THE QUESTIONS OF LIFE

THE QUESTIONS OF LIFE

October 31, 2009 at 9:13pm

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THE QUESTIONS OF LIFE by Dean Davis

A. What is the ultimate realty, the source of the universe and all that is in it? (Metaphysics)

B. What is the origin of the universe, life, and man—and of any other worlds or dimensions that may exist? (Cosmology)

C. Do the universe, life, and man have purpose or meaning, and if so, what is it? (Teleology)

D. What, if anything, went wrong? Why do we find so much evil, suffering, and death in the world? (Cosmology)

E. What, if anything, can be done about them? And by whom must it be done? (Soteriology)

F. How shall we live? What, if any, are the proper motives and standards of conduct for men and nations? (Axiology: Law and Ethics)

G. What happens when we die? (Personal Eschatology)

H. Where is history going? Does the universe have a goal or end, and if so, what is it? (Cosmic Eschatology)

I. Can we know with complete assurance the answers to the questions of life, and if so, how? (Epistemology)

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• 

  Cory de Mont I cant answer all of these questions. Some of them are pretty loaded.
  
  a) Reality is as things actually exist. I dont know what an ultimate reality is.
  
  b) The origin of the universe is the state of all things prior to the existence of the known universe.
  
  c) Yes. The meaning however is a derivative of the desire.
  
  d) Loaded.
  
  e) Loaded.
  
  f) We shall live as we desire. Choices are in the nature of creatures with choice. Dogma is a product of civilization. Each civilization will have variants.
  
  g) The cessation of life.
  
  h) History is for the past, not the future.
  
  i) What are the questions of life? Are these questions truly universal?

  November 1, 2009 at 3:14am
• 

  David Fitzgerald Okay, here's my two cents:
  
  A. What is the ultimate realty, the source of the universe and all that is in it? (Metaphysics)
  Whenever I hear people talk about the “Ultimate” reality, it feels like they think there is more than one reality, and it seems to imply there’s a bigger and/or one out there somewhere. I think a better answer is that the universe is everything there ever was, is and will be. Personally, I don’t presume to know the origins of the universe, and I think we’ve only just started to seriously look into that question. Anyone who thinks they DO know is fooling themselves, IMHO.
  
  B. What is the origin of the universe, life, and man—and of any other worlds or dimensions that may exist? (Cosmology)
  One thing we do know is that when Einstein showed that matter = energy, it also showed that no new matter and energy is created; it simply changes form. That seems to imply that everything we find in our universe has always existed, as mind-boggling as that is. 
  As for where life and man came from, it was evolution – the evidence is real, and overwhelming. If you don’t know that already, stop reading this and go read why scientists think so!
  
  C. Do the universe, life, and man have purpose or meaning, and if so, what is it? (Teleology)
  Looking closely at the universe, we see vast emptiness, lots of chaos and incredible natural wonders, and all the order we see starts out very (very!) simply, and slowly tends to accumulate complexity over time. When life gets complex enough to think about things, then you start worrying about purpose and meaning. Without minds, there’s neither of those things. But here is one of the truly amazing things about existence: once you have a mind and thought, you bring meaning and purpose into reality – because you create it!
  
  D. What, if anything, went wrong? Why do we find so much evil, suffering, and death in the world? (Cosmology)
  The real question is what went right! Everything that lives, dies – that’s simply because nothing lasts forever, not even nonliving things. Animals suffer not because they sin, but because they evolved to feel pain – pain can save your life, but sadly, we can’t always shut it off when it’s not helpful – a sign of very poor design. Even our emotions can cause us pain, but they are part of the baggage that comes from having a sentient brain.
  
  E. What, if anything, can be done about them? And by whom must it be done? (Soteriology)
  The only cure for evil, suffering and death comes from people who work to do the best they can to help each other, learn how things really work, and love, protect and take care of each other. It’s up to you, me and all of us. Yes, it’s fallible, fragile and often unsatisfying, but it’s all we’ve got. And to paraphrase M. Mead, don’t think that it can’t fail to make a difference; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.
  
  F. How shall we live? What, if any, are the proper motives and standards of conduct for men and nations? (Axiology: Law and Ethics)
  Well, assuming you value human happiness, I would recommend first taking responsibility for the things you do, recognize that actions have consequences, and think about the impact your actions have on other people. Ask yourself: would I want to be treated like this? If everybody did what I’m doing would it still be okay? Be willing to listen to other people and learn from your mistakes. Be kind, be reasonable, and take care of each other.
  
  G. What happens when we die? (Personal Eschatology)
  Same thing as what happened before you lived – you aren’t there anymore. Don’t waste your life.
  
  H. Where is history going? Does the universe have a goal or end, and if so, what is it? (Cosmic Eschatology)
  The real miracle is now that we are here, there can be a goal, for our lives at least. Our modest little spot in the vast universe is special because life is here, and I propose we make the most of our time here. But let’s not kid ourselves, the universe will go on just fine after us. 
  
  I. Can we know with complete assurance the answers to the questions of life, and if so, how? (Epistemology)
  If it’s complete assurance you want, just let someone tell you “God told me so” and believe whatever they say, regardless of the evidence. However if you want real answers to the questions of life, that takes a lot more work. Keep learning, learn from your mistakes, and figure it out – that’s what life is all about!
  
  But I could be all wrong. Let me know what you think and let's see if we can’t learn from each other!

  November 2, 2009 at 8:17am · Like