Introduction

What is our purpose? We modern humans have defined “that which we ought to be doing” in various ways, keeping our lives directed towards both small and large scale goals. Largest of all, we have also retained an enigmatic, unreachably distant, yet undeniably fundamental awareness of a higher order Purpose, or justifying reason.

Some explanation is required, here. What is the relationship and distinction between “purpose” and “Purpose”? With either, I mean a direction, a reason, or meaning. Generally, an orientation towards an occupation or ideal. Why go to work? Why raise a family? Why eat? Why watch professional sports? Those fall under the domain of the small “p”. Purpose with a capital “p” refers to that underlying reason, the keeper of the grand meaning of all of the small purposes, the quintessential raison d’être. To some, our Purpose is to follow the will of God. To others, our Purpose is pleasure. Others embrace nihilism. Our answers to the purpose questions differ greatly and controversially, but we all lead loosely similar lives as human beings. Or do we? How similar are our individual purposes to each others’? How different are the purposes of our modern day from those throughout history? In what way does our Purpose differ from animals, if at all?

Oddly enough, the average person is much more interested in Purpose than purpose. Finding small things to do in the world of the mortal, micro-managed, and mundane is the easy part. Finding an underlying reason for doing all of those things requires seemingly more examination. In the spirit of faith in common ground between the purpose and Purpose, and a philosophical responsibility to be thorough, I will examine both. To most, I’m sure, they would be related. Perhaps, with one as the foundation for the other. But which one, for which one? 

In addition to some of the questions raised above, other, very crucial, questions remain. If there is indeed a Purpose, has it always been there, and been the same? With regards to either purpose or Purpose, what can studies of the mind and brain tell us? What can we learn by introspection? How do we decide what it is we ought to do?

Answers to the question of man’s purpose are usually little-developed, straying little beyond gut-level intuition. It’s no surprise; it’s a hard question to get around. Why do we live the lives we do? This blog will try to answer just that. Since the idea pervades over everything, I will look for answers everywhere, in anything that might help. The question is far-reaching, and so will this blog be. Each post might at first seem unrelated to the questions at hand, but after each one, I will follow-up with another tying it into the project.

This is an overlooked, but important topic. With reason and experience by our side, we must give it a fair chance to be examined.

That is the purpose of this blog.

Comments

[Ash Sere]

Well, I've managed to get this far through it!

Good start, nice to have an intro to a blog which sets things out.

I decided to leave such a thing out since I decided that on a 'neutral' blog one ought to start indiscriminately on a random topic....

Seems my frameworks may be useful here too...

[Richard Bogen]

I am writing a book called "The
Uniqueness of Humans," to illustrate all the factors which separate us from animals, machines, and E.T.

So far the sections are: spiritual
nature, consciousness, free will,
rationality, morality, intention,
purpose, language, thinking, memory, creativity, learning, understanding, pleasure and entertainment.

Anyone is welcome to contribute.