By GDW
I watched a Richard Dawkins talk one time, during which a member of the audience asked him, "What is the meaning [purpose] of life?"
Dawkins responded (paraphrase): "That is a question much like the question 'What is the color of jealousy?' Just because that question has a grammatically correct construct, doesn't mean it is a valid question."
Effectively what Dawkins is saying is: don't bother yourself asking what is the meaning of life. It's not even a question. Really? I'm sure he would have had an opinion on the meaning of components of life, such as work, play, relationships, etc. And I'm sure he would have tried to answer the question "what is the purpose of YOUR life?". Perhaps he was trying hard not to say "There is no meaning for life. But we got it so we have to live it".
What he and people like him are saying is when you watch a basketball game, it is no use asking "what is the meaning or purpose of this game?". But you may ask what is the purpose of the player bouncing the ball or passing the ball or chasing the ball.
You can't argue that ultimately life doesn't have a purpose (or that you can't even ask the question), yet give meaning to its components. A vehicle has purpose, so does all it's parts. The parts of a vehicle don't have a purpose except to contribute to the vehicle's ultimate purpose.
The components of life, such as pleasure, pain, work, study, play, relationship, wealth, language, morality, ethics, politics, and so on, have individual purpose only because life itself has ultimate purpose. If you find meaning in those things, then you must ask yourself how those partial meanings add to your overall purpose in life.
Are we stuck with a meaningless activity (life), and have no choice but to do (live) it?
Is that how you engage in all your activities. It's there for you to do so you must do it, without knowing its end or purpose? No. Usually there is a purpose that you pursue with activity. Even if it is as vain as giving yourself the illusion of happiness (e.g. drugs).
Be Careful who you listen to.
Dawkins and friends will tell you life has no meaning. You can't even ask the question they say. I think if life can't possibly have meaning, then Dawkins is wasting his time trying to make sense of it with his attempt to rid the world off of a belief in a Divine Creator (per his book "The God Delusion", which I asked before and after reading it: What is the meaning of this book?).
Basically the purpose of Dawkins life is to tell the world that life has no purpose.
I think life has purpose. There's clues everywhere if you take the time to pursue them.
Heavenise week!
Ganjiki
