h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

It took us that long to realize that a purpose of
human life, no matter who is controlling it, is to love
whoever is around to be loved." (Kurt Vonnegut:220)"

hi Moth,

Well, this is going to sound sooooooooo corny, but who cares?

A few years ago I rescued a little black street cat who had had his left front leg badly broken and almost ripped off by some psycho trying to kill him. Captured him by luring him into a cage with food and brought him home. Took over three months before the little beast would even let *me* touch him. And now, more than seven years later, he still won't let anyone but me come near him, but with me he is outrageously affectionate and playful. He is also very demanding, coming over to me and meowing his head off until I figure out what it is he wants - food? a cuddle? a brushing (he adores being brushed). Anyhow, the point of this goes back to your KV quote, about loving whoever is around to be loved.

I don't think the 'love object' necessarily has to be human. Because (and this is the corny bit) sometimes when I am cuddling this little black cat who doesn't trust anyone in the world except me I get a very peaceful and totally content feeling - and in this moment I don't need to look further for a 'meaning of life'.

az

^..^
='=

Az
Not corny to me.
Vonnegut should have put who or what is around
I think if I've had a moment of at all about this love thing it is that to be able to love is better than being loved.

Oh well, excuse me! But I do use 'who' when referring to my cats and not 'it'.

Yes, you clever girl, of course being able to love is the key. Can't say for sure if that is 'better' than being loved. But unless one knows how to love then - unless you are a cranky two-year-old - I don't see how one should ever expect to be loved by anyone.

az

ps
not just two-year-olds of course, though they often try even the most loving parent's patience. I really meant children in general.

and cats!

Parents being abusive junkies and rapists are subject to criminal law. What this means is, the law says that their actions are illegal and they can be punished. Granted, the actions are a bit extreme, but still, you can honour your parents who did this by hoing to visit them in prison. You wouldn't have to, you can't be punished if you don't go, but you can.
98% of all law stems from religion, in particular Christianity? What law? As I am a Dutch lawstudent, I think I can at least respond to that in regard to Dutch law (which is a codex, not common law).
We have laws to have an idea of what we allow and what we do not. Some of these laws are based on religious ideas, but most on cultural ideas. The fact that some of these cultural based laws do not contradict religion or even are supported by religion does not make a whole lot of difference, if they are based on a more fundamental principle: natural law. Natural law can be seen as being important for all ages and all religions and cultures. Basically, because it's common sense. Laws against stealing for instance. Laws against murder, and yes, laws against abuse and rape.
If you were referring to English law, that is based on common law. Edicts by the governing body is part of the law. So are findings of judges. These rules are put together, and form a system of rules and regulations by wich everybody can find out wether or not something is legal or not. The problem here is of course that nobody in their right mind would consult perhaps centuries old texts to find out wether or not something is legal or not. What people do is, they use their common sense. Would it be a good idea to do something or other?
The information people use to determine that is from religion (but what would atheists do), or common sense, or practicality.
And of course, most laws everywhere are just conventions. We do this and not that, because if everyon just did what they wanted in the way that they wanted would result in anarchy.
Is there a reason for a law stating that trees in a garden can not be placed within two yards from the border with another garden? No, not really. But we do have that law.
Is there a really good reason for driving on the righthand side of the road? Not really, just a convention. (OK, I know that Napoleon made this law for a very good reason. Most people are righthanded. If you ride your horse on the righthand side of the road, you can't easily pull out your sword and attack). These kind of rules exist because if they didn't, people would be killed in accidents all the time. These examples are in plain sight. But about 80% of all rules in laws are based on such principles. Who can establish an Inc. entity. And why? Who can decide to get married, how old must you be? The examples are endless.

Moth made my point about taste being a lifesaver way better than I did. Thank you, Moth!

hi Goyahkla,

Yes, but new laws are being made all the time that have no basis in religion at all. Take the new law being proposed in Britain that homosexual couples will have the same legal rights as heterosexual married couples. A law long overdue in my humble opinion. Yet this law still leaves out people who have 'co-habitated' for many many years and have children but have never bothered to become legally married. And I find this quite unfair. It is being said, rather cynically, that this new 'gay married rights' law is being passed in order to get the 'gay vote'. But what about the rest of the unmarried couples? Who are quite a large segment of the population. Surely they vote as well?

az

All law is based on religion.
I hold to my idea that taste has nothing to do with survival. Give me an example of a food I physically can't eat because of taste and I'll back down

Rhubarb leaves.
cynanide
Mistletoe berries.
Poisonwood leaves.
Arsenic.
dog poo
loads of juicy looking berries in the rain forest.
Certain fungus.
Ocean water
Stagnant ponds
Sewerage.
etc etc etc.

As for the word food, define it first.

I forgot marmite

Marmite can't fall under anyones definition of food, but I believe the definition that we are looking for here is something that can be consumed that will not kill, or do too much harm to the eater.

Even it there is no food that you physically cannot eat because of its taste, there are foods that when eaten will cause you to be much less effective at everything. Happiness is an essential part of survival for all animals. If an animal cannot eat a food that it likes, it will die of unhappiness.

If you don't beleive that animals need to be happy, talk to a pet owner who has gone on vacation only to find the pet dead on their return, even though there is plenty of food and water.

In my opinion the Meaning of life is, the meaning of life. That is, the purpose of our existance is to explore our existance, our life, why we are alive and why we do the things we do, that's my opinion.

-Aragorath

"Happiness is an essential part of survival for all animals. If an animal cannot eat a food that it likes, it will die of unhappiness."

well that isn't true is it?
animals will die if they cannot 'digest' and gain nourishment from certain things ( ergo they are not food)

But animals will try anything in hunger, it's not unhappiness they die of, it's starvation

Also see a million dogs homes around the world, unhappy dogs, leading unhappy lives.
Around the world malnutrition is caused by people forced to eat food that gives no nourishment.
I have a rescue dog, 12 months old, for the first week he ate his own excrement. this was not because he was happy to do so, or that he was hungry, he was missing certain vitamins.
horses will do the same thing. It's survival.

N1NJ4

<>

Well, I know that *I* certainly would or at least my life would have less meaning . . .

But I agree with Moth that animals eat more for survival and not for pleasure.

<>

Presumably then, this was food that the pet didn't like?

az

All law is based on religion?
Define law and define religion.
Is law the same as culture? I would agree if you say that a rather big part of all laws is somehow based upon culture. But religion just plainly has not much to do with it. Take the 10 commandments... Can you point out a law that states that coveting someone else's wife is illegal? And if you could, how would we know someone is coveting? Pretty hard to prove, I imagine...
Anyways, I think just about everyone who is watching TV these days at some time or another has had a big crush on someone on TV. Coveting? Could be. And of course, chances are that the TV star is married. How 'bout sexy neighbours? The examples are limitles, but no one I have heard of is in prison either in Holland or in the UK.

Comments please

Wow, I must have been being unclear again.

First, you have to realize that you can eat foods even if you don't like them. That is what I was referring to when I said "if an animal cannot eat a food it likes". Obviously if it couldn't eat anything it would die of starvation.

When I said the thing about the pet dieing with a full bowl of food, I was saying that it didn't starve, it died for another reason. In this case unhappiness.

Well, Hello,

Confession time..........I absolutely love and adore MARMITE!!!!!!!! I get anyone who I know who is coming to Tenerife to bring me out huge jars of the stuff!!!

Animals & love etc., I too have a rescue dog, Dolly, she is now about 19 years old, she has lived with us for 12 years, 5 years ago our vet gave her no more than 2 years to live, because she has a heart condition, and this only if she eats a limited low salt diet, I just thought what the hell, if she only has a short time left then she should enjoy everything that she likes, cat food, chocolate, milk, chips, salty dog food, canarian potaje, MARMITE on toast!!! to my vet this little dog is something of a miracle, and she still shows no signs of retiring to that little dogs home in the sky!!!! and of course she is loved unconditionally, even with her now rather offensive doggy breath that she likes to breathe on us all!! she is Queen of the household. Dolly,s meaning of life?????? simply the next set of goodies!!!!

Jane

Marmite doesn't even sound like a food.


If I just heard the name i would think that it was an animal or a mineral or something inedible.

N1NJ4,

I agree, marmite reminds me of a small rodent (and probably tastes similar - ick)


Jane,

What a thing to have brought over, but to each his/her own. When people come to visit me from England I get them to bring me underwear from M&S, from North America I get Orville Redenbacher's microwave popcorn. Aside from missing that stuff, and fresh bagels, Spain has everything else I need.

az

ps. sometimes smelling orange blossom on a warm spring morning makes me realize that my life needs no further 'meaning'.

smelling blossoms makes me realize that an allergy to pollen and stuff is not a nice thing to have...