Question for the Commentariat.

[silveradept]

Please answer the following two-parter, if you feel comfortable doing so.

(a) Have you successfully resolved the existential crisis of not only mortal life, but the likelihood that you and what you do will be essentially meaningless in the history of the cosmos?

(b) If so, please let me know your solution and its reasons. If not, please let me know where your difficulties are.

I'm still wrestling this one, and I have yet to find an acceptable answer in either religion or philosophy. A TARDIS and/or the ability to see what the post-life experience is like, remember it, return to life, and then evaluate by that standard is about as far as I've gotten for acceptable outcomes. I'm sure there has to be at least one that will click and fill the void of being able to conceptualize oneself in cosmic terms.

Comments

[hebinekohime]

I can't answer that question as phrased, but I can give you my equivalent answer. ;)

To me, the point is not to resolve existential crises, but to listen to what they're saying. As a transhumanist, I don't believe in the problem of death without a corresponding solution to the problem. Immortality is a thought that's been on the human mind since our beginnings... once we became fully aware of death, evolution started to take a different turn, because some of its pieces became hip to the game. Therefore, I think immortality is inevitable. And even if I'm wrong, I want to see where and what that thought leads us to.

As far as meaning, one could argue that our purpose in life is to bring meaning(s) into the universe; perhaps we are already the Monolith, or the Monolith is one aspect of us.

[silveradept]

Eh, the Monolith? What be this.

Also, I like the idea that existential crises are the indicators of a large problem that requires solving. It certainly spurs toward action rather than paralysis. I'll file that one away as a possible solution.

[hebinekohime]

Eh, the Monolith? What be this.

Sorry, that was my attempt at a 2001 reference. n.n The Monolith was the alien intelligence/prime mover/cosmic Macguffin from the movie.

[silveradept]

Oh. Having not actually seen that movie, it makes sense that I would miss the reference. Still, "Hear, oh HAL, the Monolith, your $DEITY, the Monolith is one." isn't a bad idea by any stretch.