Director Roger Nygard went across the entire world asking theologians, ministers, priests, imams, rabbis, scientists, physicists, biologists, and skeptics 85 questions to try to understand The Nature of Existence!
Now that he’s asked the experts, it’s now YOUR TURN! Every day we’re going to ask YOU one of the very same questions Roger asked in his award-winning documentary. To offer your own insight into today’s question, “Why do we exist?” click the “Leave a Response” button and type away!
Why do we exist? Because we can. And because things that can exist are more numerous (in existence) than things that cannot. (i.e., you will never hear a non-existent thing ask why it does not exist).
It is like the question, “Why do living things replicate?” The answer is simply that objects that replicate become more numerous than those that don’t. We are here because the alternative is not to ask the question.
As a result of random mutations; evolution.
We are the result of natural forces acting around us. The fundamental constants and laws of physics which determine chemistry, which determines biology to the macro scale of an evolved homo sapien.
The universe is a living entity. We are part of a greater whole. On a cosmic scale, we are the cells of a much larger organism. That organism suffers the same fate that we do as human beings, death. But, as evident in our world this death is only temporary. The universe could have expanded and contracted a billion times already. There is no need to invoke a personal god to explain why we exist, we simply exist. We are learning to harness the powers of the universe. Maybe we are in still in the “cosmic kindergarten” awaiting our place in eternity.
Our existence is the result of the evolution.
We exist because of the fractal nature of the universe unfolding over time. We humans like to separate ourselves from the rest of existence like we are unique, but we are not unique in that we evolved from other organisms and ultimately evolved from the fundamental forces of the universe. We are an expression, a part of a grand design that is woven into the most fundamental aspects of reality. We are only separated from the original organism by time. The DNA still of the protolifeform still exists, the first pattern of life is still within our DNA pattern, and that pattern came from the ultimate pattern of the laws of nature.
Human existence is more like a neverneding spiral mural than a framed portrait, and if the mutliverse has been around for an infinite number of years, its likely that our universe is a self-replicating system, because odds are a self-replicating system is more probable than a single event. Since we are one portion of the design, there really is no ultimate purpose for mankind because our frame of existence does not take into account the distant past or distant future or the other iterations of the organization of matter and the fundamental forces. We exist as a result of that pattern instead of the pattern existing to give rise to humans.
If you look at a fractal, you can’t take any individual pattern and claim that is the ultimate statement of that pattern, yet each part of the pattern is intergral to the entire pattern. The more physicists discover the true nature of the universe, the more apparent it becomes that on the most fundamental levels, the universe is paradoxical and relative, so in a way the most logical way to explain why we exist is we exist for absolutely no reason as seen from a portrait of mankind, and we exist is also the only reason in the spiral mural persepctive.
What we see as discrete truth is only evident at the middle of the scale in terms of energy and size. The micro and macro are rife with paradox and relativeness, and since the middle is smaller than the micro and macro combined, what we term as absolute truth is just an aberration and is not representative of the largest proportion of the universe. We cannot force our Newtonian thinking to change the fundamental aspects of nature to fit our expectations, and as long as we seek only one profound answer per profound question we will never understand the answer, because we never understood the question.
My image is of a limitless God which colors my replies.
We are here because God wanted to be stupid, to be weak and die. God wanted to scream with pleasure and pain, and sing Nessum Dorma.
Without us the universe would be a much poorer place.
Why Do We Exist? WE DON’T. Since *EVERYTHING* we feel is the result of our mind, therefore our existence is also such a result. In practice, that means that we exist (a la Decartes) only if our mind exists, which leads of course to a logic loop. Therefore saying we don’t is as true as saying we do.
Could we possibly be an experiment on life from a more advanced civilization? If so, we exist because that was the purpose of the experiment on life.
Ocam’s Razor?
Epistemological Nihilism is what I believe in.
For all we know, our universe could be one single thought.
Continuity of creation. Creation creates, so the short answer is: We were made to.
We exist to serve and for such service we will be rewarded in the next life. In that life we exist as an embodiment of love, in a constant state of bliss.
We exist because we think therefor we are. We have gained enough intelligence to become aware of ourselves and the moment we know that we know we exist.
However, we could just be part of a dream that has been playing out beyond any concept we are capable of wrapping our minds around.
Some days I exist to drink coffee. Others it’s a danish and juice.
But that’s just me, how about you?
“why” is the word that i think made us conscious, sadly, but we are here from evolution’s molding, the will to survive, and the curiosity of man. Existing how we are now is the result of chemical, biological, mental, and a whole lot of other al’s, we are what we are
Aham Brahamasmi. I exist to become aware of thyself.I (Soul) has taken this body because me (Mind) exists.Mind creates thoughts and these thoughts creates desires and these desire causes the self (Soul) to take birth in new body for fullfiling the old desire.But new birth causes another desire and this cycle of birth and death keeps on going. Whatever i (Mind) say it is said by mind.During fully awared stage there is no body,no mind and their left only existence.And it is that existence which has to be felt and observe.That stage cant be described in word,Picture or by any method.That stage can only be felt.Then only Atman exists. And it is very much possible to feel that stage.
The above para carries all the answers of all questions of spirituality.Understanding the para will definately clean the mind.Awareness is possible by understanding and Real Practice.
Life: All life forms of life are a natural byproduct of the eternal and constantly changing universe. Look at the massive diversity of life forms on the planet and then realize we are simply one of them. There is no “Why do we exist”. We simply exist. Along with all the other bio-chemical life forms in the universe.
I believe that there are too many people out there who confuse the question WHY vs HOW….
HOW did we get here? This question defines a PROCESS that leads to a particular result that we see today. Here is where the theory of evolution plays a part, no question about that…
WHY did we get here? It defines a PURPOSE rather than a PROCESS. What I believe the answer to this question would either be “we simply exist thus no purpose at all”, or “we have been prepared for such and such purpose in the future therefore we exist”….It’s up to us to decide what we want to believe….
To say that the reason WHY we are here is because of millions of years of evolutionary process is like saying “I came here by car” when asked “why did you come to this biology lecture today?”
We are the universe becoming aware of itself.
Something the universe needs expressed will be expressed through us
Fortuitous accident of the universe.
We exist simply because we are here.Living is what we do.
The question is superfluous
We exist. Really? According to whom? Why? Clearly we are here but none of us knows why. That’s how it is and that obviously is how it must be since each of us is constantly asking ourselves why! Just who is in charge? I for one don’t have a frigging clue. I know what the seven major religions teach – but they all conflict with one another; providing ample evidence that they are all incorrect. Clearly the big bang is an untenable solution to the question “where did we come from.” Evolution is obvious but not often enough do we ask “evolved from what?” Note that there is no answer to “why.” Perhaps we exist to ask the question “why”…?
why do we exist! the million dollar question that has been around for millions of years. If you look at it from the theory that we came from apes then you would believe that we existed because of evolution which is just a theroy we don’t know how we came to earth or do we? If you look at it from the bible standpoint we exist because of a higher creator named God or whomever you call your higher power, and in that experience we were created. If you believe that we are not really having this expereince it is all an illusion then none of this is real! Therefore, if this is not real than we do not exist? we just think we exist because we are living out an illusion that is greater than our understanding to it. So how do we exist? I think we exist because of our higher self which is our real self the real self is more powerful than us human and therefore, can think with a higher mind and make anything it wishes so we exist because we are an object of what would it be like to be this? or make this? or have these outcomes which are endless played out on a stage and call it earth.
Flitting through the comments it would seem that no one has actually attempted to answer the question: ‘Why do we exist?’. People seem to talk about God or evolution, or invisible molding forces that dictate all. However, these people should be asking the question ‘what causes these forces?’. Which, in turn, leads onto ‘Why do these forces exist?’. It all leads back to questions akin to the epic ‘what came before the big bang?’. However, regardless of any of the mechanics of how we got here, or indeed started, none of it even begins to explain ‘why we are here’ or as you put it ‘why we exist’.
If a God existed, then who created him? Who created the person, who created god? Who created the person, who created the person, who created the person who created God….etc….
Surely, people who really want to understand why we exist are not comfortable with the logical dead-end of a God/creator. Personally, I don’t believe that a ‘God’ explains why we exist. Instead, it simply adds a whole new world of stultifyingly naive variables that really need not be added to the pursuit of an answer to ‘why do we exist?’.
Why do we exist? Hmmm, I have no idea, but I do know that people need to actually start considering the ‘actual’ question ‘Why do we exist?’, and not keep talking about God, evolution, forces etc, as these concepts are all a result of existence, not causal of.
I’ve been searching the internet about how things move and find nothing that explains how a particle can jump the gap of infinity to arrive in a different position from its original position.
The concept of motion seems to be tied to the concept of time. As I see it, nothing moves but rather whatever the smallest particles are that make up everything, these particles
are taken away from their current position in 3-dimensional space and then made to reapear in a new position. This
is mind boggleing since it would be happening at a phenominal rate and quantity, but hey, I still think I’m getting closer to
what is really going on. As to where space and particles come from, forget it, I have no hope of figuring this out. I mean why
isn’t the universe solid rather than space, and while how can there be space, how can there not be space. But back to movement, it
seems that it is an illusion and that the moving world we think we are in is just 3-dimensional frames so to speak. That is, picture everything
in the universe froaen and not moving, then somehow each and every particle is repositioned (not moved so much, as instantaneously changed to another position)
then what we perceive is movement, just like in a moving picture movie. What are the so called frame rates are the fastest anything
can move. Oh and there is no past and future, because we are like just one 3-dimensional picture frame, but the particles are somehow
moved in the same picture frame so that the same picture frame becomes the next. In this way what was in no more and what will be is
only after this same picture frame is changed again. So forget about time and time travel, there is only here and now and what changes in
the next step.
i think we are making a mistake by considering ourself as a unique thing and having so called life within us. evrything in the universe has a movement, everything in the universe undergoes a change and the change is the word which should be replaced with the word ‘life’. This change is what even we all experience, universe is meant to be ever changing because it has the energy in it, the second this energy is finished the universe will stops changing and the world will come to an end,i would call this end as ‘stability’. So right now the instability in the universe exists and we are the part of this universe, when it will become stable, we wont exist, we wont change. we are the change on the smallest possible scale and blackholes or stars or galaxies are the change on the larger scale and we never know there must be some even bigger than the larger scale, but thats what we can never find out because we are just a worm in the universe and tape worm doesnt know much about us, isnt it!
WE DON’T EXIST AT ALL. ONE DAY THE EARTH WILL COME TO AN END AND THE RACE WILL BE UNCONSCIOUS WITHOUT ANY EXISTENCE EVER…
We are the universe. We are the vessel through which the universe is becoming self aware.
We’re here because we’re here, because we’re here, because we’re here.
We’re here because we’re here, because we’re here, because we’re here…………. to the tune of old lang syne.
“Why Do We Exist?” this is the perfect question, if we were immortals on this life this question would be meanless, but because we die what is than even the perpes of living why do we even exist if we only live for short period of time then vanish why this complex creation wich us is even made it would mean nothing, that why there must be a reason of why do we live. if you believe in the evolution and that we are here because of randomness that if we were a simple thing but we are not we are more than that we are more than materials, that’s why we feel and have desire. which means were are not here just to live and die.
My awnser is we exist to do a thing that must be done than exist forever as we should do.
That’s why i believe in god, That’s why i believe in Allah.
Is there a reason to exist other than for survival? Why do things exist in the first place. Living things struggle to survive but in the end it does not really matter. People want purpose in life because we want to give ourselves a reason to exist.
we (humans) are existing in this universe as a part of the chakra of life, the cycle of life. we take births in different forms of life, and as soon as the lifetime of that particular life is over..our soul is transported to some other living form or body. and this cycle of life holds a human body too.. when our soul is planted into a human body. we exist. and human is one such creation of the supreme.
all the living forms are a part of supreme soul. and we all are connected to each other as well as the one..supreme.
our body having a brain which supports functioning of our senses makes up our thoughts based upon the preconditioning. brushing or cleansing of those preconditioned thoughts in our mind makes us realize the purpose of our existence. the one thing which helps us in realizing is belief. believe in the ONE supreme. this One supreme soul is named differently in different places but initially they all are same.
our purpose is to realize it, and accept it. and then doing our bit.
our bit..which is selfless service of god. we can do the selfless service of gos by serving the humans selflessly. as when self disappears we grow more closer and closer to the God. and tend to come out of this cirle or cycle of life.
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DEAR FREINDS,
WE EXIST BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN CREATED FOR SOME PURPOSE BY THE ALMIGHTY.HUMAN BEING IS THE MOST NOBLE CREATION OF ALL LIVING BEINGS. THE ANGELS AND THE GINNS.
A collection of prehistoric living creatures which have developed and further developed.
This is a wrong question. To phrase it better:
“When we were created, the being who created us had some purpose for us in mind. What is that purpose?”
This presupposes a creator, though.
Why do we exist? Good question. I think its because a coincidence happened. Its chances of actually happening were very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very low. Probably 1 in a 99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999. Anyway, this coincidence happened, then the big bang happened, then bacteria evolved and then we evolved out of bacteria. We evolved to kill each other and ask stupid questions like this. I mean, why don’t we just live life and be thankful that we do actually exist? Maybe this is the hell of another planet. If it is, then a whole new question arises; Why is Earth the hell of another planet? Well I think its because a…
just get a life
I think this is a silly question to ask anyone. Along with the words I write right now, existence begins from a concept that is made-up. “Existence” and to “figure it out” is meaningless.
If you could picture the whole universe as a complete circle, impossible to continue for EVER…you have to question what is beyond that. Humans in body form cannot live forever and only live once, but spiritually go to a better place. I believe we go to the outer circle of the universe in spiritual form, heaven, call it what you may. There is no simple answer to the reason for existence, but if there is a small chance of another form of existence after our very short time in this life, then do good; pray there is a GOD.
Why does existence have to have a purpose everything is down to random chance and the mind is a more powerful tool than we understand and we are so ignorant as a race we will be long extinct before we ever fully understand it or grasp how to use it to its full potential so live life instead of trying to find a reason for it because we will be long gone and still won’t find a reason for life and that’s just a life wasted to a hopeless cause like war so don’t be a soldier be a person
we just do exist!! in 5 billion years the sun will become a giant red star,engulf earth,and,game ,shot and match,all over!! thats if the human race lasts that long!!afterwards ,as a hypothetical observer,you would realise that NOTHING MATTERS!!!!
To grow
Because your mom and dad did it, and their mom and dad did it, and so on
We exist because we think we believe in our own existence.
To avoid confusing I think the question is just WHY? Why … nobody knows. For me because the creator decide why not.
Because existence exists. And there’s no alternative.
At the level of science, because the law of identity requires order. And so the order results in life and then evolution and human beings.
At the level of an individual it’s a wrong question to ask. Each person has to choose for themselves what the goals of their lives will be.
Why ask a human? We JUST showed up in the most amazing place (existance). Rather, we should allow the vastness of the universe and the unfathomable complexity of living things to humble our thoughts and bring sobriety to our words. The one true answer cannot be typed or spoken, but is revealed from the origin of everything…. God
existence yea, aint random or nuthin its like my mama said back wen she could speak, everythin happens 4 a reason ini. Life is beutifull, its full of hopes and downs but we gotta be grateful tht were here. No way tht this can be it, i aint came from no ape…
Javster I disagree, your spelling is horrendous and your grammar moreso. What does justify believe in a celestrial life is the countless evidence revealed by an all Omnipitent Creator. Look towards revelation and this question becomes obvious… We are here to know our one true God.
I think that exsistence is odd. Many people think that to. What ifGhosts were in the real world andqw are not?