Deepwater6 Posted March 13, 2017 Report Share Posted March 13, 2017 Why are we? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A-wal Posted March 13, 2017 Report Share Posted March 13, 2017 Why not? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pzkpfw Posted March 13, 2017 Report Share Posted March 13, 2017 Patterns that replicate, replicate. Errors in the pattern, can be replicated. JMJones0424 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A-wal Posted March 13, 2017 Report Share Posted March 13, 2017 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthropic_principle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pzkpfw Posted March 13, 2017 Report Share Posted March 13, 2017 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banana Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMJones0424 Posted March 14, 2017 Report Share Posted March 14, 2017 Why are we?We are, without a single contrary instance, here because our forebears procreated. I suspect, though, that your question of why we are here might involve why were our forebears here. If this is your question, then I don't know that there can be an answer, as the question implies a motive that has not been shown to exist. If you agree that you live because your parents produced an organism that became you, and if you follow that lineage all the way to the first organism that existed on Earth, then there isn't an answer to any philosophical "why" question I can come up with. You could ask "how"? I would likewise answer that I don't know. But, at least this is a question that seems to me to be answerable. When asked, "why?" I infer intent. While I cannot explicitly rule out a creative force that set in motion the chain of reactions that led to my being, I can honestly claim that I have no reason to believe such a thing must have taken place in order for me to question my existence. I, like many others in the past, have questioned even what it means to be able to question what existence is. It's suddenly occurs to me that I may not be answering your question. I think the question I was answering was "Why am I?" But, you clearly asked, "Why are we?" This is an entirely different question, and one that can be answered more with sociological studies that I am nearly entirely ignorant of. It is clear that the vast majority of "us" are somewhat social animals. I guess, in answer, I must ask what you mean by "why", "are", and "we"? I am not being trying to be pedantic, but it seems that I must be. I am legitimately confused about what you are asking. sanctus 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maine farmer Posted March 14, 2017 Report Share Posted March 14, 2017 Because we can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrKrettin Posted March 14, 2017 Report Share Posted March 14, 2017 I am legitimately confused about what you are asking. This is a normal state of affairs when somebody asks a question in a philosophy forum. The question is deceptively simple, giving it the appearance of being profound, so anybody can post questions like this and think they are giving the impression of thinking deeply. I have however learned something about bananas, so there is usually a spin-off. OceanBreeze and JMJones0424 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OceanBreeze Posted March 14, 2017 Report Share Posted March 14, 2017 This is a normal state of affairs when somebody asks a question in a philosophy forum. The question is deceptively simple, giving it the appearance of being profound, so anybody can post questions like this and think they are giving the impression of thinking deeply. I have however learned something about bananas, so there is usually a spin-off. 'Daylight come and me wan' go home ...'Harry Belafonte is still alive; just turned 90 on March 1st. How is that for a spin-off? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrKrettin Posted March 14, 2017 Report Share Posted March 14, 2017 Great! And I think the real issue is why the title of the thread is "us", not "we". If Prince Charles had started the thread, it would have been "One". JMJones0424 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exchemist Posted March 14, 2017 Report Share Posted March 14, 2017 This is a normal state of affairs when somebody asks a question in a philosophy forum. The question is deceptively simple, giving it the appearance of being profound, so anybody can post questions like this and think they are giving the impression of thinking deeply. I have however learned something about bananas, so there is usually a spin-off.Yes, I was particularly amused to see there is an informal unit of radioactive exposure called the Banana Equivalent Dose. You learn something every day. sanctus 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deepwater6 Posted March 14, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2017 We are, without a single contrary instance, here because our forebears procreated. I suspect, though, that your question of why we are here might involve why were our forebears here. If this is your question, then I don't know that there can be an answer, as the question implies a motive that has not been shown to exist. If you agree that you live because your parents produced an organism that became you, and if you follow that lineage all the way to the first organism that existed on Earth, then there isn't an answer to any philosophical "why" question I can come up with. You could ask "how"? I would likewise answer that I don't know. But, at least this is a question that seems to me to be answerable. When asked, "why?" I infer intent. While I cannot explicitly rule out a creative force that set in motion the chain of reactions that led to my being, I can honestly claim that I have no reason to believe such a thing must have taken place in order for me to question my existence. I, like many others in the past, have questioned even what it means to be able to question what existence is. It's suddenly occurs to me that I may not be answering your question. I think the question I was answering was "Why am I?" But, you clearly asked, "Why are we?" This is an entirely different question, and one that can be answered more with sociological studies that I am nearly entirely ignorant of. It is clear that the vast majority of "us" are somewhat social animals. I guess, in answer, I must ask what you mean by "why", "are", and "we"? I am not being trying to be pedantic, but it seems that I must be. I am legitimately confused about what you are asking.When I originally asked the question I had hoped the thread would take a Deterministic or fruit direction, but please take it wherever you'd like. If you need the "why are we" defined let's just say all of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maine farmer Posted March 14, 2017 Report Share Posted March 14, 2017 When I originally asked the question I had hoped the thread would take a Deterministic or fruit direction, but please take it wherever you'd like. If you need the "why are we" defined let's just say all of it.Regardless of why we exist, it is important to realize that it is up to us to decide what to do with our existence. JMJones0424 and pzkpfw 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrKrettin Posted March 15, 2017 Report Share Posted March 15, 2017 Regardless of why we exist, it is important to realize that it is up to us to decide what to do with our existence. Do you think we are doing a good job of it? I mean globally, such as nuclear bombs, Trump, Syria etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exchemist Posted March 15, 2017 Report Share Posted March 15, 2017 Do you think we are doing a good job of it? I mean globally, such as nuclear bombs, Trump, Syria etc.On the other hand we have just about got rid of human sacrifice......... JMJones0424 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrKrettin Posted March 15, 2017 Report Share Posted March 15, 2017 On the other hand we have just about got rid of human sacrifice......... True, but not all superstition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OceanBreeze Posted March 15, 2017 Report Share Posted March 15, 2017 True, but not all superstition. Nothing wrong with a little superstition. I happen to like banana tree ghosts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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