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

There isn't a meaning for the universe (it just happened), or life (which happened as a direct result of the first happening) or even anything at all, because all meaning in the universe must be attributed to it by life, which in itself is meaningless...

That doesn't mean there's nothing to live for though, in our own ways, we can choose the meaning of life... for me it's money, a fast car, and well, you know...

I don't think that when Douglas Adams said the answer was 42 he meant there was no answer. I think he was instead trying to express just how impossible a human search for the answer is, how ridiculous our assumption that we will understand it is.

But, having said that, surely we are forced to struggle as fools to search for some meaning? I would rather strive towards the infinite impossible than live contentedly.

The meaning of life is as follows.

Before you die, you must get laid.

(This is solely for the preservation of your genes.)

God farted and the hydrogen and methane which was expelled grouped together to make the galaxys and stars. In other words the universe was just one great big guff. He probably didn't even notice that out of his bum came intelligent life which could question his bowel gas movement.

Well THAT was dumb.

Although I suppose that's just the kind of awful joke that I bet the universe enjoys playing on living beings all the time. If only reality had occured with a less spiteful sense of humour...

But that wouldn't be any fun...

i totally F*****g agree with everything you posted right there [post #1] . it's nice to know that other people out there see things like i do, b/c for every one of us, there are countless others who believe that there IS intrinsic meaning in life and everything. this, i find, completely preposterous

I don't understand this. How do you make any decisions or develop ethics for dealing with other people if you believe there is no truth?

By not doing things that piss other people off.

But, I mean, that's pretty much impossible. I'm sure it's quite clear that plenty of wacky people hold rigid views, not all of which can be satisfied by our lives. If you're not going to decide whether it's unethical to, say, breathe near someone who dislikes it, then how can you decide whether to breathe or not?

I suppose I should make my position clear; I am inclined to think the truth is subjective too, but am stuck for how you're supposed to live if you really believe that.

Move away from the person who breathing offends, and breathe over there.

Yeah, but I mean, am I allowed to eat meat cos it is against vegetarians' ethics? Or take drugs since some think that's wrong? I mean, if there's no truth, how do you treat the earth and other things you share with other people? If there's no truth, do you stop someone from blowing up a medicine factory or not?

Don't eat meat around vegetarians.
Don't take drugs around people who are against drugs.
Don't have lax security around medicine factories.

Yeah, but, but, when we have no truth, no evidence for anything, no validation or underlying purpose for our existence, how can we just go on living a ridiculous mishmash of appeasements and indoctrinated ethics? When eternity stares you in the face, what is the point of trying to do anything. Do you think we should just stick to thoughtless hedonism?
Can I kill a cow, or destroy the sun; there are plenty of people who are against both, but why not if there is no truth?

There's not enough profit to be made from not killing cows.
And I doubt you possess the facilities necessary for causing the sun to cease to exist.

Ach, since when did considerations of profit come into arguments about the fundamental basis human behaviour and absolute axioms?

Since now.

Check the Point!
This is not about the meaning, but the Ultimate Question. The Question does not mean anything. It is not the meaning of Life, The Universe and Everything - it is _only_ the Ultimate Question about them

Don't know how to live without beliefs?Any of you heard of the ruler of the universe?If not,check out my intro,it'll explain how I do, or how I percieve to,or how I think I percieve to...etc