The Enigma of Life (Part 2 of 2) — The Meaning of Life

Human lives are no more significant in the grand scheme of the universe than the lives of cockroaches on the same scale of magnitude.

— Xenocrates

Humanity and all life enveloped by it, is a by product of a cosmic matter engine. — Image by Jamie Beck

When you think about the complexity of life on this planet, our first instinct is to think that the meaning of our lives extends from the complexity inherent in life as we know it. The truth is that wherever life exists in the universe, irrespective of its complexity, the purpose of that life is exactly the same. There is no greater relativistic significance that’s attributable to humanity.

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■ E-mail: accordingtoxen[at]gmail[dot]com

The Enigma of Life (Part 1 of 2) — What is life?

…life is a miracle of astronomical mathematical improbability.

— Xenocrates

The transitional beauty of life from land to sea as juxtaposed against the epitome of a seashore owes more to a natural phenomena than a mythological inexplicability. — Image Credit: Kert Gartner, 2011

In response to my previous post, someone had asked me in person: “If god was invented by humans to satisfy the need to worship something, then what is the meaning of life?” The very question is based on the premise that one needs a god to give life meaning (or that having a god would make life more meaningful). It’s like saying that tooth fairies make losing a tooth more meaningful or that storks make childbirth more miraculous. We know what the meaning of life is. Just like losing a tooth and the miracle of childbirth, the meaning lies in our biology.

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■ E-mail: accordingtoxen[at]gmail[dot]com

Epiphanies Volume 4 – Lessons Learned in 2008

“Whenever you lose, whatever you lose, however you lose, never lose the lesson.”

- Xenocrates

For me, the year of 2008 was filled with great learning experiences. Personally, I think I gained several more points than usual in my cognitive development than I normally would – perhaps the greatest since 2003 when I had my last great evolutionary leap in cognition. This post lists the top 100 of the most important things that I have learned this year. For ease of reading, I have sub-divided these equally into five distinct categories each written as tersely elegant aphorisms in bullet form notation. Depending on your life experience, some of these you will have already known. Others, you may not. Some may seem familiar to you as great minds ultimately come to the same conclusion. Either way, irrespective of our individuality, I believe at least some of these aphorisms will be as much an eye opener for you as they were for me. As far as I know, all of these epiphanies are my own original thoughts. Enjoy: