The argument that an atheist's life has no meaning is often brought up. While whether or not life has meaning is meaningless in the debate for whether a god exists or not, that is not what is going to be discussed in this blog post.
Of course I cannot speak for all atheists, but from my perspective, my life has meaning. It should be no argument that meaning is created by conscious beings (even a god would be considered that). As humans, we seek to understand, it is our niche. The problem here is that there are certain mysteries that cannot truly be understood, and this is disturbing to some individuals that desire a purely logical world. Ignorance motivates some individuals to learn, and it motivates others to make up fantasies that "feel good" and provide a false-sense of purpose (typically to serve God). The only meaning of life a person can grasp comes from the self and those around them.
As an atheist, I believe even those atheists that claim life doesn't have meaning, are ignoring the meaning of their life for the sake of arguing religion. Many atheists even argue that things like color are not real, and this is a reflection that many atheists ignore the reality of subjective experience, and ignore their own individuality. For some atheists, all that is real must exist objectively, and unfortunately for such atheists, objectivity is only viewable through the lens of subjectivity. Not too stray too far off discussing the meaning of life, those that cannot appreciate the life they have will have a difficult time finding purpose and meaning in it. The meaning I find in life (people find other meaning, obviously), is to understand the processes that got me here, and to enjoy the ride (I'm continuing to contemplate my meaning, so that my answer can be more complete).
This is one area that many atheists fail in the debate with believers, they are often unable to give a serious answer with any emotion (great passion should always exist for an individual when contemplating the meaning of life, and I fail here to). When I see atheists give an answer for what they feel the meaning of life is, they typically do it sarcastically, or with no emotion (like they have given the meaning of their own existence little to no thought). Humans can find meaning in anything they desire, meaning itself is not a factual thing (which is another reason atheists have a hard time contemplating the meaning/purpose of life). In-fact many hard-core atheists try to avoid emotional thinking completely, and view emotion as a sign of intellectual weakness. But even those atheists that will not admit to meaning in life have some meaning that they refuse to admit (family, friends, enjoying hobbies, etc.).
One thing I want to avoid is to say that life has a definite meaning, I believe that the meaning of life should be up to the individual's interpretation. While many atheists believe that life is meaningless, this appears to be in contradiction with other beliefs; those that truly believe life has no meaning will quickly find the nearest bridge. In other words, most of those that claim that life has no meaning secretly find meaning in being melodramatic attention whores. Atheists, like in the field of morality, need to put more of an effort into finding meaning in life. Meaning in life is one area believers are able to hold over the heads of atheists; it is not because their arguments are compelling, it is just because atheists have no good answer. If we want to make atheism more respectable and appealing of a position, morality and meaning in life need to be addressed in a more aggressive manner, instead of being ran away from with false-concepts like relativity, etc.
Of course I cannot speak for all atheists, but from my perspective, my life has meaning. It should be no argument that meaning is created by conscious beings (even a god would be considered that). As humans, we seek to understand, it is our niche. The problem here is that there are certain mysteries that cannot truly be understood, and this is disturbing to some individuals that desire a purely logical world. Ignorance motivates some individuals to learn, and it motivates others to make up fantasies that "feel good" and provide a false-sense of purpose (typically to serve God). The only meaning of life a person can grasp comes from the self and those around them.
As an atheist, I believe even those atheists that claim life doesn't have meaning, are ignoring the meaning of their life for the sake of arguing religion. Many atheists even argue that things like color are not real, and this is a reflection that many atheists ignore the reality of subjective experience, and ignore their own individuality. For some atheists, all that is real must exist objectively, and unfortunately for such atheists, objectivity is only viewable through the lens of subjectivity. Not too stray too far off discussing the meaning of life, those that cannot appreciate the life they have will have a difficult time finding purpose and meaning in it. The meaning I find in life (people find other meaning, obviously), is to understand the processes that got me here, and to enjoy the ride (I'm continuing to contemplate my meaning, so that my answer can be more complete).
This is one area that many atheists fail in the debate with believers, they are often unable to give a serious answer with any emotion (great passion should always exist for an individual when contemplating the meaning of life, and I fail here to). When I see atheists give an answer for what they feel the meaning of life is, they typically do it sarcastically, or with no emotion (like they have given the meaning of their own existence little to no thought). Humans can find meaning in anything they desire, meaning itself is not a factual thing (which is another reason atheists have a hard time contemplating the meaning/purpose of life). In-fact many hard-core atheists try to avoid emotional thinking completely, and view emotion as a sign of intellectual weakness. But even those atheists that will not admit to meaning in life have some meaning that they refuse to admit (family, friends, enjoying hobbies, etc.).
One thing I want to avoid is to say that life has a definite meaning, I believe that the meaning of life should be up to the individual's interpretation. While many atheists believe that life is meaningless, this appears to be in contradiction with other beliefs; those that truly believe life has no meaning will quickly find the nearest bridge. In other words, most of those that claim that life has no meaning secretly find meaning in being melodramatic attention whores. Atheists, like in the field of morality, need to put more of an effort into finding meaning in life. Meaning in life is one area believers are able to hold over the heads of atheists; it is not because their arguments are compelling, it is just because atheists have no good answer. If we want to make atheism more respectable and appealing of a position, morality and meaning in life need to be addressed in a more aggressive manner, instead of being ran away from with false-concepts like relativity, etc.
I'm not convinced that there "is no good answer" concerning the meaning of life, but it might depend on what kind of answer you are looking for. The term is ambiguous.
ReplyDeleteI am not satisfied by your meaning towards life.
ReplyDeleteBy stating that your meaning towards life "is to understand the processes that got me here, and to enjoy the ride" You are placing your own meaning towards life upon yourself and by doing that you are acting just like a religious being.
For example we are experiencing rough seas, I can place a meaning upon the see being rough by saying that the sea is rough because God is angry. But through your belief you would look at me and say that I am crazy. The sea is rough because there is a huge storm out there. In your belief you can't place meaning upon things without a facts. So you can't just place your own meaning towards life. If meaning is not factual then my meaning towards the sea being rough can not be wrong. But it is wrong in your belief because its not factual.
In your belief you believe that your entire existent came about by a mare coincident. And by doing so believe that life has no meaning. And you can't place your own meaning upon life by doing this you are acting just like a religious being who place meaning upon their life by adding God.