In turbulent times its a worthy endeavor to revisit some of the quintessential questions of life.
What is the meaning of life? What is its purpose? Why are you here? And where are you going?
There is no exact answer of course. Just speculations that are derived from scientific inquiry, political philosophies, religious traditions and personal experiences.
"Life is not a problem to be solved but a reality to be experienced" -- Soren Kierkegaard Danish Philosopher
Science cannot provide an answer to "meaning." What it can do is exam the evidence of life, the observable "effects" including "what's so" and "what was." The Big Bang theory is the scientific orthodoxy for how it all began and in some sense a scientific analog to the story of Genesis.
Science attempts to explain things by documenting physical phenomena in the form of principles and theories. The method is systemic, repeatable and probabilistic.
Science is an extraordinary tool for understanding the nature of physical reality. But it is no substitute for your own 360 degree participation in the "reality of experience." It does provides a context to create "knowledge" and discover "cause and effect" relationships. It can inform us regarding the physical. Yet, it does not derive meaning.
Instead, it gives "context" for meaning.
To ask what "something" means is in essence asking what consequence it has now and into the future. Ultimate meaning is elusive. Contextual meaning is not. Every thing has its essence, and a predisposition to behave in a particular way depending on the stimulus.
I believe meaning is discovered in the act of living a fully conscious life. We know the meaning when we commit to living in full awareness even if we cannot articulate what it is exactly.
We know it by living it.
The quest for meaning is found in the act of living.
Inquiry is useful, profoundly useful at times. The quest of living a fully conscious life is the space and place to experience meaning in the most delightful way.
It is not found in a Petri dish, or the halls of congress or in our personal philosophies.
We find meaning in context. We create meaning in living a fully conscious life.
I like reading your words Ken :)
ReplyDeleteI love that you get me let go of things I don't need to hold on to anymore
to remember my own truths about life
and just sparkle and shine....
thanks for showing up when you did.
keep writing..and I'll keep reading
see you out there
"The quest for meaning is found in the act of living. We create meaning in living a fully conscious life."
ReplyDeleteThank you Ken. I love you.
Some excellent ideas, Ken; deriving meanings from living life experience is essential; but so is the recognition of truth in those meanings; along with the discovery of beauty in things, and goodness in values.
ReplyDeleteThe quintessential questions cannot be satisfactorily answered with speculations; but they be answered with spiritual insight— even if the answers are relative and not exact.
Sooner or later, God is destined to be comprehended as the reality of values, the substance of meanings, and the life of truth. Someday, the supreme value of human
life will be understood to consist in growth of values, and progress in meanings; and realization of the cosmic interrelatedness of both of these experiences. And such an experience is the equivalent of God-consciousness.
Cheers