Dr. M. C. Gupta's Journal

THE REASON AND PURPOSE OF LIFE

THE REASON AND PURPOSE OF LIFE








All of us are sometimes confronted with the question—“What is the reason of life and what purpose does it serve?”





Let us try to answer it.





The above question can be approached in three distinct ways:








1. SCIENTIFIC PROOF APPROACH:





Science cannot prove there is a god. Science therefore believes that there is no god. Life started just as an accidental chemical reaction leading to creation of protoplasm, developing, through evolution, to man.








CONCLUSION--





What is the reason of life? – A mere accident.


What is the purpose of life? – To survive, by whatever means.








2. LOGICAL, PHILOSOPHICAL APPROACH:





Everything that exists cannot be known through the five senses of man. Much that exists is beyond the capacity of the five senses. At a given point of time, science does not know all that exists. The farthest that the science has ventured is to go up to the Big Bang, when an initial mass of matter exploded leading to the creation of the universe and life. There would be nothing unscientific in postulating that someone created that initial mass or triggered that initial explosion. Let that someone be called G. If G created the universe and life, what was the purpose? None knows except G himself. However, it stands to reason that G could not have acted at cross purposes, meaning thereby that G could not have intended that those whom G has created should harm or kill or destroy the rest of G’s creation.








CONCLUSION--





What is the reason of life? – Life was created by a superpower, which may be referred as G.





What is the purpose of life? – To live life in a manner that does not harm to G’s creation or scheme of things; to live in love and harmony with nature.








3. THE BELIEF APPROACH:





About 30% people believe that life was created by the Lord, the father of Jesus, who gave men the word of God, the New Testament. Those who believe in it are saved; others are condemned. It is the duty of the believers to convert the non-believers to Christianity.





Another 30% believe that earth was created by Allah. He sent his prophet, Mohammad, who gave men the word of God, the Quoran. Those who believe in it are saved; others are condemned. It is the duty of the believers to convert the non-believers to Islam.





Both groups believe that the purpose of human life is to live and do as per the word of “their” god, as revealed by Jesus or Mohammad. Both groups disbelieve each other. So, they cancel out.





CONCLUSION--





What is the reason of life? – The reason was the will of the creator, a particular religious God, as revealed in the word of god [Bible/Quoran].





What is the purpose of life? – To live as per the rules given by “their” god and to force the non-believers to do so.








• G may be taken to represent God.








SUMMARY—





1—Science is incapable of answering the question--—“What is the reason of life and what purpose does it serve?”





2—Philosophical thought suggests that there is a superpower that created life. That superpower expects man to live harmoniously with his fellow beings and with nature.





3—Religion as practised in rival monotheistic forms of Christianity and Islam is a means of retaining power through enforcing dogma and suppressing free thought. It has resulted in much bloodshed throughout history and continues to do so.








M C Gupta





* This was Initially written as entry no. 352489 (now deleted) in the book FAITH, NATURE & INSPIRATIONAL "FAITH, NATURE & INSPIRATIONAL" .








M C Gupta


9 June 2005 (Revised 10 May 2010)