• Question: what's the point of living? why are we here?

    Asked by clockwork18 to Edd, Jess, Zara on 23 Jun 2011.
    • Photo: Edward Codling

      Edward Codling answered on 23 Jun 2011:

      Wow – a great question that opens up lots of philosophical and metaphysical debate!

      From a biological or evolutionary point of view this is an easy question to answer. We are here to pass on our genes to the next generation – to reproduce! However, this is obviously a bit unsatisfying as it makes it seem like we are just machines on a production line.

      I like to think that as a scientist I am adding to the sum of human knowledge (in a small way) so that people who come after us can use our work to make the world and society better. This is why I find my job quite satisfying as I feel I can do something that will make a positive difference to the world.

      I don’t know the full answer to your question though – and I don’t think many others do either!

    • Photo: Zara Gladman

      Zara Gladman answered on 23 Jun 2011:

      Hey clockwork18! 🙂

      Great question… when you start asking things like that, we call it an ‘existential crisis’! It happens to me quite often… sometimes I remember that I’m a human… and alive… and it’s all just a bit weird!

      Like Edd said, biologists would say that our only purpose in life is to reproduce. But then why are some people gay? The explanation is too simple. Maybe on a species level, our purpose is to reproduce – but on a individual level, we all have a different purpose.

      I don’t know what mine is exactly! I think as long as I aim to be happy and make others happy along the way, then that’s as good a purpose as any.

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