• Question: Is there a meaning of life? If so, what is it?

    Asked by anon-188699 to Warren, Shanti, Pizza Ka Yee, Paul, Nadine, Alex on 5 Nov 2018.
    • Photo: Warren Mansell

      Warren Mansell answered on 5 Nov 2018:

      The meaning of life is to continue to do what physics, chemistry, evolution, and our childhood has enabled us to do – to be purposeful beings who can share our experiences with people close to us, and build life for the future. To manage this we need to wrestle with the conflicts along the way in the best way we can, doing as little damage to others as possible.

    • Photo: Nadine Mirza

      Nadine Mirza answered on 5 Nov 2018:

      I think the meaning of life is that we’re lucky to even have it- it can’t be taken for granted. So we’re obligated to live it to the fullest while also helping others’ do the same along the way.

    • Photo: Alex Reid

      Alex Reid answered on 8 Nov 2018: last edited 8 Nov 2018 7:24 pm

      This is a great question. For me the meaning of life is pretty simple: to have a positive impact on the world around me as much as I can before I get my ticket punched (die). How successful I have been at this so far is debatable, but I am trying! Although we as a species are here as a product of evolution I think humans have a responsibility to rise above a lot of the bad things that tend to come with our membership. That is because we are aware (or should be aware) of the moral implications and consequences of our choices more than any other species on the planet. For example, you could make a good argument that war is very much part of human nature (we tend to do it a lot). As humans, we get to decide what that means to us, and we are also capable of acting on it. There comes responsibility with this and that, to me, is the meaning of life.

      In terms of deep philosophical questions though, the big one for me is: why does anything exist at all? Sadly I don’t think I am ever going to get an answer to this ultimate question.

    • Photo: Paul Matusz

      Paul Matusz answered on 11 Nov 2018:

      I believe that the meaning of one’s life is to try to leave the earth better than it was when we were born – if we have the opportunity. To meit gives meaning to my life – the chance that my discoveries will give me or someone else the opportunity to equalise learning opportunities and life satisfaction of mostly healthy but disadvantaged children in normal schooling, and the same for children with vision or learning disorders.

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