It's All Relative: Why Perspective is Everything

[wuliheron]

Good for your friend. Sounds like a fun game.

You are correct, the question was rhetorical. It was a challenge to anyone who cares to justify this seemingly meaningless pursuit of understanding.

What meaningless pursuit of understanding are you talking about?

 

[Tom McCurdy]

Maybe the best answer the first question: Why not?

 

[dschouten]

Maybe the best answer the first question: Why not?

This would've been my first response, but I don't think that what it implies is the truth.

What it seems to imply is that the question "Why?" is asked merely by happenstance, to keep oneself busy, etc ... (fill in the blank with some other reason). But I don't think this is the case. Out of all the questions that could be asked, "Why?" is distinct. It demands meaning. Its only answer must be filled with meaning - for this is the only type of response that will satisfy it.

Of course, why look for meaning - why ask the question why? What possible meaning could there be? This is what I am hoping will be discussed.

I would prefer it if people just answered these questions honestly, and spared me the argumentative responses about the validity of the question. If you don't like the question, don't answer it.

 

[wuliheron]

This would've been my first response, but I don't think that what it implies is the truth.

What it seems to imply is that the question "Why?" is asked merely by happenstance, to keep oneself busy, etc ... (fill in the blank with some other reason). But I don't think this is the case. Out of all the questions that could be asked, "Why?" is distinct. It demands meaning. Its only answer must be filled with meaning - for this is the only type of response that will satisfy it.

Of course, why look for meaning - why ask the question why? What possible meaning could there be? This is what I am hoping will be discussed.

I would prefer it if people just answered these questions honestly, and spared me the argumentative responses about the validity of the question. If you don't like the question, don't answer it.

What's up with this bait and switch stratagy? Running out of people willing to encourage your rambling? I remind you of what you said previously:

You are correct, the question was rhetorical. It was a challenge to anyone who cares to justify this seemingly meaningless pursuit of understanding.

There is a huge distinction between an argument and a discussion, just as there is a huge difference between a statement and a question. Again, that difference is one of attitude, the only demonstrable source of all meaning.

 

[dschouten]

What's up with this bait and switch stratagy? Running out of people willing to encourage your rambling? I remind you of what you said previously:

Why can't a question also be a challenge? Example: do you think you're better than me?

There is a huge distinction between an argument and a discussion, just as there is a huge difference between a statement and a question. Again, that difference is one of attitude, the only demonstrable source of all meaning.

Whatever. I asked a question, and rather than answering it, 90% of the respondants decided to ignore it or deride it. Why not just answer the friggin' question? What part of normal communication don't you understand?

This is so typical of this forum. If I asked something so simple as is "Is the sky blue" some crack pot would come along and demand that I specify exactly what I mean by 'blue', and what is this 'sky' thing I am talking about anyway?

 

[wuliheron]

Why can't a question also be a challenge? Example: do you think you're better than me?

Whatever. I asked a question, and rather than answering it, 90% of the respondants decided to ignore it or deride it. Why not just answer the friggin' question? What part of normal communication don't you understand?

This is so typical of this forum. If I asked something so simple as is "Is the sky blue" some crack pot would come along and demand that I specify exactly what I mean by 'blue', and what is this 'sky' thing I am talking about anyway?

A question can also be a challange when it is a rhetorical question, as you have already stated your original question was. Evidently, in your case we must ask such questions if we are to understand what you are talking about. For the rest of us, dealing with people who only ask rhetorical questions and slam others is abnormal.

In fact, it is against the policy of this bulletin board.

 

[Locrian]

Whatever. I asked a question, and rather than answering it, 90% of the respondants decided to ignore it or deride it. Why not just answer the friggin' question?

90%? Of the first ten replies to your inital post, seven were people looking for a positive discussion on the topic. Most you shrugged off without discussing their points, and some you were openly sarcastic with. What part of normal communication don't you understand?

 

[BoulderHead]

Consider: you are on your death bed, and have hours to live. Some guy from the philosophy forum rushes into your hospital room and asks something like, I don't know, say "Is it morally right to eat meat?". What do you say? How about, "Bugger off, I'm dying!"


Now stretch those hours out to forty years, or seventy, or a hundred. Does anything fundamentally change? Are these question more meaningful?

Well, we are talking about the human comedy here and so as with all comedy, of course, timing is everything, haha. There’s a time to die and it just may be one would prefer to do exactly that instead of answering questions concerning meat eating. In between birth and death, however, there are also occasions when asking such a question is appropriate and might elicit an answer not muffled by mucus and shortness of breath.

 

[dschouten]

A question can also be a challange when it is a rhetorical question, as you have already stated your original question was. Evidently, in your case we must ask such questions if we are to understand what you are talking about. For the rest of us, dealing with people who only ask rhetorical questions and slam others is abnormal.

In fact, it is against the policy of this bulletin board.

You're still avoiding the question...

 

[wuliheron]

You're still avoiding the question...

So sorry, what was the question again? :laughing:

 

[dschouten]

So sorry, what was the question again? :laughing:

 

[wuliheron]

All you've done is confuse the forum with pointless sidetracks. This is a common tactic: if you can't convince them, confuse them!

:laughing:

(I can use the emoticons too, because I am special)

I can see you are just as special as your "questions" and your emotocons. :zzz:

 

[zubzy]

why ask why?
simply because:

1 - The fundamental - You are human;
2 - Humans thrive on curiosity;
3 - It's a bit of a 'boredom buster.' You have nothing better to do, so for example you visit the physics forums site or discuss among people opinions, and so forth. Ultimately this makes you feel better;
4 - Humans want to live as long as they can given they are healthy;
5 - Because you feel better, you live longer. Or, every time you feel happy/relaxed a few seconds of your life is extended/saved;

Think about these points carefully, because words don't describe what I'm trying to type out here.

 

[dekoi]

We ask the question “Why?” because if we did not, our world would be trapped in a still trance world; therefore, history would not be maintained and philosophy, science, and mathematics would simply be devoid of any progress. Thus, we ask this question because it is what keeps human knowledge progressing. Why contemporary society is so infatuated with passivism is beyond my comprehension.

 

[TENYEARS]

Yes we will all die and yet death really is but a door to a continuance of life. Your life is about it's experience, in living it. As time goes onward, your presence in the here and now is what makes your life, gives it depth, shows you questions shows you answers. Yes, sometimes, it does suck and sometimes it is great. These are tempoary things, for life is not about the highs and lows, it is about what is. When you get to what is you will know it's purpose. You are not ready right now as I am not. I was once given this in a vision/dream. When I recalled it that day it physically saved my life and potentially the lives of others. There was no doubt, no question, no answer only the knowing of what is. Don't speak, bite the bullet and go for the gusto, ask the question to yourself if you are really interested in it. If you do this, the universe must answer you. It is physics, it must comply. Life is logical, the illogic is our disconnectedness from it's reality.

 

[bd1976]

Mate stop thinking go get a girlfriend, make babies, atch them grow up, look after their babies a bit... then you will have loads of time when your old and dying to think about this question. You will finally work out that there is no answer to "why" unless god exists. There will be a priest stationed in the hospital for exactly this reason. Don't worry about it until then.

 

[hypnagogue]

You will finally work out that there is no answer to "why" unless god exists.

Tell that to the millions who have answered this question satisfactorily for themselves without needing to suppose the existence of a god.

 

[bd1976]

Where, who are these millions? Throughout history people have used the concept of God to explain why. There is evidence of this in the most primative of cultures. I will accept that there are milions who have died without having enough time to think about "why?" and reach this conculsion. I will accept that there are probally many people who have died who have spent their lives denying this question. But I will not accept that there is another satisfactory answer to the question "why?"

 

[hypnagogue]

But I will not accept that there is another satisfactory answer to the question "why?"

Perhaps not for you. But there is no objective criterion that makes your stance correct and another's incorrect. It's a subjective question.

 

[bd1976]

Perhaps not for you. But there is no objective criterion that makes your stance correct and another's incorrect. It's a subjective question.

Hmm... Well surely the whole concept of God was proposed to answer the question of why we exist. I don't see that there is another viable stance you can take to answer the question. The question of why is unanswerable at the moment thus the proposition of god to answer it.

p.s I'm not saying that the existence of god is the only answer I am saying that if there is another answer it hasn't been proposed/discovered yet.

 

[Locrian]

Well surely the whole concept of God was proposed to answer the question of why we exist.

There is no evidence for this statement. On the contrary, the "why" part is an afterthought in many religions - if it is dealt with at all.

 

[bd1976]

I might be wrong but isn't the whole point of religion to answer the questions that can't be answered by science?

 

[dekoi]

I don't understand why some people continue post replies while totally ignoring some of the previous, correct statements made about the importance of asking 'why'.

And I am seeing a bit of a contradiction here; you're critisizing asking 'why' while asking so yourself. :/

We ask the question “Why?” because if we did not, our world would be trapped in a still trance world; therefore, history would not be maintained and philosophy, science, and mathematics would simply be devoid of any progress. Thus, we ask this question because it is what keeps human knowledge progressing. Why contemporary society is so infatuated with passivism is beyond my comprehension.

Yes we will all die and yet death really is but a door to a continuance of life. Your life is about it's experience, in living it. As time goes onward, your presence in the here and now is what makes your life, gives it depth, shows you questions shows you answers. Yes, sometimes, it does suck and sometimes it is great. These are tempoary things, for life is not about the highs and lows, it is about what is. When you get to what is you will know it's purpose. You are not ready right now as I am not. I was once given this in a vision/dream. When I recalled it that day it physically saved my life and potentially the lives of others. There was no doubt, no question, no answer only the knowing of what is. Don't speak, bite the bullet and go for the gusto, ask the question to yourself if you are really interested in it. If you do this, the universe must answer you. It is physics, it must comply. Life is logical, the illogic is our disconnectedness from it's reality.

 

[Enos]

I ask why before i get answers.

 

[Locrian]

I might be wrong but isn't the whole point of religion to answer the questions that can't be answered by science?

I wouldn't think religious people would agree with you. Turning any deity into a "god of the gaps" where they just fill in what we haven't learned for ourselves is cheap and demeaning to most religions. Religion is not that shallow, as it contains many other goals I would include in its "points." It is also not that flexible. There are "questions" science has answered that religious people simply do not accept because it conflicts with their religion.

If the entire point of religion is to give a reason why we exist, as you stated earlier, then surely this reason would be given immediately in any religious text. It isn't. I'm not saying it isn't buried in there somewhere, but I can't see any case made that it is the primary reason a religion exists.

Of course, you could build a strong case that a very central message is how, a rather different question entirely.