Reading all these comments regarding your question, most seem to be of the opinion that a given life is purely accidental and that there is really no purpose in life other than we are living organisms with a limited life span and best to just get through it as best we can. This sounds perfectly logical unless one believes in an intelligence of some kind that created the entire universe (protons, neutrons, electrons, etc.,) with some gigantic experiment in mind that would take billions of years to play out). At almost 85 and facing an earlier answer than the young lady who asked this question, I have been writing a sort of essay on the subject. I will post a little bit of it here and should anyone wish to read more just email me. (To keep busy I dabble at writing kid's stories and work occasionally as an extra in the film industry (Can see me for example in music video Rich White Girls (Mansionz, with Mike Posner/Black Bear). I'm the old guy at table with Jennifer Grey and our two 'daughters,' But back to that more serious topic. (Oh, email is ozauthor at yahoo dot com)

We Live, We Die, Then What?

By Robert J. Evans

· Those who say with absolute certainty there is nothing beyond the grave are being somewhat egotistical in that their belief is so strong that this mere belief essentially becomes an absolute fact. Of course, the skeptic and/or atheist could say the exact same thing about believers in God and an afterlife, since neither has scientific proof one way or the other. ·

· But who among us has not wondered what it is like to die. Will the end be sudden and unexpected? Or will there be a lingering death with extreme discomfort, pain and suffering where perhaps we no longer recognize our loved ones. And then after our death, if that is indeed the end, there will be no awareness that we are dead or that we have ever lived. No memory of our loved ones or of the good times, or for that matter the trials and tribulations throughout the years we spent on earth. All will have been for naught other than the influences good and bad that resulted from us having lived.

On the other hand, if there is such a thing as an afterlife it is presumed all our memories will remain intact and after the shock of realizing we, or at least our physical body, has died we would assume there will be a lot of questions to ask of someone. It is assumed of course we now inhabit a different kind of body, dare I say a spirit body? One that can observe our new surroundings whatever they may be.

                                         The Beginnings . . . .   

When the earth had cooled sufficiently for simple living organisms to take hold and flourish (which is still a mystery in itself) plant life slowly became abundant. We can only imagine how nature must have become more and more beautiful with the beginnings of huge forests, various floras, etc. Of course with no human eyes to observe that, or the geological changes creating majestic mountains, oceans, lakes and so on, nature’s ultimate beauty would be lost to the primitive moving life forms that began at some point to evolve. After all, an ant’s universe is very limited. Let us imagine in today’s world, the lowly ant, say walking along the surface of a computer: it would be totally unaware of the complexity beneath its feet. By the same token a bottom fish in the ocean would have no idea of a whole world above the surface or even that a surface exists. So why are we any different? The ant and the fish think their observable world is all there is. We tend to do the same. In his book Teaching Your Children about God, Rabbi David Wolpe, a professor at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, recalls an ancient Jewish parable about twin fetuses lying together in the womb. One believes that there is a world beyond the womb, "where people walk upright, where there are mountains and oceans, a sky filled with stars. The other can barely contain his contempt for such foolish ideas." Suddenly the "believer" is forced through the birth canal leaving behind the only way of life he has known. The remaining fetus is saddened, convinced that a great catastrophe has befallen his companion. "Outside the womb, however, the parents are rejoicing. For what the remaining brother, left behind, has just witnessed is not death but birth." This, Wolpe reminds us, is a classic view of the afterlife--a birth into a world that we on Earth can only try to imagine.

So is life nothing more than a collection of cells that take in nourishment and oxygen, and which instinctively try to create an environment that will allow them to reproduce and continue the process – a life force with no purpose other than self preservation? If so, this would apply equally to the complex cluster of cells we call humans, or the lowly single cell or virus.

Scientists cannot exactly pinpoint what life is as opposed to non-life such as inanimate objects. For both are complex orbital electrical arrangements composed of mostly empty space. But unlike inanimate objects, life self-replicates -- replaces damaged cells structure, etc. Life is a kind of intelligence; it monitors and regulates vital biological processes. What is the nature of this intelligence? Is it a God force in action? By God force, I mean an intelligence both in and outside of ourselves -- a universal intelligence that monitors and controls every atom of the universe. Each atom would be an integral part of this force; whether that individual atom is part of a rock, or a living breathing human being. The first simple living cell was destined to evolve to become not only a complex arrangement of cells, the higher order of which is ourselves, but all living creatures.
In Mike Gene's book, The Design Matrix, he describes "Front Loading" (how some kind of intelligence pre-loaded the first living cell with the 'blueprints' for processes that will not be required for hundreds of millions of years.) To Quote from the book "…Globin, which is used only in blood cells, is a spectacular blood protein that serves the purpose of oxygen; delivering it, and unloading it. So (this proposed intelligence/creator) my words in parenthesis, would need to endow some of his original life forms with globin, to be used hundreds of millions of years later so that it is present when the biosphere is ready to evolve mammal-like organisms. Of course, how would that ‘creator’ design the machinery for blood vessels; No need to despair, there are strategies for that also….."

We exist because our parents had sex. Nothing more nothing less.

We are born with a self preservation instinct, so we don't kill ourselves.

That is why we are here. Everything else is gravy.

Life is just a ride, make the best of it.

There is no 'why'. We exist, and that is really all there is to it. As for problems being 'thrown' at us, that is a matter of perspective. I have found that many of my problems are self generated -- that I am the prime source for my difficulties. A little introspection can solve a lot of things. Any other problems that I have not been the mastermind for I look upon as challenges to either surmount or to learn from.

Pure random chance. We were just one of 100,000,000 sperm who happened to fertilize the egg at just the right time, so we have already beat the odds of 99,999,999 to 1 in order to be alive. We might as well appreciate it and make the best of the life we have.

There was a saying I heard once that goes like this: "Believe not that God is in your heart child, but rather you're in the heart of God." Following is my non-religious interpretation of that quote: I believe we exist only as a means by which the universe observes itself. I believe that we are all part of an apotheosis of consciousness, not intelligence, that is actually the universe itself. I believe this consciousness is what people mistake for God. Each of us is a "receiver" of sorts that syphons of a part of this apotheosis of consciousness kind of like how a radio receives signals from the air waves. This part of that consciousness that you syphon off combined with your life's experience is what forms your individual personality that is both apart from and a part of the overarching apotheosis of consciousness. Hope that makes sense...

I would say every human alive has wondered this. The problems you mention are an inescapable part of life since without striving to overcome those problems you would cease to be.It's a survival issue first and formost,the world is a dangerous place and you need to be alert to what going on around you and ensure your safety. Bhuddist talk about the struggle of life and the suffering that goes with life which, is very true.

That said, I believe as humans we have more to offer than mere survival. We have the ablity to be aware of the wider universe the fact we are alive against all the odds and we start to think about it all. For me I felt that there was something else going in here and that we can try to understand why we are here,so i read and learnt and eventually I now think we are actually just a natural part of the universe and not separate from it at all,depsite how we are brought up to percieve the universe, We tend to view the universe as separate from us..eg. there is a "me" and then there is "everything outside of me" and the two are completely and always separate. I now understand this is the wrong way to go thinking about it. "We" and "everything else outside" is one and the same thing.In other words we have divinity within us,since have a bit of the creator inside each and evryone of us...ok big leap I know, but I am jumping to the logical end for me..it did take me while. Thats how I see it now anyway after spending my life asking the same question,my lessons learnt in life has answered this question for me,but we all have to make our own journey on this.We have been given the thinking tools.

I wish you well on your journey.

I completely second what Kreig said. No "have to." If we assign a reason, that's on us, not any kind of cosmic purpose. I consider my existance a wonderfully lucky (for me) happenstance. I get to experience life. Sure there is pain and suffering along the way, but that is part of the deal; part random events, part natural causation/ chain of events, and part my emotional and cognitive wiring. But all that is okay for the amazing experience of growing, learning, experiencing beauty, humor, love, friendship, happiness, wonder, etc.

Since I came to realize I would never know the reason why I created my own reasons those being to live a life worth living, to walk my own path, to share what I've learned to those interested to know, to never look back, to make the most of today, to love without expectation, ah well you get the point, yes?

Your question is an interesting one, and as I read it, I presume you are asking about being brought into existence in the first place, as it is possible to choose to end that existence. I suppose that really what you're asking is; is it possible that all the random events that have taken place in this universe since the beginning of time can be tracked mathematically, so that in theory everything that ever has, is and will happen is ultimately an inevitability? I'm going to go ahead and say yes, the laws of physics, motion, thermodynamics, etc do suggest that. But the problem with that is that the time necessary to do the mathematical calculations to reveal all, would take more time then the universe will exist for, thus making the effort of doing the maths pointless. However I will say this, given that we do exist, given that that existence is finite, and given that we have the opportunity to choose How We Will Live this finite existence, I feel that it is incumbent upon us all to live as well as we know how, for we shall not pass this way again.

The answer is found within the meaning and purpose of life.

Existence before essence. The universe is without purpose . People apply like constructs to the natural world and then ask why? Why do people get hurt? Why are there so many trials? Purpose involves a persons intent to cause something. Comets don’t have intent. You might be clever enough to determine their cause of trajectory, but their purpose? Unlikely. In my opinion, this is the source of religion. Archaic anthropomorphism.

Often enough... I personally think it's a simple luck of the draw. To be fair though, as many problems as we face much of it comes down how we choose to live and to some degree the culture and place you live. I have a personal friend that chooses to be homeless, I actually just had him over for dinner earlier! In many ways he's happier than I am. Two very different ways of living but very different problems. I could delve further into specifics of that but that would come at great length. O.o

I think this is one of those questions that would fit in with Albert Camus's absurdism philosophy: there are some questions about life that have no good or clear answer (e.g., why we exist, what the purpose of life is, etc.). I think Camus would have said that because you exist, you might as well make the most of it, enjoy it as much as you can while you're here. At the heart of what you're saying, I agree — and that's why I consider it inadvisable to procreate, because doing so is necessarily bringing a conscious being into existence without its consent.

Why we have to exist. Well its difficult to answer.

Why we should live?

I exist because I believe when I die, it is it. There is no heaven or eternal places or rebirth.
And the world is full of possibilities, beauty, wonder and chaos.

It is the unpredictability of life.

I have been happy. I have been sad. I have beeb sick and been healthy.

It is all part of this and I want to enjoy being here.

The purpose if my life is to live itself.

And the part I love most about life - People.

We are here. We think. We innovate. We work for the betterment of ourselves. It is a process of constant change.

That is what it gets it running.

Every day is different from another.
Every place is different from another.

And we have people with diversities in language, culture, etc etc etc....

What else to do but live in this beautiful world full of surprises...

None of us have to exist, but we were put here for whatever reason, and I think that life is interesting enough that we can pursue things that fascinate us and that gives us the energy to cope with the problems that are thrown at us. Music is one thing that keeps me going- I play professionally in a few different bands, and I get quite a bit of enjoyment out of that.