universe is dependent upon mankind?

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I suppose another species could stumble upon the concept, but setting them aside due to their uncertain existence I would suggest that meaning is a purely human concept. As such there's nothing particularly wrong with allowing our biases to affect it. It's contrary to the concept of meaning to seek an objective meaning, ergo the common pitfall of looking at the universe and asking "why?".

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This is the first response that's made any sense.

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Everybody knows that
You'd break your neck to keep your chin up

We matter because we are, I think. We matter because we are all that we will ever be. We matter because if we don't matter to ourselves, then it makes no sense for anything else to matter to us. We matter just as much as the starfish matters about its own existence. About its own past, present and future.

Egocentricity pertaining to our own existence is imperative to our survival. It is of my opinion that we are not happy with our roles. We are never happy with our existence. We are never truly happy with ourselves. We matter because we must. In the grand scheme of things, we matter because we apart of it, no matter our role.  

Though that supposed role in the greater universe is infinitely smaller when compared to our role within our own little planet, we can take solace in the fact that we exist as apart of our universe.

Post edited at 8:46 pm on Aug. 7, 2008 by Takinam

I do not assume I know the meaning of life. I assume that it cannot be known, for knowing it, would undermine its value. It cannot be known; it can only be lived.

There may have been thousands of failures, but there have also been some triumphs here and there.

I would first have to make you think that we are not separate. Me, you, the wall in front of me, the pebble outside the window, and all matter in the universe come from the same source. This source, is a reflection of the universe.

An individual, when realized to their upmost potential and ultimate form, is a refelction of all.

One can see the universe through an individual, and ultimately, become larger than life.

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People ask you for criticism, but they only want praise.

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In terms of our existence within the universe, we are smaller than grains of sand on a beach.  Our existence affects no one besides the people directly near us, and the end of our existence would have the same result.

We breed nothing but destruction; as we seem to be the only species with the capibility of tearing apart something far bigger and greater than us.  The only thing we have the ability to benefit is one another, which only perpetuates the cycle of destruction.

If one person can explain to me why our existence is even in the least bit significant, I would love to hear ir.

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Do you realize that in the first paragraph, you are speaking of individuals and in the second one you are describing (slightly erroneously) mankind as a whole? So what is the actual question... do we, as individuals, or as a species, matter? And, lastly, is there a difference, in your mind, between whether we 'matter' or 'have significance'?

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Considering we as individuals make up mankind as a whole, I don't really understand where you are getting caught up.  The transition isnt all that complicated.

And no, there is not much difference between the two to me.

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Everybody knows that
You'd break your neck to keep your chin up

If you mean, "Do we as humans matter at all in the cosmos?"
The obvious answer is no. We have no impact on the workings of the cosmos, and our feeble little existence will run out well before the universe comes to an end.

But why look at it that way? Why does the Andromeda Galaxy matter? Why does the Universe matter? These questions are useless since it doesn't matter whether they matter, they ARE. We ARE.
So if you were to ask me from the perspective of those who --as Wilder pointed out-- create a difference between what matters and what doesn't, I would say "Yes, we matter".

We don't give the earth some much needed mass so it can keep its orbit around the Sun. We don't contribute anything to the Cosmos, but what does THAT matter? The only thing that takes "meaning" into consideration is the human mind, and so the human mind should be the only judge of what matters.

I say that we matter because we effect the lives of each other. We matter because without us, there would be no concept of "meaning" [unless there were some other form of life out there]
The cosmos doesn't care if we exist or not, but we sure do.

I think the most appropriate answer to the question, "Do we matter at all?" would, in fact, be another question:
"Why does it matter whether we matter or not?"

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Life is pleasant. Death is peaceful.It's the transition
that's troublesome.   --Isaac Asimov

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Quote: from Forever Angel at 1:25 pm on Aug. 8, 2008

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Do you realize that in the first paragraph, you are speaking of individuals and in the second one you are describing (slightly erroneously) mankind as a whole? So what is the actual question... do we, as individuals, or as a species, matter? And, lastly, is there a difference, in your mind, between whether we 'matter' or 'have significance'?

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Considering we as individuals make up mankind as a whole, I don't really understand where you are getting caught up.  The transition isnt all that complicated.

And no, there is not much difference between the two to me.

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You wonder why I make a distinction between men and mankind? Because men, as individuals, are not the 'destroyers' that you ascribe to mankind. And you mistakenly say that man is the only species that falls into that category. We are the only species who have the ability to 'know' that what we do can be destructive. We also know that we can be constructive. And the goal of mankind is not to destroy, but to learn. At the present time we are insignificant in the universe, but if we survive long enough, we can develop the ability to 'make a difference'. If we last as long as the dinosaurs did, I'm sure we will reach the stars. Our ultimate significance will only be limited by our ability to survive our own stupidity.

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"God does not play dice" - Albert Einstein
"God does play dice" - Stephen Hawking

Pectus Pectoris Memor

We are not only important in our own minds; we are significant to the universe. We matter because of what we are.

There is nowhere else in the universe that atoms have randomly fallen in place so as to construct life. Nowhere else where this life thrived and grew, changing into more complex forms. Nowhere else where a species emerged that had the ability to harness electricity and manufacture the object that allows you to ask us all why we matter.

The universe is constantly destroying and creating in a random fashion. Humans are different. We are the only things in the universe that are capable of construction, or destruction, by design.

I for one will not stand idly by while all you fucks make derogatory remarks about the greatest thing in the universe; humans.

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It is my deepest wish that we will one day escape our cradle.

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No, fuck you all.

We are not only important in our own minds; we are significant to the universe. We matter because of what we are.

There is nowhere else in the universe that atoms have randomly fallen in place so as to construct life. Nowhere else where this life thrived and grew, changing into more complex forms. Nowhere else where a species emerged that had the ability to harness electricity and manufacture the object that allows you to ask us all why we matter.

The universe is constantly destroying and creating in a random fashion. Humans are different. We are the only things in the universe that are capable of construction, or destruction, by design.

I for one will not stand idly by while all you fucks make derogatory remarks about the greatest thing in the universe; humans.

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While I agree that we ARE a cosmic anomaly, or even a quantum miracle, I do not think its really that amazing. Yes, it is pretty neat that we exist the way we do, and are able to shape the universe [in our own tiny way], but as for how much MEANING that has? I don't see any. We do not stand for something, there is no real meaning to us, regardless of how miraculous our existence is.

I don't think that we should regard our existence as a trifle, something to be laughed at. I think that our existence is the most important thing in the universe, because without it, the universe's existence would be more meaningless still. But to say that our lives HAVE MEANING, or that our existence HAS MEANING, I think, is a bit silly.

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Life is pleasant. Death is peaceful.It's the transition
that's troublesome.   --Isaac Asimov