The Difficult Questions


SisterSalome
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I'm making a list of the "Difficult Questions" of life. I use the term "Difficult Questions" to mean the stereotypical quandaries you'll often hear addressed in religion and philosophy. 

Some examples:
Why is there suffering?
If there is a supreme God, why would he allow suffering?
Why do bad things happen to good people?
What is the meaning of life?
What are the basic purposes for human existence?
Why do so many people believe in God(s)?
What is consciousness?
Why do we have to die?
What qualities should define life?
What qualities should define death?
Why do people have emotional and psychological needs?
How and why did humans develop such complicated communication/language(s) systems?
Why do humans intentionally seek to evolve into something far greater beyond their realistic needs?
What qualities should define intelligence?
What qualities should define sentience?
If you reap what you sew, why do bad people seem to do better than good people?
Are there any moral absolutes?
Why do humans have and ponder these kinds of difficult questions?

If you have a moment, add any you can think of but don't answer the questions here (in this thread.)  They may be good starting points each for their own thread- and feel free to start threads based on any of these questions.

Thank you in advance for your participation. :wub:
 

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How did the world begin?

What happens after we die?

What is true freedom?

Do we have free will?

Are our decisions made by free will?

Is there such thing as absolute truth?

What is true happiness?

Do the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few (or one? --sorry Star Trek meander)

What is my purpose in life?

 

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Reminds me of the lyrics to the Monkees' song "Daily Nightly" (written by Mike Nesmith):

"Darkened rolling figures move through prisms of no color,
Hand in hand, they walk the night, but never know each other,
Passioned pastel neon lights, light up the jeweled traveler
Who, lost in scenes of smoke filled dreams find questions, but no answers."

:)
 

Edited by Gruffydd y Dryw
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19 hours ago, Gruffydd y Dryw said:

Reminds me of the lyrics to the Monkees' song "Daily Nightly" (written by Mike Nesmith):

"Darkened rolling figures move through prisms of no color,
Hand in hand, they walk the night, but never know each other,
Passioned pastel neon lights, light up the jeweled traveler
Who, lost in scenes of smoke filled dreams find questions, but no answers."

:)
 

:)

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I have always found that the most difficult question to answer is a never ending one, "Why".

No matter how one answers "why", the question may continually be asked, whether out of fun, spite, or genuine quest of clarity. But don't ask me why that is. ;)

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  • 2 weeks later...
4 hours ago, cuchulain said:

Is purpose in life really important?  

What is the most important thing in life, or death for that matter?

Is how we live more important than how we die?

We all die. So death isn't as important as how we might have lived in our last moments before it. Such as: saving the life of another in a burning building, spreading joy to others that might not have had it otherwise without you, etc.

So it must be that life is most important, to me, anyway.

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 3/20/2016 at 2:26 PM, Key said:

Yes, but also proves my point. And Brother Kamen's, as well.

"Why" presumes purpose and intentionality.  "Why" presumes God.

If I begin by assuming that everything is under the control of the All Knowing -- All Powerful -- All Good -- blah, blah, blah, -- God; then I have a reason to ask "Why?"  Why are things as they are?  Why do the good suffer?  Why is there no justice?

Since I have no such presumption -- the questions are -- for me and other Agnostics /Atheists -- without meaning.  Why are things like this?  Without making assumptions about God; that means nothing.  Truly, why ask "why?"

:wall:     :whist:

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On 4/5/2016 at 0:18 PM, Jonathan H. B. Lobl said:

"Why" presumes purpose and intentionality.  "Why" presumes God.

If I begin by assuming that everything is under the control of the All Knowing -- All Powerful -- All Good -- blah, blah, blah, -- God; then I have a reason to ask "Why?"  Why are things as they are?  Why do the good suffer?  Why is there no justice?

Since I have no such presumption -- the questions are -- for me and other Agnostics /Atheists -- without meaning.  Why are things like this?  Without making assumptions about God; that means nothing.  Truly, why ask "why?"

:wall:     :whist:

Apologies. I should have referred to the treadmill part of your response in regards to the use of "Why" and "Why not". minus the philosophical adjective.

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  • 10 months later...

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