To Live is to Wonder

[lesbianwalrus]

Since the rise of man (and woman), it was in our nature to understand the ways of nature to better our survival. It was inevitable that we take this instinctual drive to understand nature and push it to its logical conclusion: To have a complete understanding of the atomic order of the universe and then, through our vast knowledge, bend it to our will. To live like gods! But I am tortured by the question “What then?” Hypothetically, if one were to acquire all the knowledge there is to be acquired about the universe, what is that person left to do for the rest of his/her existence? Play ping pong? I think it is the mystery of reality that keeps our lives fulfilling. The fact that we don’t have all the answers gives us a reason to live.

 

 

[Trestone]

Hello,

 

maybe there is some complication:

 

we at most know, that we know nothing (Sokrates, the wisest of all man according to the oracle of delphi)

 

so how can we know that there is somthing like us, the world or logic?

 

As long as a fool can ask more questions than thousand wise ones can answer,

there is (logically?) no fear that all answers will be found.

But perhaps we should be open to a surprisingly other kind of solution,

like playing ping pong and having fun.

 

Yours

Trestone (an amateur ping pong player)

[ajb]

I think it is the mystery of reality that keeps our lives fulfilling. The fact that we don’t have all the answers gives us a reason to live.

 

That why I do science

[Leader Bee]

That why I do science

 

Your long term plan for population control?

[Joatmon]

I am tortured by the question "What then?" Hypothetically, if one were to acquire all the knowledge there is to be acquired about the universe, what is that person left to do for the rest of his/her existence? Play ping pong? I think it is the mystery of reality that keeps our lives fulfilling. The fact that we don't have all the answers gives us a reason to live.

 

 

I'm sorry, but I find this rather sad. There is so much more to life than endlessly seeking knowledge. I'm a lot nearer my end than my beginning and I have no regrets about time "wasted" not seeking knowledge. Yes, even time playing "ping pong" as that time was shared with other people in sheer enjoyment of their company and the competition between us. I suppose at some level as human beings we are always learning, but that can come as secondary to what may be more a part of living at that time. Meet people, mix with them for the pleasure of their company. Find a sport that you can enjoy or travel - not to specifically add to your knowledge but for the enjoyment of new experiences, different food, other people. You may not add a great deal to your store of knowledge, but what the heck! When I die, as we all must, I'll be happy if my epitaph is simply "He certainly lived a life". I don't see it as important that I never learned that much.

Edited February 24, 2012 by Joatmon

[Phi for All]

I'm sorry, but I find this rather sad. There is so much more to life than endlessly seeking knowledge. I'm a lot nearer my end than my beginning and I have no regrets about time "wasted" not seeking knowledge. Yes, even time playing "ping pong" as that time was shared with other people in sheer enjoyment of their company and the competition between us. I suppose at some level as human beings we are always learning, but that can come as secondary to what may be more a part of living at that time. Meet people, mix with them for the pleasure of their company. Find a sport that you can enjoy or travel - not to specifically add to your knowledge but for the enjoyment of new experiences, different food, other people. You may not add a great deal to your store of knowledge, but what the heck! When I die, as we all must, I'll be happy if my epitaph is simply "He certainly lived a life". I don't see it as important that I never learned that much.

You're assuming that playing ping pong with good friends isn't also a learning experience. Unless you're one of those people who reaches a certain point in life and then declares that all your opinions are etched in stone and nobody can teach you anything more, you're constantly picking up new perspectives and tidbits of information from everyone around you, which help to shape your views on just about everything. And those smaller learning experiences can have a bigger overall impact on your life than learning a new skill or field of study.

[Joatmon]

You're assuming that playing ping pong with good friends isn't also a learning experience. Unless you're one of those people who reaches a certain point in life and then declares that all your opinions are etched in stone and nobody can teach you anything more, you're constantly picking up new perspectives and tidbits of information from everyone around you, which help to shape your views on just about everything. And those smaller learning experiences can have a bigger overall impact on your life than learning a new skill or field of study.

Phi, perhaps I didn't make myself absolutely clear:-

"I suppose at some level as human beings we are always learning,"

Also:-

"You may not add a great deal to your store of knowledge, but what the heck!"

Both of these statements should make clear that I feel everything in life is a learning process, but perhaps we shouldn't be over anxious about the learning. Enjoy life in as many forms as you can, don't worry too much about "the learning" in your everyday life - it will happen anyway! Obviously there are times, perhaps when following a course of study, when special efforts have to be made to learn.

I'm reminded of the sentiment "We should work to live, not live to work".

Edited February 24, 2012 by Joatmon