Today, we had a discussion with a friend about the idea of existence. It all started from our curiosity of if. If he would choose to have children after his marriage. What seemed like a simple question is indeed much more complicated than it is and many of us don't really think about it. It is as if populating Earth is a natural given job.
Or is it?
What is the reason for the birth of a child if 1) he/she has no control and choice in selection of his/her existence and 2) he/she will only realize his/her own purpose years after his/her existence (or worst, in most cases we don't even realize what is our purpose in life 3) Why do we want to create something that we have no absolute idea what it will become?
Faith and Science:
Before you carry on reading the posts, we'll like to state a disclaimer that what you are about to read is purely a personal opinion and assumption, NOT to give an answer but to find some worthwhile meaning within the question. With that, we'll like to take two different approach to the question, Why Do We Exists?
First off, we'll like to take a look at the question from the Faith perspective. Assuming there is an absolute being; God, Buddha or Allah, etc, then our existence and purpose comes from that creator. But unfortunately, that being does not exist in a physical body so at this point of time, we do not have access to a direct answer either by phone or email. Thus, we can only reason our ways through assumptions and probability. In this case, presumingly the one absolute being has a reason called "x" for human's existence. (or all being's existence) How do we know if the reason "x" is right, wrong or worth a reason in the first place? Now assuming this reason "x" (whatever reason it is) is wrong, then today, the existence of human is meaningless. But what if the reason "x" is correct? What if there IS a real purpose of our existence? In order for this situation to happen, the reason "x" must be perfect and flawless. And since it comes from one entity, then that entity must be perfect and flawless too , else every reason from that entity is debatable. Since this being is perfect, it must then be an Omnipotent being; with perfect infinite absolute power able to create anything. But sad to say, we know the world is not perfect. If such a being exist, there is only one question to ask that being, " Can you create a stone heavy enough that you couldn't lift it?" No being would be able to do that because regardless of the result, that being will be flawed: either he/she can't create that stone or he/she created the stone and will never be able to lift it. Thus if no entity can have absolute power, every entity then share the same possibility of making a wrong decision. So if indeed there is a spiritual being, then his/her reason, "x" stands to have the probability of being a wrong reason for our existence. Thus knowing whatever "x" is, is meaningless because it is not an absolute right answer.
Now let's take a look from the Science perspective. Why do we exist? Unfortunately, we're not scientist and thus, we cannot provide the details of how the cell evolve itself and its meaning to the whole community and planet. So for this perspective, we'll be fair and approach it with assumptions and probability again. Lets assume from the negative scenario first that there is no scientific reason for our existence. Once again, humans are redundant. Then we presume with, or without our existence, it doesn't matter to mother nature. Now on the other hand, if there IS a scientific reason for our existence, then, that reason, being "y" must be significant enough because if not, we are disposable and a "good to have" product.
Let's say, for some reason, there are no humans on Earth. Would the Lion still hunt on its prey? Would the trees carry on to grow? In fact, life still goes on regardless of our existence and maybe, life goes on longer and better without the depletion of the Ozone Layer. In fact, we probably exist to harm more than aid. So if our existence is destructive, then won't it be better for us to cease existence regardless of whatever scientific reason "y" is? Now let's take another scientific look. In order for us to exist, Earth must exist, after all, without water, air and gravity, nothing would have happened. So what is the reason for Earth's existence. How then, did Earth exist? Base on Scientific grounds, the most famous one would be the big bang theory. But why Earth? Why didn't Mars, Jupiter or Venus get the same bang as Earth? Why ain't they livable? Some say it happened by Chance. Now assume you are playing poker with your best friend and he is the dealer. The game you're playing is 21 and for the past 20 rounds, he has been dealing the perfect point of 21 to himself every single round. Would you believe that it was chance? Or would you have doubt that he cheated? What are the possibilities that Earth was created by chance? It had to be that exact gravity,exact water, that countless requirement to exist all during the moment of that big bang in order for it to work. What are the odds that something so perfect happened by chance or did someone cheated? And if Chance is the reason then ultimately, all of us exist on the reason of chance, which indeed, is meaningless and chances are, that is not what happened.
Which is pretty meaningless.
Let's say, for some reason, there are no humans on Earth. Would the Lion still hunt on its prey? Would the trees carry on to grow? In fact, life still goes on regardless of our existence and maybe, life goes on longer and better without the depletion of the Ozone Layer. In fact, we probably exist to harm more than aid. So if our existence is destructive, then won't it be better for us to cease existence regardless of whatever scientific reason "y" is? Now let's take another scientific look. In order for us to exist, Earth must exist, after all, without water, air and gravity, nothing would have happened. So what is the reason for Earth's existence. How then, did Earth exist? Base on Scientific grounds, the most famous one would be the big bang theory. But why Earth? Why didn't Mars, Jupiter or Venus get the same bang as Earth? Why ain't they livable? Some say it happened by Chance. Now assume you are playing poker with your best friend and he is the dealer. The game you're playing is 21 and for the past 20 rounds, he has been dealing the perfect point of 21 to himself every single round. Would you believe that it was chance? Or would you have doubt that he cheated? What are the possibilities that Earth was created by chance? It had to be that exact gravity,exact water, that countless requirement to exist all during the moment of that big bang in order for it to work. What are the odds that something so perfect happened by chance or did someone cheated? And if Chance is the reason then ultimately, all of us exist on the reason of chance, which indeed, is meaningless and chances are, that is not what happened.
So what then is our purpose and why did we even exist in the first place?
