the purpose of life

What is the purpose of life?

The often asked rhetorical question, which has no clear, consistent answer, but one we can answer, based on opinion. But this will change over time. So what.

Initially, the human species has the main purpose of reproduction and growth. To that end, human purpose is to do all we can to improve our situation toward our genes surviving, failing that, our family line, race line, national line, and humans in general. If we make the world a better place, for the human genome, we are contributing to our natural purpose.

To create, produce, support other in creation, production...

There are religions that cause perturbation of this concept to their own ends. Cognitive changes are required for growth along humanitarian lines, if we, as a population, are expected to survive. Dump religion is one way to improve life, drift from emotional toward rational behaviour.

Each new generation must learn the same old lessons, plus a few new ones, less a few unused concepts. Therein lies the value of philosophy, and the presenting of ideas as individual idea level, to be accepted or rejected, one at a time. We can choose what we believe, one idea at a time. We can concentrate our concepts down to the basics, without all the pomp and bullshit that flowers up and pads our language.

Somebody said, the prudent man strives for freedom from pain, not pleasure. Epicurus suggested we should avoid situations where pain could arise...family, home, business, service, citizenry, etc. But pleasure and pain come together often. Stoics learned to expect and reduce the pains, with no fear or hope in the future. Life in the Now.

I digress, but what do I know?