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Discussion » Questions » Human Behavior » I have often thought about this. Does the Human race actually have a purpose other than to just reproduce and destroy?

I have often thought about this. Does the Human race actually have a purpose other than to just reproduce and destroy?

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Posted - August 26, 2018

Responses


  • 1713
    No living thing really has a purpose, or non-living things for that matter. At least that's how I view it all. I guess it's a matter of opinion.
      August 26, 2018 3:28 PM MDT
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  • 44173
    Bees pollinate, earthworms recycle, small animals provide food, large predators control prey populations, animal waste fertilizes. I could go on and on. What do we do other than to screw up the balance that existed before us.
      August 26, 2018 5:07 PM MDT
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  • 1713
    In the end it's all pointless, so they still don't really have a purpose. I don't really see the point of the life cycle when all it really is is a perpetuation of death and suffering. Unless there's some kind of god who gets his jollies off watching it then I guess he created it for the purpose of his creepy fetish, but I don't think that's the case. Even if it was all butter cookies and friendship, it still wouldn't have a purpose. Anyway, despite my emo babble, I don't think it's a bad thing that nothing has any real purpose. I think we'd all be happier if we stop searching for some non-existent purpose and live our lives to the fullest and help others along the way, but we can't live happy lives if we trash the environment so people definitely need to clean up their act.
      August 26, 2018 7:42 PM MDT
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  • 5391
    (Note: my wife taught HS Biology for 14 years)
    The practice of assigning purpose to things, particularly in the natural world, is called teleology. For the most part, this ideology assigns solutions that are more simple convenience than fact, as it tends to subvert the processes of cause and effect. 

    For example, bees don’t exist to pollinate, they consume nectar and transfer pollen as a by-product of feeding. Small animals don’t exist solely to be food, but they become food because they happen to be locally available to the larger animals. 
    Not all animal waste fertilizes, as carnivores‘ waste is too acidic, and requires addtional “processing” by another phylum of species to be rendered usable to plants.

    The error of teleology is this: Life forms evolve as a matter of filling an opportunity, not because opportunity is molded to them. This post was edited by Don Barzini at August 27, 2018 3:36 PM MDT
      August 26, 2018 8:19 PM MDT
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  • 44173
    Thanks. I guess I was oversimplifying.
      August 27, 2018 1:32 PM MDT
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  • 5391
    It’s all good, you made a coherent argument to support your question.
    If only that it were a more common occurance here. ;)
      August 27, 2018 3:30 PM MDT
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  • 44173
    I only taught biology for 2 years.
      August 27, 2018 5:04 PM MDT
    3

  • 5391
    My wife asks which field of biology? 
      August 27, 2018 5:33 PM MDT
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  • 14795
    Humans are what we are today because we've evolved into animals with thumbs....Greed comes from the survival of the fittest and to this day ,it still rules the world with an iron fist....  :( 
      August 26, 2018 4:22 PM MDT
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  • 44173
    Greed and power over others.
      August 26, 2018 5:08 PM MDT
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  • 14795
    Sounds about right...Look at Saddam Hussein....Being just a ruler wasn't anough for him....he needed to get off  by mutilating his own countrymen.... 
      August 26, 2018 6:22 PM MDT
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  • 7280
    Apparently---nope. 

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      August 26, 2018 4:58 PM MDT
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  • 5391
    Not that I’ve seen. It would really be something if we as a species could unite in a single purpose. Some will say man’s purpose is to “serve God”, and the ever-contrasting versions of that ideal have bred strife and destruction on an incomparable scale. 

    History is a long litany of our self-interest and conflicting purposes. Somehow, we’ve managed to plod forward anyway, despite ourselves and our lack of cohesion. This post was edited by Don Barzini at August 29, 2018 2:16 AM MDT
      August 26, 2018 5:48 PM MDT
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  • 52903

      In that sentence, the word 'human' should be lowercase, not uppercase. 


      August 26, 2018 11:47 PM MDT
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  • 5808
    To discover our hidden treasure within,
    and to realize that eternal Truth found within.
    ...and then to Live within that Truth in eternal bliss
    as all things in life fall into place.
      August 27, 2018 9:27 AM MDT
    3

  • To love and help one another, but those are just 2 of our purposes.  There are many to many others.
      August 27, 2018 1:09 PM MDT
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  • 1502
    There definitely is no common purpose to life amongst humans. To me my purpose is to be a good person, help others, make the world a better place, and to take care of earth. 
      August 27, 2018 3:38 PM MDT
    2

  • 10026
    No.  We are a virus to the planet.  This post was edited by Merlin at August 29, 2018 5:24 AM MDT
      August 29, 2018 12:47 AM MDT
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  • 1305
    To grow and to create? Or....
    Globalisation and a bunch of debt slaves :)


      August 30, 2018 3:25 PM MDT
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  • 22891
    i would hope so
      September 7, 2018 4:43 PM MDT
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  • 1326
    "The conclusion of the matter, everything having been heard, is: Fear the true God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole obligation of man." (Eclesiastes 12:13)
      September 11, 2018 11:22 PM MDT
    0