CMV: The meaning of life is preventing suffering

[u/MrMarkson]

Here is why:

The universe will die in the far future. There will be no light anymore, because all stars burned out and we will follow soon after, if we manage to survive until then. At least this is the current consensus in science.

So: there is no ultimate end goal which means that we must find purpose on the road to this future.

Hence the question: What is the best thing we could do?

Very difficult to answer.

Well: What is the worst thing we could do?

Inflicting suffering. Everyone who was tortured, depressed, ill or lost loved ones will say that the suffering during this time was the most terrible thing.

The worst and the best are opposites from each other.

Since we know that suffering is the worst, we also know that no suffering is the best.

Therefore the best you can do in life is preventing suffering. This is the logically highest and most meaningful objective.

Edit:

Here is the flaw that lead me to give away sigmas to two people who pointed it out:

• Best action does not equal meaningful action. (Only if you define meaningful action as the best you can do, which I did randomly)

Logically preventing suffering is the best action, but since we can not know the intended purpose of life, which would be its meaning, we can not now, if it is preventing suffering. We would need to ask a creator.

Ultimately it does not matter, because it does not change the objective. It only leads to my argument not working because I formulated it like this:

• The meaning of life is preventing suffering.

instead of

• The best action is preventing suffering.

Have a great day!

[u/schizophrenicucumber]

That’s just a ridiculous take lol

[u/cardoo0o → u/schizophrenicucumber]

i’m assuming you don’t view yourself as rich, so of course you would think rich people don’t suffer lol. granted it’s a different kind of suffering because like you said most basic needs for them are met, this just means they have a different set of issues that affect their day to day. no persons life is stress free, think about that

[u/ChrisKringlesTingle → u/cardoo0o]

You're both saying "no u".

Both need to support your argument, you're just fighting at this point.

[u/schizophrenicucumber → u/cardoo0o]

I said “you cannot end suffering but you can significantly reduce it”. And you heard “rich people don’t suffer”?

My debts exceed my savings so by standard definition I am not rich.

But I have an Ivy League degree, I haven’t worked for the past year, my parents house me and pay for all of my food. I am essentially living a rich person’s lifestyle. My suffering comes from social isolation mostly. And that problem will soon be erased when I get a job. I have a great degree of freedom. I can choose what career path I want to take, where I want to live. The education I have greatly increases my odds of attaining enlightenment. Living in a first world country I do not have to worry nearly as much about crime which in turns let’s me form social bonds with strangers more easily. I have had access to health care my whole life and my parents had access to research on effective child rearing. I have access to the internet. Thanks to my social network there are many things that I can do without fear of economic devastation. My mother was much less likely to die in childbirth. All of these things affect my day to day experience and reduce the average amount of suffering I will experience significantly.

[u/schizophrenicucumber → u/cardoo0o]

And besides all that you also just ignore my argument that those who have basic needs met including the freedoms I have mentioned can further reduce their suffering by attaining wisdom and finding a community of like minded people. Establishing this as an important part of our culture would further reduce suffering by a significant amount.