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We're complex biological machines originally engineered by statistics as optimized meat-sacks to transport and propagate a set of genes on a rock falling throug
by phobosanomaly 6y ago
We're complex biological machines originally engineered by statistics as optimized meat-sacks to transport and propagate a set of genes on a rock falling through the emptiness of space. The meat sacks got good at self-awareness, developed science, and built complex social and political institutions. There's no intrinsic meaning.
The purpose of our bodies is to carry and propagate genes. But, in the sense of taking self-awareness and the capacity for abstract thought into account it's about whatever we decide it's about. For most of human history it's been about finding enough food to not die, and not getting eaten by anything, and not getting killed by anyone, and not falling off of anything, and not freezing to death, and finding a better cave, and having sex.
Now people make it about everything from dying for their god, to serving their community, to smoking weed and speed-running Resident Evil.
What a time to be alive.
- grecht 6y agoWe're mostly on the same page. But I think you got the question wrong - they more likely would like to know how HN users try to live a life which is meaningful (to themselves). That's the kind of meaning which does exist!