In the deterministic sense mankind has always existed.In the deterministic sense every event including mankind is a necessary event. God is a deterministic idea.Nick_A wrote: ↑Fri Jun 24, 2022 12:44 amYou are referring to imaginary meaning or self justification. I am referring to objective meaning and purpose for Man which can be remembered as always existing.Dubious wrote: ↑Thu Jun 23, 2022 10:14 pmWell then! It looks like you have it made; you've discovered meaning and whatever that meaning means to you. In that sense, everyone has to preach to himself to customize meaning and purpose to their lives. If Christianity does it for you don't assume it also applies to others. They may have their own reference points.Nick_A wrote: ↑Thu Jun 23, 2022 9:44 pm
So if a person strives for what makes them happy then to succeed defines meaning. Suppose a person wants to be rich so strives to make money so as to be happy. Happiness is acquired in life but what of those who strive to feel meaning rather than being happy. Suppose a person spends their life for the purpose of being happy then one day wonders why am I doing this? I am happy but lack meaning or the feeling of the purpose of my being. They ask: What am I doing?
Meno's paradox offers an alternative. What we experience in life can make us happy or sad. But when one remembers (anamnesis) what offers meaning from a higher perspective they can experience human purpose. How does one remember? They remember human meaning rather than struggling for personal earthly happiness. Christianity offers the potential to remember what has been forgotten.
This is real philosophy. How many knows what it means and able to ponder the depths of the idea to feel its meaning?
The enlightened application of the Free Will theory of mankind is mankind, unlike other living creatures, breaks free of genetic evolution and evolves mainly through culture. Cultures of belief can be evaluated using several criteria. Nick has not justified his criterion for his belief and therefore is not a fundamentalist. The usual justifications for God belief are miraculous intervention in history by God; or revelation by a prophet such as Jesus; or both.
Christians justify God belief both by miracles and by the life and work of the historical Jesus.