The Purpose of Life, the World, the Universe

[rwenzori]

Following on from the Science thread that got everyone in a froth...

One edition of the OED defines purpose thus:

The reason for which something is done or made, or for which it exists; the result or effect intended; an instance of this.

Do you think you exist for a purpose? And I don't mean something self-assigned or chosen by you, which we as humans are quote capable of doing, or so we think. Or do you think, as I do, that we are just the chance results of vastly long chains of events that have neither intentional purpose nor external meaning.

If you do think we are here for a purpose, please take a moment to justify that stance. How do you get to that point of view?

Or has this Lolcat got it right, maybe:

[Elimentals]

purpose of life = procreate and spread.

[ghoti]

The purpose of life is to live, dunno about the rest.

[copacetic]

I don't think there is any purpose that extends further than my own experiences and interactions.

I can't know this for certain, of course, but there is not a shred of evidence to make me think otherwise.

[DrJohnZoidberg]

As Dawkins would say, "What is the purpose of a mountain?"

It's a silly question

[pezulu]

The purpose of life is to be, therefore you are.

[Jase]

42

[Unhappy438]

Why does there have to be a purpose?

[abzo]

[Geriatrix]

42

****.
I wanted to "In before the 42!"
Curse you! You have made a power foe!

[Geriatrix]

Purpose? No, I don't see design.
But my being here was inevitable. Millions of trillions of causes converged in the outcome that is this process sitting here, typing. So I can't say it's causeless or random either. My jury is still out on this one.

[Elimentals]

How can all you people deny sex?

Its like the main drive, and I dont mean like man and women. I mean sex as a whole, broken down to the raw everything just wants to sleep with something

Ok except for some unisex plants but everything on this planet just wanna do it.

[OrbitalDawn]

Nothing I've seen/heard/read/experienced has convinced me that there's objective purpose/meaning. Frankly, the amount of girls who post "everything happens for a reason" on their facebook status when their boyfriend leaves them or their cat dies is convincing me of the opposite.

Practically speaking, I've always liked Vonnegut's approach:

"I tell you, we are here on Earth to fart around, and don't let anybody tell you different."

[cyghost]

What purpose? Seriously, how easy must it be for those who claim a purpose to support it? Show us the purpose already!!

[RazedInBlack]

You exist then you die! Not rocket science so why complicate life even further.