One Mile Walk

Pile of Words

         Yesterday, I finished reading "Philosophical Writings of Peirce." 378 pages.
         Gosh! What a pile of words. Many of his comments about consciousness are similar to today's, but he didn't have modern technical terms to express them (simulation, physical learning, nurture-emulation, 1/2 sec pre-cognition response). His understanding of evolution was firm, but in his last chapter, he was burdened with the GOD (or similar) interpretation.
         I see life as an abstraction of the Gaia concept of a living Earth. I don't need a 'being' to represent the fundamental antiquary of the DNA legacy. It just 'is' and was the result of molecular action. If we take a close look at what life is all about, life is complexly the random results of physics.
         We fluff our egos with the concept we have a purpose in life. Is that only shared by sentient modern beings?
         How far down the brain size spectrum do animals pose a purpose?
         Blood cell's purpose is to transport oxygen and carbon-dioxide around in our body. They age, get inefficient, and so are discarded from the body, their purpose is complete.
         We (humans < 50,000 years ago) used to spend the vast majority of our time merely obtaining the sustenance for living: shelter, food, physical care, and reproduction. But since the times of 'Lucy', our bigger brains, moderating environment, advancing technology, and a smidgeon of social accommodation, have given us spare time to think. Our only real purpose is (has always been and can only be) to live.
         We are the sum total of a billion years of biological history. Evolution is a violent mistress. The only alternative to life is death, and we have a history of doing just that, kill or be killed (like Vladimir Putin of the Russian culture).
         So to search for some greater life purpose is an unfulfillable objective.
         If you could ask a dying red corpuscle, "That was the purpose of your entire life?" Would it answer, "I'm satisfied I carried my O2 and CO2 well."
         Shouldn't our answer be similar, "I provided for the nurturing of the next generation."