/sci/ - Science & Math

[Anonymous No.2330930]

Hey, not sure what board is best for this, I don't think it really falls into advice, but I am collection opinions, in a way.

In terms of a philosophical outlook, is it more advantageous to search for purpose or for happiness?

I'd argue that being useful is more rewarding in the end, but it is frustrating in my own mind to argue that someone should do something they do not enjoy.

[Mr. Symmetry No.2330953]

Purpose is much more important that Happiness.

[Anonymous No.2330955]

>>2330930
Yet most people do many things they do not enjoy, but let's stick to job, since that is one of the principal things in our lives.
I might be exagerating but I think the majority of people are stuck in jobs they don't really like. To assume everyone can up and leave, to pursue the thing they love, is to also assume that society/economy will collapse shortly after.
That is why the few who have the nerve to quit something steady and pursuit a dream, even if the chances are probably against them, should thank the ones that stay put under the guise of "responsability".

[Anonymous No.2330973]

Purpose should necessitate enjoyment. Furthermore, happiness should at least partially necessitate purpose. Make what you will of this.

[Anonymous No.2330985]

THEY ARE ONE AND THE SAME

simple answer, but truly the right one

[Anonymous No.2330991]

>>2330953

Does a tree have purpose? What is purpose? If a tree falls in the woods, is that now its purpose?
You make no sense, and I'm guessing you're Aether.
Which automatically makes you a troll.

[Anonymous No.2331003]

>>2330991
and if ignorance is bliss, then tress are infinitely happy right?

[Anonymous No.2331013]

>>2330991
Although your string of words was quite complex and asymmetrical -- comedic and entertaining, it wasn't really relative or intelligent; your statement was, what it was, a statement, which made no sense what so ever.

A tree does have purpose, to provide the required essence in the atmosphere that we require to live. It is also home to various animals, it also can be used to construct buildings. It has nice scent, so not only is its purpose to provide necessary accommodation and resource, but also to entertain and astonish. Without the tree, would we be here? No. We rely on it to exist.

[Anonymous No.2331031]

Study Chemistry or Physics, they both hold a purpose, and could help you find god, a source of great comfort and happiness to many people.

And before anyone derails this thread, I would like to make it clear that I'm a pantheist, and do not believe in a literal Christian god.

[Anonymous No.2331044]

as a qualified philosopher, allow me to make the following conjecture:

it doesn't matter, you'll end up dead anyway. some people need purpose to be happy, other people don't. some people are always happy no matter what, other people are never happy. there is no logical/scientific way to approach behavior or ethics. do whatever you think will make you happy, or don't, I don't care. the end.

[Anonymous No.2331047]

>>2331031
It's getting derailed by you bringing religion into it, and I don't wish to carry it any further off the tracks. However, I must know why do you believe that studying chemistry or physics will bring you closer to "god"?

[Anonymous No.2331049]

both

[Anonymous No.2331053]

>>2331044
what a waste of effort to write a message that long about not caring.

[Anonymous No.2331062]

>>2331044
And yet, that's ultimately the problem - I'm not asking for you to care, I'm saying that I care.

[Anonymous No.2331071]

>>2331047
I should have written my post better, and I apologize, what I meant is it brings you closer to nature, and it can be a great comfort knowing that the universe not only will always follow a set of natural laws, but they are laid out in elegant patterns, just look at the periodic table of elements, one would expect them to be laid out randomly, and without logic, yet they all follow not just one, but several patterns.

[Anonymous No.2331075]

>>2330930
This seems like it could be a mutli-purpose meme.

/sci/ interprets this as a philosophical issue about pleasure over purpose, and /b/ would simply think it's lulzy because they would interpret the fireman as a man who's trolling citizens in need.

Not sure about the other boards, but you've got a good pic, op.

[Anonymous No.2331082]

>>2330973
>happiness should at least partially necessitate purpose
I think happiness does necessitate purpose. Without a purpose you're empty, which doesn't mean you can't have fun, but fun is different from happiness. Fun is in the moment, while happiness is always. Purpose would in most cases probably be a family(lolz itz about love).

[Anonymous No.2331086]

>>2331075
Thanks! I also thought it was very fitting.

[Anonymous No.2331090]

IMO I find purpose and happiness to be hand in hand... helping other people, being awesome, being alpha as fuck, experiencing different things, leveling up in academics, fitness, music, gaming, etc, these things give me happiness, and with it, I see purpose

[Anonymous No.2331093]

>>2331082
See, the happiness argument bothers me because humans can easily become addicted to thinks that can endanger others, such as violent acts or laziness on the job. But, if life is suffering, then I don't know if working towards a purpose would be worth it either.

[Anonymous No.2331095]

>>2330985
I was about to come in this thread to say this, but this kind anon already did it for me.

[Anonymous No.2331101]

>>2331095
Don't know if I could say that.
I'd define purpose more rigidly as something that you should do because it's ultimately right or beneficial for others, whereas happiness is pleasure based and thus does not always coincide with actions done.

[Anonymous No.2331103]

>>2331095
Oh, and there was an image I wanted to post with this, but couldn't find. It's just text that says:

When I was 5, my teacher asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I answered, "Happy." She told me I didn't understand the question, I told her she didn't understand life.

Good pic, wish I knew where the hell I saved it.

[Anonymous No.2331106]

>>2331101
Hmm, let's argue the opposite then, and say they're distinct - in this case, then, your decision is not based on whether or not you follow your purpose but based on whether or not you choose to be happy, and similarly, your following a purposeful life is also distinct.

[Anonymous No.2331107]

I bet OP buys self help books.

[Anonymous No.2331111]

>>2331107
Ach, I have before - sometimes they can be very interesting, as a lot of the writing in a self help book shows the paranoia of the author themselves (but that's a different subject (lit?) - I'm not wallowing in self doubt, just 'wanking' while I wait for an email - you could still argue that I'm butthurt about life, if you will).

[Anonymous No.2331125]

>>2331111
I think you'd be better of thinking for yourself to find your own purpose and happiness. Self help books are pretty much common sense and symbolism.

[Anonymous No.2331144]

>>2331125
Yes, they are pretty much common sense and symbolism, but that doesn't mean that they're all crap to read - a lot of books could fit the same criteria, after all. I've found a few that had very good style, and a lot of times I pick up a christian marriage one for a laugh, but this all seems off topic.

[Anonymous No.2331168]

>>2331093
'life is suffering' is a very pessimistic outlook imo, because most of the time you're not suffering, and if you are, then something is seriously wrong.

Also in my previous post I cut the part about endangering others that you adress, because I didn't know how to put it. It's a valid point though.

I think 'real' happiness is when you generally like your life. When you need drugs or adrenalin kicks it would mean your life is boring. It's only a moment of enjoyment, and that's the same with all selfish other-people-endangering-acts.
They're not fulfilling.

[Anonymous No.2331223]

>>2331101
I understand where you're coming from. Let me try to explain how I got to purpose=happiness. It actually came from me just sort of stumbling upon it one day, then realizing that the answer to the "universal, unanswered" question "what is the meaning of life" actually had a really simple answer: happiness. I worked it out into some simple steps as to how I got there. Feel free to disagree, but I think it's very solid. I tend to ramble so the "short, simple" steps might end up longer, but whatever.

First let me say: I'm an atheist. I don't mean or want to shit up this thread with religion, but it's relevant. If you're not, you can skip all this.

1. This universe, this planet, life, people, I is/am a product of random chance.
.....Therefore, there is no inherent meaning to life.

2. We (people) and I give meaning to meaningless things all the time. The things you're reading are just a bunch of squiggles, really. And if you were to read them aloud, they'd just be random noises. However, we've given them all meaning, we give meaning to some noises so that we can express thoughts and concepts, and we give meaning to these squiggles in the form of sounds they represent, which have meaning.
.....Therefore, we (or I) can give meaning to the meaningless.

3. If life has no inherent meaning, and I can give meaning to the meaningless, that means I can give meaning to my own life.
.....Therefore, my life has whatever meaning I choose to give it. I choose happiness.

[Anonymous No.2331230]

>>2331223
Cont.

This is not necessarily selfish. Much of what makes me happy is seeing the people I care about being happy. Even those that I don't know, helping out makes me feel good. That's just part of who we are naturally, most people are altruistic and want to help out, I think, even those we commonly label as "selfish" don't think of themselves as such.
You can stop there, and choose something else if you want I guess, but actually, I'm not sure:

4. People act according to what they believe is best. The martyr, who gives his life for a cause, believes that his or her cause is more important than their life. The martyr acts because he gains fulfillment by supporting his cause. He acts because while he may lose his money, his time, his health, his well-being, even his life, the cause is more important to him. He strives for happiness by acting in unison with this cause, knowingly or not. The martyr may be willing to forgo happiness to serve the cause, he may even think he is sacrificing his happiness for the benefit of others, but in doing so, he has made his own purpose, his own meaning, and by striving for that fulfillment in doing what he believes to be good, he is striving for happiness.

[Anonymous No.2331235]

>>2331230
Cont.

5. Happiness is not just a smile on your face, it's a sense of well-being, or of purpose, or sometimes it is just a smile on your face. It's different for everyone, and some people just can't seem to find it. I think that's sad. But even if they don't have it or can't find it, they still strive for happiness. They didn't achieve unhappiness by not setting it as their goal, they made mistakes, or wrong choices, or perhaps just got biologically unlucky. They still strive for fulfillment, for happiness.
.....Therefore I believe that even those who do not set their their meaning on "happiness" still do so, just in a more roundabout way. Those who don't have happiness still strive for it.
.....The universal meaning of life, then, is happiness. Whether one focuses on it specifically, whether one achieves it, it is still the underlying thing that people strive for, in whatever form it may take for them.

The meaning of life, then is happiness. Not because of some inherent quality, really. Not because of some divine mandate, but because that's the way people are.

Now, I recognize that the last two might be contentious, and people might disagree with them. That's based, largely, on how you define happiness, which is a tricky and slippery word to pin down. But based on how I feel it should be defined, which I don't have the skill to put into words properly, the final two hold true. Even if you disagree with 4 and 5 and their conclusions, 1-3 should still hold true.