From: Arjen Kamphuis (mountain@knoware.nl)
Date: Mon Mar 02 1998 - 14:08:46 MST
At 06:18 2-03-98 UT, you wrote:
>I have stopped and thought about the question Alex raises, basically why
do I
>bother to do things. I've only come up with one good answer to this
question:
>I do things for my own pleasure (and by pleasure I mean to include
>"happiness," contentment, joy, and anything else that I like).
I agree, with the reservation that pleasure/contentment/joy can also be
something that is gained 'on a higher level' whilst doing something you
don't specifically like (in helping out someone else for instance).
>My question to the group is this - has anyone else come up with something
>different? I've searched a bit, analyzing all kinds of ethical philosophies
>and religions, and nothing else strkes me as a compelling answer to the
"why"
>question. Yes, it's all wonderfully pointless, amoral and devoid of higher
>purpose, this conscious life we have been given, but at least we can
enjoy the
>ride.
And a good thing too, I dread the day that someone figures out 'the meaning
of life'. 'Cause next thing you know it'll turn out that some things I
enjoy doing most are not in accordance with some 'greater purpose'. One
cannot go against the will of God so I'm happy he is either non-existent or
not showing himself.
(and _of course_ I will give disobedience my best shot if he ever does show
up without some very good answers for certain things ;-)
Happily agnostic (sort of),
Arjen
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Arjen Kamphuis | "Here Be Dragons", read the ancient maps
mountain@knoware.nl | in all the white spots that seemed large
enough to hold the fabled creatures.
let's go dragon hunting.
------------------------------------------
Visit
Transcedo, the Dutch Transhumanist site:
http:\\www.dse.nl\~transced
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Fri Nov 01 2002 - 14:48:41 MST