Life has no meaning. Each of us has meaning and we bring it to life. It is a waste to be asking the question when you are the answer — Joseph Campbell
Summary: The origins of biology — the study of how life emerges — present a fascinating story. A central question in this exploration is whether a designer, with intent and purpose, is required to explain the complexity of life, including our own existence and consciousness. Alternatively, can biology arise inevitably from natural processes, such as the formation of the Sun and Earth, and the forces of natural selection, without invoking a designer? Perhaps it can.
The Inevitability of the Birth of the Sun and the Earth
The formation of the Sun and the Earth can be traced back to the collapse of a molecular gas cloud in our galaxy. Over time, driven by randomness creating local inhomogeneities, gravity caused the cloud to collapse, forming a rotating disk of gas and dust. At the center of this disk, the Sun was born, while the remaining material coalesced to form the planets, including Earth. This process, driven by the fundamental forces of physics and ever-present randomness, set the stage for the possible emergence of biology.
The Inevitability of Natural Selection
Natural selection, a process first described by Charles Darwin, played a crucial role in shaping the diversity of biology we see today. Natural selection operates on the principle that individuals with traits better suited to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. Over time, these advantageous traits become more common in a population, leading to the evolution of new species. Natural section is also an inevitable outcome of an environment in which resources are constrained and for which biological forms compete to sustain and reproduce.
The Inevitability of the Emergence of Biology
Stemming from the inevitability of the formation of stars and planets, and the principle of natural selection, lies the possibility of the inevitability of biology. This process can begin with the emergence of self-replicating molecules, resulting from constant chemical reactions fueled by various energy sources, including the Sun. The potential for biology to emerge through this process is a more elegant and simpler solution to the mystery of the emergence of biological forms than invoking the existence of a designer with an end purpose in mind.
Meaning and Purpose of My Life
If biology — and my existence within it — is merely the consequence of a machinery in motion, evolving through trial and error within the guardrails of natural law, and if, were the wheel of creation spun again, a different outcome would likely emerge — one in which I do not exist — then what does that imply about the meaning and purpose of my life?
Can I find comfort in understanding that my being here is nothing special? Can I find comfort in knowing that I may be an outcome of randomness, and yet, get up in the morning, go and play Pickleball and give my best effort to win, and as the evening descends, feeling content, enjoy a glass of wine? After that, as the hands to the clock inch towards 10 pm, can I go to bed with a sense of fulfilment, looking forward to getting up again the next morning and repeat it over with anticipation and joy?
Even with this knowledge and understanding that my life has no inherent meaning and purpose (or is even part of something that has one), it is still hard to escape its fallout. This knowledge offers no comfort.
The finiteness of my existence and thoughts of what may remain of me (possibly nothing?) after I die can still create a sense of emptiness that is often difficult to accept (in thinking about the consequences of death, it is the end of my personal history that is most disorienting). I often end up grappling with the existential crisis of questioning why I go through the same motions day after day. The force of this question occasionally hits like a hammer without a warning.
Even after knowing that life may not have an inherent meaning, the mind yearns to find one.
Alternatively, embracing the notion that my existence is nothing special can also lead to a sense of liberation — I no longer have to search for something that does not exist. I am free to reimagine the meaning and purpose of my life the way that seems reasonable and convincing.
Recognizing that I am part of a larger, impersonal universe could still allow me to find comfort in the mundane aspects of life. Engaging in everyday activities with focus and mindfulness of being in the present (which allows me to temporarily forget or overcome the knowledge of my inherent meaninglessness), activities such as playing Pickleball, enjoying a glass of wine, or washing dishes (while washing dishes), can provide a sense of fulfillment, albeit effervescent, in a universe that lacks an inherent meaning and purpose.
By acknowledging that although I am fundamentally composed of chemistry and I am an outcome of randomness, I can still be aware of my connection with a larger universe. Further, I can reimagine a sense of meaning and purpose derived from my actions and relationships with others. Engaging in activities with intention and focus, perhaps, I can lead to a fulfilling and content life in a universe that has none.
Perhaps, I can even go beyond that.
Reimagining Meaning and Purpose
In knowing that although my being here has no inherent purpose, I could still live my days and try to leave the universe for the future generations to live theirs (and live it better than I did). And that, perhaps, is reimagining of the meaning and purpose of my life and is the proper tribute I can give to my being here by chance.
Having the luck to live a life (and that too, also being lucky enough to have a good life), its meaning and purpose could be working towards making life of others in the present and in the future have the same opportunity, if not better.
Perhaps, with this notion in mind, a content life is still within my reach if I am to accept the even-present randomness and meaninglessness of everything in the universe while recognizing that although my existence has no inherent purpose, it can still find meaning in my daily actions.
Sitting by the riverbank, contemplating my place in the vastness of space and time, I can find a sense of peace and understanding amidst a universe that has no inherent meaning and purpose.
Perhaps for some of us, this is the path towards a sort of enlightenment and for accepting death and of dying with grace.
Ciao, and thanks for reading.
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