Chapter 12
Finding Purpose in a Godless World
by Ralph Lewis
Finding Purpose in a Godless World
by Ralph Lewis
Please discuss Chapter 12 of Finding Purpose in a Godless World by Ralph Lewis in this thread.
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Mr. Tulip and others have said that agnostics need to come up with myths or inspiring stories that support our position. I think this is a good one. However I don't know how well it can compete with supernatural magic or how to make the story more widely known and accepted.Ask yourself: Which worldview is ultimately more awesome, beautiful, meaningful, and humbling? That we and the rest of nature (in all its beauty and indifferent cruelty) were created in a top-down manner according to some blueprint by a conscious, self-aware, purposeful, intelligent, supernatural creator? Or that we are products of a fully natural process of gradual, spontaneous, unguided, unpredictable, bottom-up emergence in boundless gradations of increasing complexity, all this the result of the self-organizing properties of the most elemental forms of matter and energy? Add to this the wonder that we have become conscious, self-aware, purposeful, creative, intelligent beings who can ponder how we got here, who can consciously and intentionally regulate our own behavior (within some limits)—in a sense, act back “down” on ourselves.
One can find meaning / purpose in current mysteries and curiosity about what the next scientific discovery will be. That is part of what motivates me to stay healthy, perhaps live longer, and be around for the next world shaking Eureka! My fear is four hours after I die, we will detect an inter-galactic communication link between 12,000 advanced civilizations.Here, on the edge of what we know, in contact with the ocean of the unknown, shines the mystery and beauty of the world. And it's breathtaking.
- Carlo Rovelli
Seven Brief Lessons on Physics
True, but not exactly an inspiring meme. We need to keep working on more uplifting themes or admit this stuff just ain't for everyone...And it is here that we arrive at one of the central ironies of human existence. Which is that our sentient brains are uniquely capable of experiencing deep regret at the prospect of our own death, yet it was the invention of death, the invention of the gene/soma dichotomy, that made possible the existence of our brains….
Funny, but I found myself thinking about this one in church. For some reason I don't find death intimidating. A lifetime ahead of meaningless repetition has always seemed much more daunting to me. My family seems to be divided into two groups: one group is difficult to get along with and detests the thought of death, while the other group is easy-going and regards death as no big deal. Not sure what it means, but it's a clear pattern.LanDroid wrote:True, but not exactly an inspiring meme. We need to keep working on more uplifting themes or admit this stuff just ain't for everyone...And it is here that we arrive at one of the central ironies of human existence. Which is that our sentient brains are uniquely capable of experiencing deep regret at the prospect of our own death, yet it was the invention of death, the invention of the gene/soma dichotomy, that made possible the existence of our brains….