Welcome to the Alphomism Forums Navigation : Alphomism Forums : Absurdity in understanding  Current Replies for "Absurdity in understanding"   Absurdity in understanding Jedi420 Posted: 11/8/2003   In recent thinking, it seems to me an absurd thing to think that we, as humans, can ever fully understand the true nature of the universe. We are deathly afraid of our own seemingly random existences. It is exactly that fear that leads us to try to develop some framework in which we can describe every event in our perceptial realm as understandable. Walking the line between having a hope for an existence beyond the confines of this body and coming to the logical conclusion that life is futile and meaningless, I recieve the impression that we are in a desperate, drastic need to explain our world around us ... not out of genuine curiosity ... not out of the zeal of exploring new frontiers ... yet, it arises from our fear of not knowing the world we exist in. Do I think science will progress to a point where every "physical" phenomena in the known will be explained ...sure. Do I think we will ever be able to logically reason our spirituality and what lies beyond this life ... NEVER. -Jedi420 Some blind men happened to come across an elephant. Someone told them what it was and asked them to describe it as it seemed to them. The one who touched the leg said that it was like a column. The second one felt its ear and said it is like a winnowing fan. Similarly, those who had touched its trunk or belly, gave different opinions. So with God, everyone conceives Him according to his experience. -Anonymous   Re: Absurdity in understanding (Richard) Posted: 12/8/2003   Thanks again for taking the trouble to comment - it really is appreciated. I think the problem with asserting that 'there will never be a complete theory of the universe' is that this statement inevitably implies a theory and is thus self-contradictory. If I ask 'Why do you think that a theory is impossible?' you have to give some account of the universe, even if you say only that it's 'mysterious'or 'too complex for our limited minds to encompass'. These surely imply an underlying theory, however circumscribed in ambition. Mankind has been very successful at making sense of phenomena. There's a long way to go, of course, but knowledge increases more or less exponentially. I see no good argument in support of the 'never' claim. And.... it's worth thinking about the Alphomist suggestion that it is through individuals taking a pro-active stance that the whole system works. 'We' (ie conscious beings throughout space and time who have a positive attitude) are effectively the creators. Difficult to accept, I concede, but easier if we make the effort to escape from purely linear modes of thinking (which, as I argue on the site, we logically have to do). A huge benefit of making this change is that it makes life, however hellish, more meaningful. Every loving, creative act has, I believe, permananent significance. It's surely worth adopting a positive stance even if only to enhance our current contentment. Why be more miserbale than we have to be? Richard.   Re: Absurdity in understanding Jedi420 Posted: 12/8/2003   Richard, I agree that seeing your actions as significant adds meaning to your life, but it just seems that people search for significance in their actions because they feel their lives are meaningless in the first place. Pardon me if when I said 'Never', that was taken absolutely. I simply mean that we'll never know what lies beyond until it's time for each of us to go. Entertaining theories of what will happen is nice and it gives people a sort of temporary hope, like all other attempts to explain reality, that maybe there is a reason and meaning for this world. It just seems that theories seem to entertain peoples need to believe in something (including myself ... I am not innocent!). That is one thing I am currently trying to rid myself of ... the need to want, belong, and have. Perhaps ... just perhaps, I'm perfectly fine just the way I am and I don't need to find the "Truth" in anything buy myself. Thnx for listening. -Jedi420   Re: Absurdity in understanding (Richard) Posted: 13/8/2003   Fair enough as far as your personal position is concerned but I think the urge to find truth and purpose in life goes beyond the need to anaesthetise the pains of day to day existence. It is, I believe, fundamental- it's the drive which motivates scientists, the force which will ultimately guarantee the 'creation' of Alphoma. If you can switch the urge to know off then good luck! but there remains the question as to how to conduct one's life. A system of belief, however vague, does offer the bonus of providing a way of making moral judgements. In a belief vacuum, all actions are morally neutral - not a place I would want to be. Thanks again for your comments. Richard.   Re: Absurdity in understanding Gattler Posted: 20/9/2006   Get over it! How depressed do you sound!? Life is meaningless? Every action is ultimately superfluous? That sounds lazy and depressing, that's alright though it might just be a phase you're going through, we all do, where you question your meaning. But it sounds like you're not spending enough time socialising, and meeting other people. Relationships are great, and ultimately you learn that people have certain challenges in life, and together you can get through it easier. Maybe you have a relatively normal family and life with no special events, or tragedies to teach you along the way...yet. If you really do still feel strongly about your comments of how "Futile" life really is after about 6 months from now, there are still things you can do to easily give yourself a very satisfying meaning that wouldn't be hollow or futile, and that's simply by helping others, or making others feel better about themselves. Others might not share your ultimately bleak "futile" outlook on life and actions, and you can just keep those thoughts to yourself, while still beleiving in them. Because they are ultimately negative. And there's too many people out there with positive thoughts, or with "simple minded" thoughts like being superstitious or aiming high and studying for years just to get a job in a certain field, which may seem a little ridicuolous to you now. But you learn to help people out with problems or challenges they face whilst keeping the options true to what they beleive in i.e. not convincing other people that your outlook is better, Acknowledging their point of view and considering the solutions with their beleifs, you know understanding people on an individual level. What makes them tick, and that's something that you can do to give yourself meaning, developing a social skill and understanding people and study them in detail. All that fear, not curiosity stuff...don't you think maybe it's just the way you perceive the world...? that myabe not everyone thinks that? when you say its "fear" driven your'e already coming to a conclusion...like it's a fact. But the fact is, you cannot say that, because you DON'T KNOW. You can't know what everyone thinks, and if you meet enough people you'll see that there are many amazing human beings out there that learn and tick, out of curiosity and the love to learn new frontiers. Just a phase I reckon.