What is Life?
There are things that we know, there are things that we don't know, and there are things that we don't know that we don't know.
We often wonder too insistently what ‘the meaning of life’ might mark us out as being somewhat heavy, weird or just naïve. People nowadays often say – sometimes in an uncool way, other times more aggressively and cynically – that ‘life just has no meaning. But why do we ask it and where do we end?
Removing all the abstractions and philosophical questions aside first. Let's begin to answer the question with a very scientific and logical approach.
A very well known physicist Erwin Schrodinger defines life in this way:
Every living thing in this world is made up of cells. A cell is a protein-based machine, which has all the characteristics of life: it eats stuff to stay alive, it grows, it reacts to its environment ad it makes more of itself. But all of the parts of cells, no part is alive. Stuff reacts with other stuff which reacts with some other stuff forming a chain reaction. That basically what cells do. But no part of the cell is alive. Everything is dead matter. Moved by the basic laws of physics forming a complex pattern in a harmonious system.
So life is basically a bunch of many chemical reactions? Wait, there's more biology.
We all know eventually every living thing is going to die. And thus the goal of the whole process is to prevent this by producing new entities. Here reproduction comes to play. And DNA becomes the player. DNA, if look closely is a very complex molecule which is just batch of coded information which has to be passed no matter what. So life is a lot of stuff to carry on the genetical information and spread it around.
So is life is information which manages to maintain its continued existence?
It seems non-living together has worked harmoniously to make a life for ourselves.
So what is life? Processes? Chemical reaction? Information? This got confusing very fast.
Let's think more simple and look at the story of life: history.
Life has been there for millions of years. We, humans, are just another evolved species who are ruling the planets. Animals don't ask questions about life. They eat, sleep and reproduce to make sure they are having a good time. We also do the same stuff more or less but we humans know things: we have knowledge, language, and thoughts. We record whatever we have done and produced. We create books and record history. And then we try to overcome that very history to make a better world. One idea is succeeded by a better one. Cycles have been replaced by motor-cycles. Books have been overcome by digital information. Dumb phones are replaced by smartphones. And one-day human labor will be replaced by robots. Because that's what evolution is in life. Creation of a smarter species and the survival of the fittest. The fitter and smarter you are, the better chance you have of overcoming others, and ensuring that you ultimately survive and make history.
So is life just survival, glory and making history? Hm....
Let's take a different approach: religion.
Religion is something we inherit. We don't make one for ourselves. We hear a story. Once upon a time, so the story goes, life had a clear meaning given to us by God: it was about worshiping Him and living according to His dictates. Every religion has its book. Every religion has its guru. And every book has it's rules and gurus have an opinion. They tell us what to do. But problem is: there are many religions. They at many points conflict eventually turns into war and people die. The very religion which was supposed to give meaning to life sometimes takes it away. And also as modern science and beliefs have developed, religious belief has declined, not only has the meaning of a Creator/God supposedly died but along with him, the meaning he once guaranteed. And thus religion is perishing.
So here's what we have got till now:
The meaning of life is:
Scientifically - to reproduce
Historically - to win survive and win glory
Religiously - to serve the Creator
Philosophically - to answer this very question
Let's take the final approach.
We know we are alive. And once we were not. We came to life when our bodies came up. As soon as the body came, we came to experience the world and ask questions about it. Then we read books, ask questions, accept a few answers and then learn a few more with our own experience. The body grows from childhood to adulthood to finally old age. And we die, that's what we have known ever since we started knowing things. But here's the deal: there are things that we know, there are things that we don't know, and there are things that we don't know that we don't know. One of those things is the question of life and death. We have no clue what death is but we are afraid of it. At the same time, we get stuck in life, questioning and thinking it's very meaning ongoing out pain and struggles to survive. But it's going to end one day. Life is not eternal. At the moment of death: all our pain, anxiety, troubles and questions will be put to an end. We will be lost in oblivion, without ever knowing where we came from and where we went. So what makes life so important and the meaning behind and front of it?
So let's back off a little.
You know one day you are supposed to die
Your only task is to make sure what makes you feel alive.
If life doesn't come with a meaning. You have had to give it one.
That is why we must read. Then stop reading and then we must look at the skies forget what we have read. Sometimes may we must sing, and dance, and write poems, and suffer, and understand. Sometimes fall in love and then find yourself lonely. Follow some path and then find that you've taken the wrong one. Maybe you won't find what you are looking for. And after all, you may even break your heart. But keep breaking your heart. Until it opens. And that's what is life is.
Not all questions are meant to be answered. Some are meant to be lived. You cannot explain what is love. But you know what it means to be in because at some point we all fall in it. To understand life and its answer you simply have to live it. It is not that the questions are wrong or you are not interested in answers. It is that: finding answers won't solve anything. Life will go on. Thoughts, ideas, and beliefs are too slow to catch the movement of life. Life is too spontaneous and unexpected. And that is its beauty. And the only way to appreciate the beauty is to live it.
Peace
zphilosopher
We often wonder too insistently what ‘the meaning of life’ might mark us out as being somewhat heavy, weird or just naïve. People nowadays often say – sometimes in an uncool way, other times more aggressively and cynically – that ‘life just has no meaning. But why do we ask it and where do we end?
Removing all the abstractions and philosophical questions aside first. Let's begin to answer the question with a very scientific and logical approach.
A very well known physicist Erwin Schrodinger defines life in this way:
Living thing avoid decay intro disorder and equilibriumWhat does this mean?
Every living thing in this world is made up of cells. A cell is a protein-based machine, which has all the characteristics of life: it eats stuff to stay alive, it grows, it reacts to its environment ad it makes more of itself. But all of the parts of cells, no part is alive. Stuff reacts with other stuff which reacts with some other stuff forming a chain reaction. That basically what cells do. But no part of the cell is alive. Everything is dead matter. Moved by the basic laws of physics forming a complex pattern in a harmonious system.
So life is basically a bunch of many chemical reactions? Wait, there's more biology.
We all know eventually every living thing is going to die. And thus the goal of the whole process is to prevent this by producing new entities. Here reproduction comes to play. And DNA becomes the player. DNA, if look closely is a very complex molecule which is just batch of coded information which has to be passed no matter what. So life is a lot of stuff to carry on the genetical information and spread it around.
So is life is information which manages to maintain its continued existence?
It seems non-living together has worked harmoniously to make a life for ourselves.
So what is life? Processes? Chemical reaction? Information? This got confusing very fast.
Let's think more simple and look at the story of life: history.
Life has been there for millions of years. We, humans, are just another evolved species who are ruling the planets. Animals don't ask questions about life. They eat, sleep and reproduce to make sure they are having a good time. We also do the same stuff more or less but we humans know things: we have knowledge, language, and thoughts. We record whatever we have done and produced. We create books and record history. And then we try to overcome that very history to make a better world. One idea is succeeded by a better one. Cycles have been replaced by motor-cycles. Books have been overcome by digital information. Dumb phones are replaced by smartphones. And one-day human labor will be replaced by robots. Because that's what evolution is in life. Creation of a smarter species and the survival of the fittest. The fitter and smarter you are, the better chance you have of overcoming others, and ensuring that you ultimately survive and make history.
History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake. ― James Joyce
So is life just survival, glory and making history? Hm....
Let's take a different approach: religion.
Religion is something we inherit. We don't make one for ourselves. We hear a story. Once upon a time, so the story goes, life had a clear meaning given to us by God: it was about worshiping Him and living according to His dictates. Every religion has its book. Every religion has its guru. And every book has it's rules and gurus have an opinion. They tell us what to do. But problem is: there are many religions. They at many points conflict eventually turns into war and people die. The very religion which was supposed to give meaning to life sometimes takes it away. And also as modern science and beliefs have developed, religious belief has declined, not only has the meaning of a Creator/God supposedly died but along with him, the meaning he once guaranteed. And thus religion is perishing.
So here's what we have got till now:
The meaning of life is:
Scientifically - to reproduce
Historically - to win survive and win glory
Religiously - to serve the Creator
Philosophically - to answer this very question
Let's take the final approach.
We know we are alive. And once we were not. We came to life when our bodies came up. As soon as the body came, we came to experience the world and ask questions about it. Then we read books, ask questions, accept a few answers and then learn a few more with our own experience. The body grows from childhood to adulthood to finally old age. And we die, that's what we have known ever since we started knowing things. But here's the deal: there are things that we know, there are things that we don't know, and there are things that we don't know that we don't know. One of those things is the question of life and death. We have no clue what death is but we are afraid of it. At the same time, we get stuck in life, questioning and thinking it's very meaning ongoing out pain and struggles to survive. But it's going to end one day. Life is not eternal. At the moment of death: all our pain, anxiety, troubles and questions will be put to an end. We will be lost in oblivion, without ever knowing where we came from and where we went. So what makes life so important and the meaning behind and front of it?
So let's back off a little.
You know one day you are supposed to die
Your only task is to make sure what makes you feel alive.
If life doesn't come with a meaning. You have had to give it one.
To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all. ― Oscar WildeThat's all you have to do. To make sure you feel alive. And do that you must do things that make you feel alive. We must take into the whole of life, not just one little part of it. It's not philosophy or science that is going to answer the question. You are going to. What you seek is seeking you.
That is why we must read. Then stop reading and then we must look at the skies forget what we have read. Sometimes may we must sing, and dance, and write poems, and suffer, and understand. Sometimes fall in love and then find yourself lonely. Follow some path and then find that you've taken the wrong one. Maybe you won't find what you are looking for. And after all, you may even break your heart. But keep breaking your heart. Until it opens. And that's what is life is.
Not all questions are meant to be answered. Some are meant to be lived. You cannot explain what is love. But you know what it means to be in because at some point we all fall in it. To understand life and its answer you simply have to live it. It is not that the questions are wrong or you are not interested in answers. It is that: finding answers won't solve anything. Life will go on. Thoughts, ideas, and beliefs are too slow to catch the movement of life. Life is too spontaneous and unexpected. And that is its beauty. And the only way to appreciate the beauty is to live it.
Peace
zphilosopher
