How do ATHEISTS find meaning? - Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins, Matt Dillahunty

How do ATHEISTS find meaning? - Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins, Matt Dillahunty

#samharris #richarddawkins #mattdillahunty #meaning #atheism

Pangburn Philosophy - A Celebration of Science & Reason LONDON with Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins & Matt Dillahunty.

This event occurred on October 1st, 2017 at the Eventim Apollo. Over 3500 people were in attendance.

[MasterSpade]

“Asking, ‘If there is no god, what is the purpose of Life?’ Is like asking, ‘If there is no MASTER, whose slave will I be?’” – Dan Barker (American, former evangelical christian preacher for 19yrs but left christianity in 1984. Now Atheist and Co-President with his wife of the Freedom From Religion Foundation - (FFRF))

[mitchmomlc]

the meaning of life is to give life meaning

[petemachalek]

Meaning is always created by human minds, not by a higher power. The meaning of your life, and of any of your actions, resides in the minds of the people that you make a difference for.

[athab]

"Atheism is the way to clear out the bad answers" is probably one of the best lines I've heard about this topic.

[buddnd]

As someone that was never raised in any religion. This seeking of a purpose in life is holy alien to me. I was raised to make my own meaning and purpose in life. The often repeated sentiment in my house was “life is what you make it.”
So I never sort an external purpose given to me. Maybe this sentiment only proliferates in theist communities🤷‍♀️.

[JeffBedrick]

Why is the idea that we are completely free to choose our own meaning and path in life considered to be more bleak than the idea that some supernatural deity has prescribed it for us? For me, the latter would be the real horror. It seems to be an almost infantile mindset to prefer that.

[mikedibona]

Worth a view and listen for the clarity of Sam Harris alone.

[milanterzic]

One of my favourite subjects as an apologist. I recently saw a scene from the new "All Quiet on the Western Front" where dead German soldiers were stripped of their clothes, these clothes were thoroughly washed, patched and given to new recruits. Work that one out.

[duncanwallace]

If the truth of the universe makes our life 'meaningless', how can rejecting truth to believe in a fantasy be meaningful?

[SavvySavant]

As someone who has been DISAPPOINTED by religion (former Jehovah's Witness), I'm DEFINITELY agnostic with a view to GOD and I have conceded to taking a wait and see approach... For now though, I simply can't trust a GOD that CHOOSES to describe himself in that way moralistically speaking... (8:00) What Matt Dillahunty alludes to is right, it really does seem like a hubristic sham... I still think that the Golden rule is worth acknowledging despite the bible's OBVIOUS flaws.. It's probably the ONLY moral precept that matters biblically speaking before it quickly veers off into moral duplicity... Outside of that convoluted construct, I guess we derive meaning the way we always have... From ourselves, from each other and our UNDERSTANDING of each other and the UNIVERSE that we're a part of... Hopefully putting us on a path to "Adulthood" collectively as a human civilization... Throw in some Star Trek philosophy and you're good to go 👍.

[jamesyoung]

Since what we pretend to know has substantial manipulative consequences, it might be a good time to ask ourselves who and what we aspire to become.
1. Should I aspire to become someone who pretends to know that an undetectable supernatural realm exists that is inhabited by undetectable, all-powerful, immortal beings, some good and some evil, all of them privileged to know the veracity of all things knowable and unknowable?
2. Should I aspire to become someone who pretends to know that I am intimately familiar with a reality that is undetectable and unknowable, and have an intimate personal relationship with an undetectable good supernatural being that allows me to telepathically communicate with my invisible friend in the undetectable supernatural realm?
3. Should I aspire to become someone who pretends to know that I personally experience and witness supernatural interventions every day of my life?
4. Should I aspire to become someone who pretends to know that when our superstitious ancient ancestors created holy books, they did not include anything in them that they were pretending to know, things that they could not possibly know?
5. Should I aspire to become someone who pretends to know that friends, family, teachers, and preachers who preach to me concerning the supernatural are not pretending to know things they cannot possibly know?
6. Should I aspire to become someone who pretends to know that an undetectable good supernatural being has bestowed upon me knowledge of unknowable truths, including the mind of a god, what it thinks and wants?
7. Should I aspire to become someone who pretends to know that undetectable good supernatural beings have ordained me with the exclusive ethical moral authority, knowledge, and duty to instruct others as to the truth of all unknowable knowledge that good supernatural beings supposedly want everyone to pretend to know?
8. Should I aspire to become someone who pretends to know that being tortured in a lake of fire for eternity is just retribution for failing to pretend to know the correct version of unknowable truth that cannot possibly be known?
9. Should I aspire to become someone who pretends to know that undetectable good supernatural beings have endowed me with the exclusive ethical moral authority, knowledge, and duty to recognize, challenge and condemn anyone who dares to spread a heretical version of unknowable knowledge?
10. Should I aspire to become someone who pretends to know that undetectable good supernatural beings have the exclusive ethical moral authority and duty to restrict the questions, facts, narratives, and realities, I and others may entertain?
11. Should I aspire to become someone who pretends to know that undetectable good supernatural beings are responsible and deserve credit for every good thing that I experience in life?
12. Should I aspire to become someone who pretends to know that undetectable good supernatural beings have informed me that you are responsible for, and deserve blame for, every hardship you suffer in life?
13. Should I aspire to become someone who pretends to know that undetectable good supernatural beings have informed me that if you fail to dedicate yourself to a life of servitude to undetectable good supernatural beings, it is only because you have willfully chosen a life of servitude to undetectable evil supernatural beings?
14. Should I aspire to become someone who pretends to know that it is my righteous duty to visit hate, discrimination, misfortune, hardship, oppression, suffering, and destruction upon those whom my undetectable good supernatural mentors disapprove of?
15. Should I aspire to become someone who pretends to know that undetectable good supernatural beings have delegated to me the exclusive ethical moral authority and duty to do everything in my power to ban comprehensive sex education in public schools?
16. Should I aspire to become someone who pretends to know that undetectable good supernatural beings have delegated to me the exclusive ethical moral authority and duty to do everything in my power to outlaw sexual practices that do not conform to the undetectable supernatural realm’s standards of sexual behavior?
17. Should I aspire to become someone who pretends to know that undetectable good supernatural beings have delegated to me the exclusive ethical moral authority and duty to condemn your sexual thoughts, desires, and fantasies?
18. Should I aspire to become someone who pretends to know that undetectable good supernatural beings have decreed that, without exception, a fertilized egg, zygote, fetus, or unborn baby is endowed with exclusive ownership of and sovereignty over a woman's body?
19. Should I aspire to become someone who pretends to know that undetectable good supernatural beings have granted me the exclusive ethical moral authority and duty to do everything in my power to deny women access to birth control and abortion services?
20. Should I aspire to become someone who pretends to know that undetectable good supernatural beings have delegated to me the exclusive ethical moral authority and duty to do everything in my power to regulate which adults you may or may not cohabitate with, have sex with, love, and/or marry?
21. Should I aspire to become someone who pretends to know that undetectable good supernatural beings have delegated to me the exclusive ethical moral authority and duty to do everything in my power to regulate which adults you may or may not cohabitate with, have sex with, love, and/or marry?
22. Should I aspire to become someone who pretends to know that undetectable good supernatural beings have delegated to me the exclusive authority and duty to do everything in my power to restrict the teaching of certain scientific theories in public schools?
23. Should I aspire to become someone who pretends to know that undetectable good supernatural beings have delegated to me the exclusive ethical moral authority and duty to do everything in my power to restrict access to certain genres of books, videos, and other educational materials from public schools, public libraries, bookstores, and the internet?
24. Should I aspire to become someone who pretends to know that undetectable good supernatural beings have delegated to me the exclusive authority and duty to do everything in my power to ban public school discussion of social justice issues and the oppression faced by oppressed groups?
25. Should I aspire to become someone who pretends to know that undetectable good supernatural beings have delegated to me the exclusive authority and duty to do everything in my power to ban the teaching of certain aspects of human history in public schools?

[musicislife]

It irks me somewhat that people obsess so much over meaning, it reeks of desperation. My opinion is that people should learn to shrug their shoulders a little more about their place in life, rather than constantly obsess over "my life must have meaning, my life must have meaning!". NO IT MUSTN'T! You're alive, that's it! Everything else is a mixture of your ego, a fear of death and staving off boredom. That sounds bleak but I wouldn't call myself unhappy with it. Meaning is a uniquely human trait and (as far as I can tell) a survival mechanism that has gotten us all of.... this, but to be clear it has also caused a lot of problems. Your greatest strength is also your greatest weakness, and the greatest human strength/weakness is... (drumroll) Meaning!

[MrVeryfrost]

Life has as much meaning as we create it to be meaningful. Most of us waste it, while lazy or religious people want others and god give them some sense.

[haydenwalton]

if only everyone watched, and more importantly understood what was said in, these 9 min

[daanmollema]

So, going on Dawkins' take: why are we compelled not to believe in falsehoods and accept the universe if there's no broader consequence in the meanings of our lives or the weighing of our characters? Why is it then wrong to be irrational, or, why is rationalism still a virtue? Why is it, as he says, 'noble'?

[alanrosenthal]

If you can't look around, turn on the TV, read on the internet - if you can't find something to do to give your life meaning then you are just a child and you need to start thinking.

[alimov]

meaning is based on value
and value is based on how you see this world and the way you you see everything in universe and yourself
and this will make the quality and feeling of your life
thats why feeling is important for people
and if someone can have a good quality inside when see the world like atheist do so we can say secularism can provide meaning and replacement for religion

but in my opnion meaning is the biggest weakness of atheism and atheist dont have any good answer for that
and thats why they will be weaken in public in future after ppl turn away from religion
there will be a black hole of meaninglessness

[trinsit]

Meaning is made up, but it doesn't mean we shouldn't make it. Doesn't have to be religion and a God. It does need to place human society over money. Money is a useful tool, but we're using it to play supremacy over each other rather than having a functioning society.

[cjhoare]

4.14 I totally disagree with Sam Harris science, the arts and fun are precisely all there is and all we need. The only caveat is to add philosophy into this mix to make sense of it all. There is nothing more profound or deeper than these forms of enquiry.

[billmactiernan]

The universe is meaningless. So, don't waste your time searching for it. I think that there are four elements to a satisfying human life. These are: Education, Adventure, Passion and Friendship (the last being the most important). Fill your life with these and, low and behold, you have serendipitously created meaning for yourself.