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Research study: Atheists and the meaning of life

#1
C C Offline
http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10....4017754238

EXCERPT: Nonreligion is often thought to be commensurate with nihilism or fatalism, resulting in the perception that the nonreligious have no source of meaning in life. While views to this effect have been advanced in various arenas, no empirical evaluation of such a view has been conducted. Using data from the 2008 American General Social Survey (N = ~1,200), we investigated whether atheists, the religiously unaffiliated, and persons raised religiously unaffiliated were more likely than theists, the religiously affiliated, and persons raised with a religious affiliation to report greater levels of fatalism, nihilism, and the perception that meaning in life is self-provided. Results suggested that these groups did not differ with regard to fatalism or nihilism. However, atheists and the religiously unaffiliated (but not persons raised in a religiously unaffiliated household) were more likely to indicate that meaning in life was endogenous—that is, self-produced. While atheists and the nonreligious differed from their counterparts on source of meaning in life, this was not associated with any “penalty” for overall existential meaning....

MORE: http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10....4017754238
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#2
Magical Realist Offline
I'm a big fan of endogenous meaning---finding purpose and engagement in my own pursuits and activities. Learning new things and thinking out deep issues is a big part of that. There's something to be said for cultivating a natural curiosity for new events and ideas. It keeps us abreast of our time and makes us more interesting people. And this forum makes all that possible. Tks CC!
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#3
Zinjanthropos Offline
If there's a meaning/purpose for life then it should be the same for every life form. Unfortunately we seem to seek a meaning only for the life form, not life as a separate phenomenon. For me it is quite easy to say our m/p is to survive, propagate the species, continue life. Right now, that seems to be the most logical answer, so I'm sticking with it unless something comes along to change my mind.
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#4
Syne Offline
It seems like the notion of endogenous meaning has only taken hold since the devaluation of things like the family, which is a primary purpose toward species survival.
People have to fill the hole with something.
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#5
Magical Realist Offline
Quote:It seems like the notion of endogenous meaning has only taken hold since the devaluation of things like the family, which is a primary purpose toward species survival.

Why would endogenous meaning be exclusive of things like the family? I have a very fulfilling set of family relationships while creating meaning in my own life. My family members do too. Seems to me the artificial props of religion and politics are what split families apart.
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#6
Syne Offline
Family member relationships are not the same thing as starting a family, species survival-wise.
Religious people and Republicans (political fertility gap is 41%) have more children.
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#7
Magical Realist Offline
Quote:Family member relationships are not the same thing as starting a family, species survival-wise.
Religious people and Republicans (political fertility gap is 41%) have more children.

All my extended family members are starting families and increasing the range of those I call family. To claim family has nothing to do with starting a family is idiotic.
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#8
Syne Offline
(Feb 19, 2018 10:47 PM)Magical Realist Wrote:
Quote:Family member relationships are not the same thing as starting a family, species survival-wise.
Religious people and Republicans (political fertility gap is 41%) have more children.

All my extended family members are starting families and increasing the range of those I call family. To claim family has nothing to do with starting a family is idiotic.

I actually said the exact opposite. Your relationship to those staring families does not mean you are contributing to species survival.
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#9
Magical Realist Offline
(Feb 19, 2018 10:58 PM)Syne Wrote:
(Feb 19, 2018 10:47 PM)Magical Realist Wrote:
Quote:Family member relationships are not the same thing as starting a family, species survival-wise.
Religious people and Republicans (political fertility gap is 41%) have more children.

All my extended family members are starting families and increasing the range of those I call family. To claim family has nothing to do with starting a family is idiotic.

I actually said the exact opposite. Your relationship to those staring families does not mean you are contributing to species survival.

Who said meaning was found in contributing to species survival thru reproduction, particularly in a world already crowded with unwanted and orphaned children?
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#10
Syne Offline
Maybe you should catch up on the conversation.
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