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The meaning of life is a philosophical question concerning the significance of life or existence in general. It can also be expressed in different forms, such as "Why are we here?", "What is life all about?", and "What is the purpose of existence?" It has been the subject of much philosophical, scientific, and theological speculation throughout history. There have been a large number of proposed answers to these questions from many different cultural and ideological backgrounds.
The meaning of life is in the philosophical and religious conceptions of existence, social ties, consciousness, and happiness, and borders on many other issues, such as symbolic meaning, ontology, value, purpose, ethics, good and evil, free will, the existence of one or multiple Gods, conceptions of God, the soul, and the afterlife. Scientific contributions focus primarily on describing related empirical facts about the universe, exploring the context and parameters concerning the 'how' of life. Science also studies and can provide recommendations for the pursuit of well-being and a related conception of morality. An alternative, humanistic approach poses the question "What is the meaning of my life?" The value of the question pertaining to the purpose of life may coincide with the achievement of ultimate reality, or a feeling of oneness, or even a feeling of sacredness. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meaning_of_life
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Hello, PlatinumHear. As you can see, the questions you ask have puzzled many throughout the millenniums. Multitudes have stepped up to share their perceptions of the whys and wheres.
Psychology Today has a section devoted to:
The Big Question: Why Are We Here? "Why am I here on Earth? It can be a passing thought or a question that launches a full-on existential exploration. Having a sense of meaning and purpose in life is usually a positive motivator, at home and at work. But maybe the questioning itself is where life's true mission is found... " The section has many contributors.
Rick Warren gives a TED talk on a life of purpose here:
http://www.ted.com/talks/rick_warren...f_purpose.html I enjoyed the talk but smiled upon its completion. The many aptitude tests I have taken tell me I am in the forty to sixty range on a scale of zero to one hundred in all ten categories. I scored highest at being a bookkeeper or a clerk. Yet, I have never been good at numbers.
So, it seemed to me it did not matter much what I did. Helen Keller helped me: “I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do.”
I tried to do something I could do.