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Originally Posted by Repugnant Abomination
Maybe as a standalone concept, but in the larger context of religious belief I don't think it's nearly as comforting as the alternative.
There doesn't need to be a singular objective, but saying "important" and "worthwhile" is pretty much the same as saying meaningful. They are all abstract constructs of the human mind that are completely subjective outside the existence of God. If you're arguing from an empiricists point of view then those ideas dwell outside the scope of the scientific method and therefore don't actually exist.
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Surely it is possible to identify, although maybe not quantify, things such as meaningfulness and importance as tangible things through neuroscience? The original point was along the lines of "life needs x to be meaningful", but I contend you can identify "meaning" or whatever term is used without anything beyond life
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Well there's the Hindu idea of karma and reincarnation with the ultimate goal of earning your way into the afterlife, or the Christian idea of living as Christ to bridge the gap between God and man. But I doubt that's what you mean. Maybe BDH can give a better answer to this question, since he's the only one I can think of on the board who genuinely believes in an afterlife.
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