Hi, Meaning of life depends a lot on sense of belonging. With the sense comes devotion. So one's life becomes meaningful. To be a member of MDL can bring some meaning. Why not?
sid_16, I guess I have been a bit impolite. I haven't actually answered your question. Yes, but not before the singularity and only seemingly before or after ours. If I've got the big bang theory right then it started with a singularity which has no space/time, means is timeless. From this singularity the space/time, (our expanding) universe evolved. Singularity is timeless, has no cause and there is no progress. The universe has a cause it's the singularity and the universe has a progress. According to Einstein time and space are a continuum. So I'd say if there is another universe there must be another space/time that it can exist. Our speed of light determines our universe. And without space/time there is no determinable universe. To separate one universe from another there must be phenomenons that make a differentiation possible. Here it's another space/time, it cannot be the singularity, it has no time to become differentiated. So if there is another universe it cannot be before the singularity. It has to be: Singularity--->our universe and universe 2. Universe 2 would have another space/time (speed of 'light' or whatever it is called there, lol). But exactly the same cause, the same singularity. It wouldn't matter how many universes there are, all would have a timeless cause in common. Since they have different spaces/times their calculated times 'back' to singularity would be different. But 'their causes' are indistinguishable due to lacking of space time, means are one and the same cause. Regardless of how the big bang theory will be enhanced, there is still the point how space time is created. How can singularity a state without space/time develop space/time and/or different spaces/times? I have posted a (to me rational) answer already. It becomes rational when one recognizes that the time creating process is not a completed event somewhere in a calculated past.
2 scientific references I wanted to add : Andrew Strominger's holographic time, time as a projection (matches the theory I have posted that the Singularity itself is eternal, unchanging and non-progressive, it is already what it is.) The big bang is happening all the time, 'the result' is unveiling step by step =time, the time to there is infinite though (won't ever reach it). It appears in the time as a backward projection from the future. But itself it is what it is already, means has no future and no past. It's the only scientific theory that can mathematically illustrate how a 'nothing' suddenly evolves. "....just swap the word "maya" for "holographic" and you’re there." he said. I usually use the term illusion=maya. http://www.fqxi.org/community/articles/display/176 And the Brazilian Amondava, who live isolated have a very different use of time. Anthropologists have researched that time is just a mental cognition. The Amondava there don't have any calendar, clock or even a word for time. They don't have the idea of a linear abstract time where one could have a look back at childhood. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-13452711 P.S.: I did not add those references, because I want to assign more value to what I post, we are finally talking about theories. I have added them to illustrate that my way to think has scientific reference and is not irrational. Time is the keyword for the understanding of the universe and ourselves, not many physicists have a proper idea of time. Science has a huge problem. They use the instrument, the scientist again and again. Without to evaluate it itself. It's like using a knife (here the idea of a real linear progressive time) all the time and suddenly to notice it is not sharp enough anymore.
....or you're a thoughtful person and you care, you have the brains to be able to get into the issues, all kinds of complexities.............
You will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of. You will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life. Albert Camus This, for me, makes more sense than everything else said in this thread !
It is in the very nature of our universe, I'm not certain one can fully understand the meaning of life without grasping a meaningless life as well. It's like sometimes having to be a complete fool in order to discover profound wisdom. But, such a quest, I believe is futile. The scientist part of me believes that the whole is greater than the part, euclid, and vice versa . And I equally acknowledge the parts , as much as the whole. But, there is no constant, in other words, I accept it as is at any given 'time' t.
Alas, the inquisitive part of my nature, the communal part of my being, drives me to build, to develop, to reproduce, to add something to the existential. Hence, to engineer I need the alchemy of science and it's empirical properties. A necessity in order to continue to invent, build, to code and all else I do. But, in so doing I discover that it is only but a piece of something... Hence I keep that self only as a part of a larger being. When I go for a walk, hike through trails...I find another self.
I actually agreed with you already. But IMO the sense in this is to avoid dualistic principles. They are changing in the time and require their opposites. One can avoid duality with absolute terms like never or any... Never look for the meaning of life. Or: Take anything you are doing now as the meaning of life. That is a nice post that illustrates another important way of awareness. I mean how could one know of that larger being without to interrupt the separating (scientific) thoughts at all?
The meaning of life is to maximize the chance of long term survival of one's own kind of life ("Survival of the fittest").
we should not confuse the cruel purpose of survival in nature with being meaningful per se, i think. for life to be meaningful, some kind of happines is required for the individual, i guess.. cruelty cannot be what life is intended for, imo..
Only from the pure cruel aspect of duality / individuality. That would mean it are the 'things' that are responsible for one's happiness. And what's about the things that suck and have to be done anyway? Don't they have a meaning? It is exactly that what is not realizable a longer time / all the time (suffers from duality). It took some of my lifetime to recognize that happiness is NOT dependent on what one is doing. It seems happiness comes from the event / action / work itself. But when having a closer look it depends on myself only, on the way how I am doing it when I am doing it, on the condition of awareness whilst doing it. A major aspect of ars vivendi is to recognize even this. It requires to include the polarisation, to transcend its duality by reaching another condition of awareness. One will suddenly know to have a choice. Things don't suck per se / aren't responsible for happiness. This (non-dual) awareness = happiness.
You're over thinking the whole thing, Happiness is not dependent on "things", you are assuming that I never said anything about "things" ! You can be happy without doing one thing at all. It's subjective and it's just a state of mind. You probably already know that the simple act of smiling releases endorphins and serotonin, which can change your mood drastically for the better. Life is about perspective and our society teaches us that a very narrow set of things is our path to Happiness, which isn't true at all. You are into the Metaphysics of life Yen, you carry on long discussions on "being" and what not. You should know that your state of mind plays a great part on your perspective of life and ultimately the directions you take.