Where does the meaning and purpose of life come from?
We share our biological purpose with all other living organisms, which is to perpetuate our existence through metabolism, procreation, cooperation, and competition. However, once we rise above the business of our survival, the question of life’s meaning and purpose becomes paramount. This search for some kind of transcendental purpose is a uniquely human process. Because I am here? What is the purpose of life? Why is there suffering?
There seem to be 3 core worldviews that people have about the origins of humans.
1. The creationist view
2. Evolution
3. Smart design
creationism is the belief that the Universe and everything in it was created by a deity or deities. Christianity, Judaism, and Islam share the same basic creation story, but many other religions and indigenous cultures have similar stories. The New Agers are the latest incarnation of creationism which replaces God with the idea of a higher intelligent being or spirit who has a purpose and guides all things. The central problem with creationism is the requirement that a modern mind accept unprovable mythical principles, or base its beliefs on faith.
Evolution it is the idea that something simple, like an atom, develops over time into something complex like the universe, the planet, and humans. The exact steps of how (or why) life first arose from non-living matter are unclear. Two central unsolved problems for evolution are, firstly, the emergence of life forms and the emergence of self-awareness in humans. But once there was living matter, evolution describes how mutations in the DNA of these living organisms have, over time, created the variety of species we have today.
Intelligent Design (ID) it is a postmodern concept that has arisen in response to the underlying paradoxes in scientific materialism on the one hand and problems with religious belief on the other. In a nutshell, ID explores the concept that there is a deeper level of interconnectedness to everything that exists. Interest in this concept stems from the science of quantum mechanics, nonlocality, and the study of consciousness. The central problem with ID is the current lack of all the necessary scientific pieces of the puzzle to establish the system beyond any doubt.
Each of these belief systems offers ways for humans to find purpose and meaning in their lives and much time is wasted arguing which is correct, despite the fact that there are clear knowledge gaps in each.
It doesn’t matter if you believe in a mythical god, purely physical forces, or an intelligent evolutionary drive. What is true is that humans create their own purpose and meaning for their lives within their own conscious mind. This involves thinking deeply about your passions and then finding a way to use the skills to benefit yourself and others.
Finding meaning is the uniquely human process of discovering how you can create more goodness, truth, beauty, or functionality in the world.