Why Are We Here?
In this short documentary, Dawkins takes a look at the purpose of human existance and asks the earthshaking question – Why are we here?
Pointing out that religious stories of human purpose fail miserably, Dawkins indicates that science may be able to offer a better explanation for human existence. Starting out with Darwin, he claims that Darwin’s theory of evolution may offer the only explanation for humanity’s raison d’état that we are likely to ever get.
Many religious believers may claim that answers for our existence offered by evolution theory mean that humans are nothing special, that we are just another species of animal. They are, of course, correct in saying that we are just another animal species but this does not necessarily mean that are not special.
Clearly humans are different from our animal brothers in that we have the ability to ask questions like why are we here. This also means, however, that with our ’specialness’ comes extraordinary responsibilities. This brilliant documentary helps clarify some of the arguments made by evolution and is in no way just more of the same from Dawkins.
First of all animals show compassion to other animals really really really regularly and for me that's a virtue, but human beings are the only ones that destroy their own environment and we kill for pleasure . Ridiculous to think that we're the greatest thing on the planet Earth or that were even the greatest thing in the universe that's a sad sad thought in my opinion
Animals live by the seven vices, humans have a choice between virtue and vice, the two cannot exist in the same place at the same time, virtue does not even enter the mind of an animal. Virtue is a choice of the soul which opposes "survival of the fittest".
We create our own selection.
horrifying
Who says that other animals don’t ask the same question as we do about the meaning of life and why are we are . We just can’t understand their language .
To limit creation /universe / existence to what we understand with our 5 senses is very arrogant and egocentric of humanity. To assume what we see feel etc... is what is out there is very short sighted. one can not disprove God, and to insist it does not exist is by itself a belief. I understand what is written in the holy scriptures such as the Bible, Quran and what their believers admit to be their interpretation is beyond reason and fantastic, but even then to conclude that the world and all that there is, is understandable by human mind well, is to align yourself with the same believers of Bible and Quran!
to be honest ...real adults don't believe in fairy stories (or religion as most people call it)The world is just an incredible place and it doesn't need any justification through religion for its existence . It just IS and the people that can't get their heads around that have to invent a story (religion) as they can't understand the science behind it !
we are here to live miserably, suffer, then die to be forgotten and never to be remembered, no purpose, life is a jock
Then maybe we will have more time to contemplate our navels, and why we exist. The movie "Lucy" had a nice take on the subject. To pass the things we learned on to the next generation. Unfortunately this apparently isn't the reason for our existence since they don't listen and willfully repeat the same mistakes ever since things like bad choices were invented.
Contrary to @Hardy near the top, if God or a God like creator exists s/he would want to be appreciated; just like most people do.
For instance if you took great effort and created a thing of much benefit to mankind, such as water, wouldn't you prefer to be appreciated for that rather than your name be spat on, made fun of, ridiculed, and venomous vitriol?
Suppose you created the first pair of autonomous robots that could communicate with each other and you. They could repair themselves and make others similar to themselves. Would you prefer to have them despise you for having to exist, which they didn't ask for, or be grateful and appreciative?
When Dawkins can scientifically explain what love and hate is and how evil and good are atomic science battling it out all around us much of the time, even within ourselves, to choose to do right or to do wrong, his science isn't worth cow poop; which is far more valuable as actual vegetative fertilizer than his variety.
The key word is THEORY of evolution. The theory is false. We did not evolve from primordial slime. Otherwise mules would reproduce themselves. They cannot. Science has shown that when species ADAPT too far from their original form, they either revert back or dead end. The mule is an example of a dead end.
Survival of the fittest is another situation which only stands to reason...except in humans where the worst psychopaths and evil doers are allowed to reproduce more and worse. Until banksters, lawyers, politicians, and other serious criminals are sterilized by contract to the French, using their antique innovative technique for permanently preventing criminals from repeating repeatedly, humans will continue to suffer greatly due to evil humans.
Why is a one celled organism here?
I'm reading through all the comments but there are so many I cannot read them all I just want to mention something that I've been thinking about lately thought came to my head when we are born we don't remember anything or have anything in our brain most of the time when we get older closer to death we lose our memory as well with that being said I asked myself what is our purpose here I thought about multiplying and conceiving and if we are here for 80 years our purpose was to multiply and make more of the human race why because everything around us is in huge quantities big numbers sperm count is in a huge quantity, blood cells huge quantity, stars in the galaxy huge quantity, grass on the earth huge quantity, molecules,atoms,neutrons protons all around us in huge quantity. .. I'm stuck on this thought about a huge number has something to do with why we are here I just can't figure it out.
I keep asking myself if everybody on Earth was together in one big huge group what would we be capable of? we can lift anything we can build anything we could sing together we become more powerful so is it because of power the more and numbers the more powerful? I also think why are we were born from pain and we die in pain? To survive while we live of course.. but if there was a true creator..why such a painful life for us? I think us experience pain it's part of the way are genes we'll decide what our next natural selection will be? how long will it take for us humans to start changing because our genes have decided a natural selection is needed ?against drugs and crime and fatty foods and bad things that causes humans to die?
It must take a long time for natural selection to work? One thing natural selection is doing not sure if it's caused by our genes or because of our actions as human beings but the children of this generation are smarter and exposed to more things as an adult then I was when I was their age is that natural selection or is that the cars of the human race? Is there evidence of an era where natural selection was processing and eliminating the good and the bad in humans? Or when it made us we just arrived here from apes or something.. No humans without brains or sex organs or mouths and stomachs or ears on the head or eyes on the chest instead? No humans formed wrong? Where did the genes test humans out at?
We have no real existence..we just happened to pop up a million yrs ago from one celled organisms..their is no real purpose to us living.except exist in this world then die that's our purpose..
I apologize...CP, not CJ.
Also, CJ...dying is NOT scary. I mean, if none of the religious bull is true, then why would anyone fear laying in the dirt or burning in a fire absent from their flesh? If the HELLFIRES don't exist and we don't have to worry and fret on being accepted into that fluffy cloud in the sky, then what is there to worry about? KISSES!
Trust me...well that is probably something I should not ask, but...I used to think the complicated nature of our physiological being ensured we were more than ooze, nonetheless why do so many claim that demons and ghosts communicate with this realm? Do those on the negative side have that much more power? I would like to communicate with someone on the supposedly positive side.
Death = Absense of life
I'm 28. 29 years ago I was dead.
Why's everyone wondering what being "dead" is like when we've all already experienced it already?
Nobody is sitting around on water vapor all day with your interest in mind. I'm aethist and religion is a crock of sh*t. I mean anyone with basic logical thinking can arrive at that conclusion who isn't emotionally weak or plain scared of the fact when your dead, your maker won't be waiting because you weren't engineered along with the plains of reality we are in.
In my opinion, Man has a need to belong and be loved because we are a social species, and the thought some really great super great guy God was a security blanket man comforted himself with through time to ease that uncertainty.
Any religious person is convinced their religion is the one and everyone else is incorrect, even me being aethist. I have no quarrel with religion, but if you want to worship a pile of rocks or a sanitized set of fairy tales then suit yourself, but don't tell me I have to or should be doing that as I don't tell you my thoughts that your wasting your time and when you die you return to nothingness so quit telling me j should share the same imaginary friend you have.
I'm not meaning to attack religion, but I do challenge people to give my opinion on death a real thought for a few minutes and see if it makes sense to them like it does me. If not then that's your entitled opinion.
Why do religious people become offended if I say God is likely not on any level of existence? I'm not offended if they say he does exist and created me.
Dying is naturally a scary thought because it's human nature to fear the unknown. We think we know the unknown by shaping theories that make sense and this is mine. If it makes sense to you let me know, if it doesn't please don't try cramming your religious or deeper understanding of the infinite complexity of the fabric of existance down my throat.
How can you answer any question like this. All we know is what we are taught, told and feel on this wonderful planet. We do not know of anything else or have the ability to know further. There can be species far advanced than us, that we cannot see, feel or hear according to our earthly senses. For all that we know, they can be co-exiisting right beside ourselves, or ourselves can be co-existing in another realm. So many planets and we are the only one, so many situations, sleep, dreams, deja vu, familiar faces or conversations.
What man knows on Earth does not translate to something that is known / unknown.
Well, there is in fact, only ONE reason we are here!
It is done, by following Mother Nature!
Pairing up, a Male with a Female, for the purpose of procreation!
That is all, nothing else matters!
Only the Natural Procreation, of the human species!
Think about it!
IMHO Castaneda gives the best explanation as to why we are here. To enhance awareness.
I am one of those God believing Christian type. One this not mentioned in the video was the soul. As a child I had an NDE (Near Death Experience) Hardly anyone knew what it was back then, I paid no attention to it until just a few years ago. I have done some research and have concluded that we do have an ever lasting soul and need to follow moral life styles. There is a tomorrow over there after our dead body is put down here.
christians love to say they are being attacked ,it gives them an excuse to do evil acts and say it was gods will.
i think Shakespear had it right in the play Hamlet, said to be or not to be weather it is better to suffer the out ragious fortuns of the slings and arrows or to appoise them.
I just started asking me that question recently and no matter what the answer is I do believe it all started with God. Maybe he just wanted a Family so He created us. We for some reason have all left home and will someday return home. Those of us who have hurt our Father too much just take a longer time to get home since we have to make up for the hurt we have caused.
I think the question, "Why are we here" is more simple than some of us make out to be. The intellectuals of our time have a tenancy to complicate things when it comes to the arguments between evolution and creation theories. The simple fact that as children, we trust the judgement of out parents to keep us safe should lend credence to the fact that our creator knows best for us. To think that everything just happened as a matter of coincidence show absolutely no evidence of our existence through any other means.