The Selfish Gene’s Little Corner: A Question for the Atheist

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I generally agree with Atheists on every important issue except one: Atheism. Even though we will probably never agree on that one point, all the Atheists I have known are conscientious and caring people, almost without exception. A person that is possessed with a conscientious and caring attitude would seem to be acting from a sense of purpose, even if that purpose is that being caring and conscientious makes that person feel good.

My question to the atheist: Is there a purpose to life? If your answer to that question is yes, what is the purpose of being alive, human, and in the world?

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C.H. McDermott

C.H. McDermott is a jack-nut doing what he loves best, which changes with each passing moment.
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13 years ago

Very complicated question Lawyer. What is the meaning of life?

But what is the meaning of meaning? How do you define “meaning”? Does something have meaning if it satisfies your needs? follows your morals? follows some life code that you have define by your life experiences? or by a church or religion?

Meaning is almost undefinable and varies with each individual person. For some, life doesn’t have meaning unless they have obtained some long desired object or achieved wealth.

The person standing right next to him may only feel meaning in their life if they have followed some interpretation of the “Good Book”. For the Hitchhikers guide the final answer was 42.

Only you can answer that question, Lawyer. I think the term is “The squealer is the dealer”…. no wait, that’s something else.

Reply to  Krell
13 years ago

Yes, I totally agree: 42.

osori
13 years ago

Well as one of the sites token Christians (Mike took lobbyist money from the American Council of Churches to bring me aboard ahead of several people, something he’s not proud of but it paid for his fence and an ATV) I got to throw down for our side.

I feel our purpose here is to live a life in accordance with God’s will, which I interpret is to treat others with respect,thank Him for what we have and look to Him for guidance. Whether this is what is put down in the 10 commandments or strict interpretations of the Bible or Quran is up to theologians. I’m not gifted enough to understand God other than what I wrote in the first sentence of this paragraph.

Serious answer for what I took to be a serious question.

13 years ago

I don’t need a supernatural being to bestow a moral code or a higher purpose. To even assume a being with the powers to do so would bother to select me for a “special purpose” is the height of hubris.

Our species is not inherently any better than the others we share the earth with. But as the apex predator, we are capable of affecting the planet more profoundly than any creature. As all creatures exist primarily with the purpose of reproducing- passing its genes on to the next generation, I guess my answer has to be sex, kids, keeping them safe at all costs.

This means keeping their world safe, and having other people love them and help them. This means I have to treat my environment with respect, other people with kindness, and my kids with supervision. Does this make me a good person? It does make me happy. Perhaps pleasure at this “moral imperative” evolved to ensure survival. But no matter how it evolved, I take pleasure in every moment I can, for once this life is over it is over.

Reply to  Mother Hen
13 years ago

“…[F]or once this life is over it is over.” How do you know that?

Reply to  The Lawyer
13 years ago

I guess I should say, once my consciousness ceases to be, the essence of what I was is gone. The raw materials will be used (hopefully donated if usable) or transformed into something usable by some other life form (worm or plant food.) Obviously the body gone on in one form or another, but the peculiar combination of synapses, neurotransmitters, and memories that is “me” will not survive the death of the brain. Science.

If I am wrong, and there is some survival of the consciousness, then I will be pleasantly surprised.

13 years ago

I too am an Atheist. It was only when I got rid of that god thing I became happier. The purpose of life is to enjoy it while not screwing with others. If interested Lawyer I could tell you why Religion was invented.
Now for Gene, Gene gene the dancing Machine, put a smile on your face.

Jess
13 years ago

Hmm, mine is just to get through this journey as best I can and leave the place a little better than when I came into it.
Way off topic. I am watching Judgment at Nuremberg and Spencer Tracy’s last scene, has to be one of the best scenes ever in movie history.

Reply to  Jess
13 years ago

I love that scene!! I have this archived on my Tivo. I know that it ran again today and I will watch it again and again and again..Unless stopped by He Who Must Not Be Named…

Reply to  Krell
13 years ago

Great picture. Is the little boy “Gene?” Who the f**k is Gene?

Reply to  Professor Mike
13 years ago

I suspect that “Selfish Gene” is the little guy that sits on the Lawyer’s shoulder during an introspective moment fueled by some very fine scotch and well prepared food.

Reply to  Krell
13 years ago

Methinks he meant to say “Genie” but I wanted to be sure before I edited the title. Lawyers are all the same. They rarely admit to making a mistake 🙂 🙂

Update: Following several secret communications between myself and the lawyer I have learned his name is now Gene. I apologize for implying that he was a lousy speller…. 🙂 🙂

Jess
Reply to  Krell
13 years ago

Great pic, if this is where you live, do you guys want to adopt me? I could see myself living there and I can pay my own way 🙂

Reply to  Jess
13 years ago

Actually it’s prettier than that, but this path is about a mile away. If you want I could send you a link to a web album, which is the best I can do if you can’t see my albums on FB.

And you are welcome any time!

osori
Reply to  Mother Hen
13 years ago

Mother Hen,
If Jess becomes an annoyance she can come frolic in our yard.

http://maps.culma.wayne.edu/allsaints/pix/9132Olivet.jpg

Reply to  osori
13 years ago

Oso- I had no idea you lived in Innsmouth!

osori
Reply to  Mother Hen
13 years ago

MH LOL I had to look that up! The Innsmouth-Oakland metro area.

Jess
Reply to  osori
13 years ago

I would probably turn that vacant lot into a community garden, so yeah I would go live there. I have done the guerilla gardening, so I know I could get people involved to help me turn it into something useful and productvie.

13 years ago

oh eck…Jacqui the daughter…can’t even spell my own daughters name correctly!!!!

Reply to  fourdinners
13 years ago

LOL LOL!!!!!

13 years ago

Is there a pur­pose to life?

Absolutely. Carol the wifey, Jaqui the daughter, Bumble, DJ, Scampi, Blacky and Maximus the cats.

Alcohol and sex…or, if you prefer, sex and alcohol.

Oh yeah…and football and curry.

I’ve a very full life, albeit it mainly filled with curry and beer…;-)

BSRanch
13 years ago

The purpose to life is to live. We really think way too much about this and it is so simple.
There is no supreme being controlling us, there is no rhyme or reason it is pure happenstance. I think the reason atheists are caring and conscientious is that they are reasoned and thoughtful people and living with consideration for all that surrounds you is the best and easiest solution to survivng the most turns around the sun.

Brian Westley
13 years ago

I’m an atheist; in answer to “My question to the atheist: Is there a purpose to life?” my answer is no, there is no intrinsic purpose to life, but it’s not too hard to come up with one and use that if you would like your life to have a purpose.

Reply to  Brian Westley
13 years ago

As to the question I am with Brian. There is no more purpose to our lives than to the lives of the ubiquitous fire ant.

Brian Westley
Reply to  Professor Mike
13 years ago

No, there’s no more INTRINSIC purpose to our lives than to a fire ant’s. However, I can (and do) create my own purposes for my life, while a fire ant can’t. So there IS more purpose to my life than a fire ant’s.

confucious say
Reply to  Brian Westley
12 years ago

WITHOUT A DOUBT THERE IS A PURPOSE TO LIFE!!!! to reproduce as much as possible… think about it from hunter gatherer times… theres a reason most men want to bang much of the time its to pass on your genes as many times as you can with whomever you choose or allows you to… whoever is the most physically attractive and at least smart enough to keep themselves alive will pass on their genes so that the next generations may continue evolving… nowadays that purpose isnt very important due to the population but that is our purpose… i thought it was obvious

13 years ago

Gene was the guy who used KISS, Gene Simmons lol.
I think there is a purpose to life but it’s a long story…

Reply to  teeluck
13 years ago

Gene Simmons. People compare me to him. Not in appearance necessarily but in my general attitude toward life. I was never sure if it was good thing.

Reply to  Professor Mike
13 years ago

Can you touch your tongue to your adam’s apple then bite it off with blood gushing down your neck and chest? If so, you have a skill, my man.

Reply to  The Lawyer
13 years ago

I have been told I have a magical tongue but I am not sure about the biting thing, at least as you describe 🙂 So what’s a Gene??

Admin
13 years ago

OK! I give up. What’s a “Gene?”

Reply to  Professor Mike
13 years ago

I thought the title was a reference to the Dawkins book, “The Selfish Gene” a notable atheist reference tome.

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