Since the author did not ask what life is for, but only "What is human life for", the answer is trivial:

Would you rather live as some animal?

There is no other purpose. All that man created or ever will, is short lived, none of it will last.

Animals can potentially have all that man has and even more, except for one thing: the intellectual capacity to abstract. Animals can plan and be very intelligent, but they only go after concrete outcomes. They can have emotions like us, including compassion, but those emotions are always directed towards concrete physical others - they never argue about abstract ideas like us here, they never ask for example what life is for. Like us, animals can be very wilful and persistent, but only towards concrete objective goals. Some animals can count, add and subtract, but they can never have a concept of infinity, how less so the abstract different levels of infinity as depicted by Cantor's set-theory.

This unique human capacity to abstract is what sets us towards imperceptible goals, and ultimately towards the final goal of finding and re-uniting with the divine.

So long as we have to live, we rather live, unlike animals, with this capacity to choose and prioritise the abstract and intangible over things which our senses can perceive: with this capacity, first we choose a variety of abstract ideals such as appreciation, recognition, fame, power, valour, beauty, creativeness, smartness, victory, heroism, understanding, success, etc. Then the time comes when we turn to use our capacity to abstract to prioritise goodness, charity and righteousness. Finally we use this capacity to find God within. Once we discover our infiniteness within, we are finally free from this compulsion to be born as finite beings who pursue finite things.

Even if are not yet seeking God, even if you still use and develop your capacity to abstract by pursuing lower ideals, you need to be born as a human, not an animal. This is what human life is for.

except for one thing: the intellectual capacity to abstract.
Yuyutsu,
You forgot another one, the ability of great stupidity ! Animals don't appear to be cursed with that.

To Don.

I think there's two or three basic ways to look at the purpose of human life.

One is to look at it from a personal perspective. What is the goal or the point of a person's life sort of approach. This can be even more personal for the point of one person's life is different from another's. (Such as a father's point of life will likely include something about protecting and raising their kids, or about making them into healthy mature adults; but someone who isn't a parent might not have this purpose in their life for anyone). Or the point of life on an individual level can be made into a generalized assumption, or a generalized argument. Such as the point of life is to be happy, to spread your DNA to the next generation, or to find God. (Three examples are widely different perspectives I've heard about the purpose of life. One from a practical point of view and not full of theories or explanations; one from an academic and evolutionary perspective reducing the point of life to the theory of evolution and only that; and one from a religious perspective.)

The trouble with an individual but generalized view is that some people will miss the mark on life's general purpose, whatever that purpose is. Some aren't happy, at least not all the time; some don't have kids and miss the mark from an evolutionary perspective; and others remain without a religion and don't find God. Any generalized purpose of life will also show people who aren't measuring up to that measurement, and the question can be asked, "does their life have no point?" "No purpose?" Or worse, "is their life a failure?" Troubling questions to assign to large populations of people.

(Continued)

(Continued)

A second approach to the purpose of human life is to take humanity as a whole instead of as individuals finding purposes. The point of mankind on that level as a group, could be something along the lines of taking care of the world around us, to think and discover new ideas, new inventions, or again to raise up a new generation to take the reigns and responsibilities that the old one leaves behind.

The third group of perspective for a purpose of life seems to mix the other two groups together and strive for a personal purpose as well as a group purpose from humanity.

In my opinion the propose of life is on the individual scope. It's to find God and to look after one another. But that's just my two cents and conclusions in the conversation.

Good topic Don.

Hi SR,

I'm surprised that you didn't mention a fourth possible purpose to life: since we've all been nurtured by others in our formation, then it is sort of obligatory for us to devise purposes in our lives which add to the good lives of others.

Marx surely intended this sense of purpose in his focus on universal human liberation ? Certainly, his project hasn't gone too well in any of its multitude of expressions - the road to hell is paved with good intentions, he wrote, not to mention by some complete bastards - but his aspirations still guide us, so long as we stick a sign on them saying 'Proceed With Caution: Beware Complete Bastards'.

Yes, we're all born purposeless, but have abilities to find purpose, or purposes - to develop interests in all manner of things throughout our lives. Ideally, we aim to do no harm, but as Bill Hayden remarked, to contribute more benefits and happiness for others than we receive. As life's purpose, that sounds okay to me.

Thanks, Don.

Cheers,

Joe

Dear Not_Now.Soon,

Good observations!

«In my opinion the propose of life is on the individual scope.»

In my opinion too. Collective objectives are only a means, not an end in themselves.

«It's to find God and to look after one another. But that's just my two cents and conclusions in the conversation.»

Only two cents? This is not only your private conclusion, but also the conclusion of scriptures.

Looking from personal perspectives, scripture declares that life has four goals: gain, pleasure, righteousness and liberation.

Gain is not limited to money and material goods, but also includes name and fame that last even after one's death (though not forever).

Pleasure includes the sensual, emotional, mental and intellectual.

Righteousness is about doing the right thing at all times, avoiding harming anyone and includes, as Joe (Loudmouth) suggested, the repayment of our debts to society, our parents, ancestors, teachers and the environment as well as the angels that perform the various functions of nature.

Though commonly the opposite, righteousness should come first, before gain and pleasure. Gain and pleasure are nice to have but only when they do not violate righteousness. Otherwise the gain will be short-lived and pleasure will turn into suffering.

Once someone attained a high degree of righteousness, they are ready for the final goal and the desire for liberation will sprout in their hearts. Finding God is another way to describe the same, because freedom from fear and suffering will only occur once we find God and establish our identity with Him, thus know that we are infinite and without any limitations so nothing can affect us.

«but someone who isn't a parent might not have this purpose in their life for anyone»

Indeed.

"For thus saith the Lord unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant; Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off" [Isaiah 56:4-5]