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In a universe devoid of meaning... Why give a shit about the future of humanity?

Other than the instinctual drives to procreate and survive, we are each saddled with the awesome task of creating meaning.

We had discussed on another thread "Why do we have a 'need' for the human race to continue after we are gone?" After all, every single life on the planet will end in one lifetime regardless of annihilation. Is it because of love for our children? Is it an extension of our survival instinct? Why do so many of us (atheists) make, "improving humanity" a component of our life meaning?

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Edward Teach on December 8, 2009 at 10:03am

Do you know what I mean? What a killer "think tank" resource! This is hands down, the smartest group of people I have ever encountered. You know that IQ blog I did (sort of tongue in cheek)? It feels like the rest of the world hasn't arrived at square one yet and this group is already on square ten!

Permalink Reply by Glenn Sogge on December 8, 2009 at 10:05am

Yup -- that's us. A bunch of squares!

Permalink Reply by Edward Teach on December 8, 2009 at 10:12am

Square pegs!

Permalink Reply by Glenn Sogge on December 8, 2009 at 12:36pm

I thought of that earlier but then figured I'd get kicked out of the Feminist Atheists group.

Permalink Reply by Johnny on December 8, 2009 at 6:15pm

actually, it seems to me so far that feminists are some of the most sexually comfortable women ever!

They don't let men going around having all the kinky fun to themselves ;)

Permalink Reply by Johnny on December 8, 2009 at 11:52am

eh... it passes the time. While we're stuck on this goddammed rock we might as well feel good and help other people feel good too.

Permalink Reply by Edward Teach on December 8, 2009 at 12:33pm

it passes the time

Lmao... beats TV

Permalink Reply by Johnny on December 8, 2009 at 6:16pm

goes both ways too. tv only goes one.

Permalink Reply by Glenn Sogge on December 8, 2009 at 4:01pm

This just in: Social Scientists Build Case for 'Survival of the Kindest'

Permalink Reply by Edward Teach on December 9, 2009 at 6:01am

Well, there it is.

Permalink Reply by Howard S. Dunn on February 12, 2010 at 2:01pm

I have cited this all over the place - but 70,000 years ago there were 2,000 humans world-wide. We didn't survive by being selfish back then - no way. And, here in modernity, our principles have many railing against the very notion we could be responsible for the extinction of a species through our actions to the extent that we create laws protecting endangered species.

Blue whales - pre-whaling - numbered 275,000 - down to 2,000 in the early sixties and now up to 5,000. Still, a very sad statistic - but evidence of an extraspecies sensibility.

Permalink Reply by Jim Mo. on November 6, 2011 at 12:42am

I am all for understanding human evolution. I do wonder, however, if understanding that our brain/genes package has evolved to support the continuation of our genes is sufficiently a "meaning" to our life in the goal-less Universe. Yet, why should a "logical argument" for not caring for the future of humanity be more meaningful than a naturally evolved propensity to care for that future?

Existence before essence; we are what we are not only from our own personal choices but also from choices of our ancestors and the selection processes of evolution on our species. Is there meaning in this...?