Your Philosophy of Life and the Universe

[icant]

I am, by my very nature, a problem solver. I cannot come across any puzzle or question without atleast attempting to solve it. This is why I don't like philosophy. There is no right answer to any of the 'big questions', you can spend your life pondering them and never find a solution. There are always theories, but there is never any evidence, it is impossible to have evidence, unless someone were to go back in time and take a photo of what the universe looked like before it was there. Because of this, no one theory is any better than another, which one you believe is entirely down to your opinion.
Thus, I have simply decided to not decide. More or less, I live my life by the rule "It's not how you got here that matters, it's what you do now you're here." If you spend a day thinking about philosophy, you're never any closer to a solution than you were before. That's fine for some people, but it frustrates me to no end. Instead, I spend a day furthering my education, socialising, enjoying myself, making the most of the life I've got.

What can I say? It works for me.

[Deleted]

42 Dang... I'm being rushed away. Ill finish up when I come back.

[thegreenmooseofdoom]

I'm not sure at all how the universe came about- it's just too mind-blowing to think about, because there's always something that had to come first. So far the most sound theory I've heard is the Big Bang theory- it sounds reasonable, and it explains why the universe is expanding, and where all those bands of radiation come from. I don't believe that a supreme being created us, nor with any specific intention. If there is a supreme being, then I think he just randomly created the universe and is either gathering data on us, or left a long time ago to go play golf or something.
As you may have guessed/known already, I'm an aetheist. Though I am only because I believe in reason and science above all, and most of the events in the Bible... well, aren't logical and defy the laws of physics that have stood soundly for thousands of years.
I first realized that I was aetheist when I was watching some Discovery show on the moon. They were talking about mythology about the moon, and how one tribe somewhere believed that the moon got smaller because a giant frog was slowly devouring it.
"That's ridiculous," I said to myself, "But I'll bet they really believe it, since they know pretty much nothing about astronomy, and the frog thing makes it easy for them to understand."
Then that got me thinking. How is a giant celestial frog any more ridiculous than humans being created out of dirt, or having seas magically part, or making blind people see again?
Then I realized that I had never really believed in god, that I only did in my childhood because it was the only way I knew how to think. I was never serious when I asked god for help on stuff, and I didn't expect any help (nor did I recieve any). It was just what 'everyone' was supposed to believe, so I casually believed too, until I was old enough to start postulating my own opinions.
After that, I started to develop my own world opinions on what's right and what's wrong and the afterlife and all that stuff.
I don't believe in heaven, but I have a few theories of what happens after you die.
One- there's nothing. You die, you're dead, your conciousness fades to black.
Two- Your spirit goes back and rejoins with the Earth.
Three- Your body dies, but your conciousness lives on and you create your own heaven or hell based on what you think of yourself at the time you die.
Four- You get reincarnated into another random form.
Right now, I'm not sure which I believe, but two sounds the best to me. Though I'm not really worried about it at this point, whatever happens happens and there's nothing I can do about it.

[thegreenmooseofdoom]

Hmm... I feel like I have more to say on this, but I can't gather my thoughts up in a nice neat bundle just yet. Maybe later.

[Oily]

Yours was interesting to read, Ember. That idea is what I have been basing my novel on - a god that is a teller of stories, with people as characters and their lives as plotlines. But these people create their own characters too, as they write stories, and some of the characters in those stories are story writers. And, of course, at the top of that, there's me writing this story, and you believing that there is a god writing my story on top of that
Another theme to my novel is also predestination, fate, future and choices - whether we make our own paths or not.

[Smiley]

Oily said:

Yours was interesting to read, Ember. That idea is what I have been basing my novel on - a god that is a teller of stories, with people as characters and their lives as plotlines. But these people create their own characters too, as they write stories, and some of the characters in those stories are story writers. And, of course, at the top of that, there's me writing this story, and you believing that there is a god writing my story on top of that
Another theme to my novel is also predestination, fate, future and choices - whether we make our own paths or not.

I thought of an idea similar to that last night. Hopefully they aren't too similar, so it won't seem like I'm stealing your idea... mine is about the girl who has our entire universe within her mind, but no one in her life believes that what she is imagining and creating really exists. Her father keeps trying to force it out of her, and she is afraid that this entire universe will be erased from existence because she has failed to care for it.

I'm finding it hard to believe, now, that our lives are already planned out. If we can't change the course of our own lives, make our own decisions, then what is the purpose of life?

But thank you all for sharing - it's really making me think a lot deeper than I would have on my own. ^_^

[Torey]

I've been reading all your posts and how we are all characters and it's reminded me of how I sometimes feel about the world and the universe and everything. Sometimes I think that the world is a massive stage or studio where everyone is just acting. Sometimes I look around me and think of what people are saying around me as their lines. And then I think that what people are doing and what is going on around us is real but somehow I still think of it as acting. It's weird.

[thegreenmooseofdoom]

Ginger said:

I've been reading all your posts and how we are all characters and it's reminded me of how I sometimes feel about the world and the universe and everything. Sometimes I think that the world is a massive stage or studio where everyone is just acting. Sometimes I look around me and think of what people are saying around me as their lines. And then I think that what people are doing and what is going on around us is real but somehow I still think of it as acting. It's weird.

I've felt that way sometimes too, though for me, it's usually the thought that I'm the only real person, and that... well, this is going to sound insanely egocentric, but that the universe revolves around me. It's just a thought I have once in a while. An unsettling thought, yes, but it could be a possibility. I mean, I just try to imagine what it's like to be inside someone else's head, and it's really hard to think about.
Plus, my life is a lot like some sort of staged movie or TV show... I mean, everything that happens seems to have some ulterior purpose, and it seems to flow in a pattern. Last 'season' of my life was really depressing, but now they're bringing back some fun and happiness back to the 'show'. I'm not sure it'll last.
I have no idea what I'm talking about now, so I'll shut up.

[thegreenmooseofdoom]

More on my life's philosophy:

I do think that Jesus once existed, that he was a nice guy and a good leader and such, but I don't think he was anything more than a mortal man. His followers just made him out to be much more fantastic than he really was, and that's where the religion came from. It is my personal belief that Jesus died thousands of years ago, and was no more 'divine' than you or me.

On another tangent, I believe in good and evil, but in relative terms. Basically, there are no truths in the universe- everything is subjective.
Nothing is black and white, it's all shades of grey that shift hues depending on who's looking at it. I wrote a mini essay about this, I'll post it here.

There are no universal truths. There are no constants, there is no right, and there is no wrong.
Everything is subjective, and if you believe something and can offer a valid arguement about why and how it is, then it exists.
If reality = your perception of the world, then it's logical to say that reality=perceptions=beliefs of the individual.
So basically what is "real" is just what you choose to awknowledge as real.
I believe in ghosts, so they are real, if only to me and a few others.
I don't believe in a god, so he is not real; however, he may very well be real to you.
Everything is subjective. There is no straight and narrow, no black and white. It's all shades of grey that changes hue depending on who's looking at it. I'm right, you're right- we're ALL right.
Our perceptions and realities are influenced by a smattering of factors; upbringing, culture, life experiences, peer and media influences... the list goes on.
The only thing I know for certain through all this is that I believe what I believe, and can back it up, and so it is real to me.

And then I wrote another mini essay thingy, on a different but similar topic.

The reason that certain beliefs are so prevalent, such as gravity, morals, and religion, is because we come in contact with such theories when we are young. When you are young, you believe blindly every thing you are told. It is only after a certain age that you begin to siphon off the things you choose not to believe, a few prime examples being Santa Claus and magic.
The subconcious goal of every human, it seems, is to convert others to their way of thought.
This is why debates are so popular, along with essays, informercials, literature, and protests.
We find it difficult to accept the fact that there are people out there with radically different opinions than our own. This is quite obvious when you look back in history... the Crusades, the Civil War, the human rights movement... all of these were just an attempt to get other people on their same wavelength, to get them to think the same as them.
The best way to avoid conflict and needless fighting is to keep an open mind at all times. Accept the fact that not everyone is the same, nor believes everything you do.
Once we are able to look past these uncontrollable differences, we should be able to scry out the similarities rather than differences, and step forwards in peaceful unity.



Wow, reading back over that, I sound like a snob. Eck. >_< But my points still stand. Therefore. Ergo. Visavi.

[The Wanderer]

When I think about how the universe came to be, I often wonder how much we really know about what is out there. Even today, in astrological terms, we are still discovering things we never knew existed, in the entire history of mankind. There is so much we dont know. And so much we never will.

Yet, does this mean we simply accept the theories that are offered by many people, and not try to gain a better understanding of the thing that may hold the key to all our unanswerable questions?

I have an idea that there is something out there with great power that can bring chaos to order in an instant. When I speak of this, I speak of God. I believe this, because I also believe that every celestial body in the universe exists because of one principle: Balance.

If not for balance, then our sun would immediately destabilize and explode, taking the entire solar system with it. If not for balance, if stars didnt die like all living things here on Earth do, then every galaxy would be slowly overcrowded with stars, causing the entire galaxy to collapse. (speaking theoretically.)

There HAS to be something that exists to maintain that delicate balance, and since we humans cant seem to control our own population, or not disturb the balance of Earth's ecosystem, it has to be something of higher being. That is why I believe that God is as real as you and I. Sure, believing in an entity that much of the world believes in might lead some to say that I lack imagination, and individual thought, but I think that despite our admissably obscure knowledge of God's existence, it is at least something as reasonable as science's many theories, and simple explanations.

All I can say is, presently, there is nothing produced by humans that is exactly right, in terms of how the universe, the Milky Way, Earth, and humans were created. All we can do now is have faith in the ideas each of us, as individuals, have on how we came to be. Because like it or not, faith is all we have now, and it is up to you on how you want to direct it.

[Jessica Coconut]

My mom has a saying, and I think it's the only thing we can hold true on this or any other topic similar.

"The more you know, the more you know that you don't know"

So the more we learn about the universe, the more we'll realise there are things we don't know and will probably never find out.

It seems to be true when looking at past experiences. When I was a child, maybe 5, I thought I knew everything. I had my questions, but I never thought much farther than those that we'll never solve, and maybe basic mathematic operations (addition, subtration, multiplication, division). But now, I know algebra, basic trigonometry, and a good grade 9 education in everything else. I think, well, everyone keeps saying you need trigonometry for Calculus, but what's calculus? Slowly as I learn more, I realise there's more and more for me to learn. 'Tis a never-ending paradox.

[KittyKadaveral]

Humans were created as a companion for dogs. Dogs were supposed to rule the world, but something happened. They trained their pets too well, taught them to literally speak, but unfortunately didn't teach them to heel or stay. This is why dogs are always a constant friend to people no matter how stupid they behave or treat them. Think about it, god spelled backwards is dog

just so you don't scream, i'm just playing and having fun i don't really believe that, but it's a cute story idea

[Princess Ember Mononoke]

KKM said:

Ember, are you saying that God is, unlike us, absolutely real, or just that he's the one who created our universe? Is every single one of us here at the Forum a god as well to a universe that is as real as the one we're living in--in other words, is God just an imperfect, imagined character like we are, and there could be an infinite chain of gods and characters before we get back to absolute reality and the absolute creator? (I'm not trying to pick at you or anything; this is genuine curiosity. I've heard variations on that view before, and it's one of the most...I don't know how to express it exactly, something like intriguing and something like awe-inspiring...ones I know.)

Actually, I've been wondering about that myself just recently. If it's true, it would be completely impossible to know on any level if our God didn't know it Itself. I remain open to the possibility and any future insights it might bring, but for now the idea of an absolute God feels true to me.

Smiley: Wow! That's really, really great. I think you've just had a really special experience. Not the same as mine, but they never are exactly alike. If you have trouble with the whole predestination idea, meditate on this: haven't there ever been times when you've tried to get a character to do something, but this annoying little voice in your head keeps saying "What? I would NEVER do something like THAT!" I have a sneaking suspicion body/minds can do that too.

Kiddo: That doesn't sound idiotic. That sounds beautiful. You've come to a place of peace, and that is what really matters, more than any of the ideas that sometimes accompany it.

I do think that Jesus once existed, that he was a nice guy and a good leader and such, but I don't think he was anything more than a mortal man. His followers just made him out to be much more fantastic than he really was, and that's where the religion came from. It is my personal belief that Jesus died thousands of years ago, and was no more 'divine' than you or me.

Heh, you know what's funny? I believe that too - and by "that" I mean the belief exactly as you phrased it - but in the context of my beliefs, it means something completely different.
Jesus was no more 'divine' than you or me - he just KNEW that he was divine more than almost everyone knows it. He had such a deep, unshakable understanding of what this world is - of how 'unreal' it is and of the divine prescence within himself - that he was able to manipulate it (think what Neo did with the Matrix at the end of the first movie). I believe some of the Miracles are real, and others aren't - I'm not sure which are which. I'm not sure whether he came back from the dead or not - I strongly doubt it, but with God, anything is possible (back to the writing analogy: hey! dues ex machinas happen!)

Kitty: That was cute. I laughed. If there were someone who really believed that, I would spend a LOT of time around them. Never a dull moment.

[Smiley]

I don't believe that Jesus was divine, either, for the exact reasons that other people have posted. He was a wonderful person, yes, but just a human like everyone else.

I've certainly been thinking deeply on everything you've said on this thread, Ember, and although I'm not completely sure, I have worked things out in my head, matched some beliefs together, and have a better understanding of what exactly I believe in.

Out of curiosity, has anyone here seen "Dogma"? One of the characters said that it's better to have an idea of a higher power than a belief, because the moment we call something a belief, we can no longer change it. Religion then becomes a burden rather than a blessing. You can change an idea, because an idea is never completely set in stone - ideas are meant to be changed, meant to grow with the knowledge we gain over the years.

Just a thought for discussion. I found that pretty interesting... as well as the portrayal of God as a woman ^_~. Gotta love that.

But for all we know, God could be a woman... or maybe gender was something our God just created. Just another thought. Anything is possible.

[Pooh]

What seriously creeps me out is the fact that the universe is never ending.... But.. everything that has a begining has an end (heh, Matrix)... but than.... what's at the end of the universe?... Bah *has a headache*