A question asked on the Q & A program this week was "Does life have a purpose?".

I have viewed a number of websites on the meaning of life, many are in depth.

One quote, says: “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” - receiving the highest rating on that site.

The comment is "existentialism" - that each individual, not society or religion, is solely responsible for giving meaning to life and living.

This in many ways sounds fine - but it once again ignores other views particularly that of the natural world and other animals.

How can we change humans minds that living elements on the planet called "Earth" and surrounds do have a purpose? How do get a message out there that we was humans "are" dependent on the natural world?

How do we get people to think more about life and not just fill it with "junk" and think more about our whole society?

''morning Nathan,

If you raise this question then unfortunately, you don't have one, a life that is!

If you need proof of this fact I've got even more very bad news for you, you won't find an answer on Google or Q&A.

"This in many ways sounds fine - but it once again ignores other views..."

You mean the views of other human individuals such as yourself, I assume, since we have no way of knowing what the Xeelee or other sci-fi imagined species might really think?

I've used it before but I'll repeat Leslie Dean Brown's quote with my addendum:

“Life decreases local entropy” - LDB.

"Entropy doesn't notice" - me.

So many questions, NathanJ.

>>How can we change humans minds that living elements on the planet called "Earth" and surrounds do have a purpose? How do get a message out there that we was humans "are" dependent on the natural world? How do we get people to think more about life and not just fill it with "junk" and think more about our whole society?<<

So few answers.

And there is a very good reason for that. You are asking questions based upon another, larger question, to which you have already - erroneously - assumed an answer. Namely:

"Does life have a purpose?"

If, as so many have determined, life does not in fact have any intrinsic purpose, then your proposal that we "change humans minds" on the topic assumes the diametrically opposite situation.

So, in order to provide substance to this, and your follow-up questions, you first need to demonstrate that life does, indeed, have a purpose. Furthermore, it would also be necessary to explain precisely what that purpose is, in order to know to what conclusion we need to direct the change of those human minds.

I look forward to your providing this essential prerequisite information, so that the rest of us can sensibly join the conversation.

Suppose your friend or lover comes in front of you and instead of hugging them you say, "wait, where is your shadow, I need to measure it" - that's what 'meaning' is: the mental shadow cast by that object which is then deemed "meaningful" (or "mind-shading"). Indulging the mind with "giving meaning to life and living" is therefore just that: a form of mental onanism.

Does life have a purpose? I think so, but then that purpose must be outside/beyond life, for if that purpose were within life, then it would be cyclical nonsense.

Now a few unrelated questions were posed (why not under a different discussion?):

<<How can we change humans minds that living elements on the planet called "Earth" and surrounds do have a purpose?>>

There are several ways to influence human minds, some soft, others quite violent - but why would one want to do it? Especially once it is understood that if life has a purpose, then that purpose cannot be part of life itself.

<<How do get a message out there that we was humans "are" dependent on the natural world?>>

That humans are dependent on the natural world is already taught in every school. WE, however, do not depend on the natural world, only the human which we temporarily wear does.

<<How do we get people to think more about life and not just fill it with "junk" and think more about our whole society?>>

There are quite a few ways to make people think about whatever you want them to think - whole industries such as the media do just that. The more profound question is how to help people to rid of their minds and STOP thinking.

What does life mean? Too often humans see it as 'people only'. So often a lot of people will 'look away' at the element of the natural world, very conveniently. We have other forms of life in terms of waterways, oceans, reefs, other living creatures like birds fish and kangaroos, soils for plants to live, the Sun and other planets, stars and hopefully into the future - fresh, clean air.

In terms of life having a purpose - yes it does, simply living - but depending on each living situation - it does not mean it is found or understood by all living creatures or every element will be the same.

In terms of changing a 'mind' 'set' - birth from day one is vital, a lifestyle change through direct action for those who lost out at a childhood level, individual education taken on or an unfortunate shock factor.

So what happens one year can be different to others and what occurs to one living individuals spectrum can be different to another in the whole sphere of living, planets and the spaces that surround all elements.