The purpose of man

[███]

I'm actually going to share an interesting piece of ancient philosophy called teleology.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teleology

In nature, we see that an acorn, the fruit of the oak tree, should under most circumstances grow into an oak tree. Some might even say that the entire point of being an acorn is to grow into an oak tree. That's what it "should" do. It's what we would normally call its purpose, or its telos.

The idea at work here is that there's a certain inherent property of the acorn which is linked with it's purpose. The form of an acorn follows from the need to ultimately become an oak tree.

What, if anything could be said of the telos of man? Is there a purpose similar to that of the oak tree?

[Guza]

you mean like.....a man is destined to spread its seed?

[genericusername2]

Sounds like the ancient philosophy of random nonsense to me.

[Bean Bandit]

There will be no seed spreading here, if that is where this is headed.

Like anything living, it will produce to continue.

To many topics are already turning sexual with sly lil jokes. It is a good topic, but most of the users here can't handle it. If it turns more sexual with nonsense and comments it will be closed.

[Dark Lord]

Life has no purpose but what each individual ascribes to it.

[genericusername2]

Hmm I actually took some insight to this....

I would see the telos of an acorn to be that of providing the world with the nutrition of its fruit, for all organisms, rather than simply growing to maturity into a tree.
Similarly, I don't believe the telos of man is simply to physically grow into mature human beings. I believe that the maturity of an organism, like the mature tree, is what allows it to fulfill its telos, its purpose.
For human beings, I believe the telos of man is to develop a relationship of love between a couple, which is made possible due to man's physical (and theoretically emotional) maturation. Though seemingly overly optimistic, the love relationship between a mature couple is like the fruit of the tree, the acorn, in that it would provide nourishment for the world; where loving relationships between people cause them to develop "good" characters (yes good is very subjective but think in the traditional sense of serving and living to help others so all can benefit), and in turn teach this to their children as they grow and mature, to follow the same pattern of creating a loving relationship and passing that love on; this would lead to the creation of a sort of utopian society.

[Azel]

Hmm I actually took some insight to this....

I would see the telos of an acorn to be that of providing the world with the nutrition of its fruit, for all organisms, rather than simply growing to maturity into a tree.
Similarly, I don't believe the telos of man is simply to physically grow into mature human beings. I believe that the maturity of an organism, like the mature tree, is what allows it to fulfill its telos, its purpose.
For human beings, I believe the telos of man is to develop a relationship of love between a couple, which is made possible due to man's physical (and theoretically emotional) maturation. Though seemingly overly optimistic, the love relationship between a mature couple is like the fruit of the tree, the acorn, in that it would provide nourishment for the world; where loving relationships between people cause them to develop "good" characters (yes good is very subjective but think in the traditional sense of serving and living to help others so all can benefit), and in turn teach this to their children as they grow and mature, to follow the same pattern of creating a loving relationship and passing that love on; this would lead to the creation of a sort of utopian society.

So you took the perception of this "teology" to be a love thing. A man provides love and traditionally passes on his genes for the benefit of mankind rather than simply mature. But that is not what sparked my interest in this response, it's that you say under these traditional circumstances a utopian society will emerge. I am sorry but in this world that is curropt socially, politically, and environmentally, where every human will normally only fend for themselves I do not see how this idealistic society will simply come about. You can instill a system of beliefs for generations but in this evil world not every generation will follow. We as humans are too flawed, too greedy, too stubborn.

[███]

Not bad. The acorn no longer has a purpose specifically as we intended it.

You can even take it one step further and ask what the purpose of the oak tree is. Certainly it's form allows it to bear fruit, but we can also use it to make things like furniture. In this case, it's got a little bit of an extrinsic purpose as well.

It's surprising that this philosophy is so old, yet strands of it are everywhere. It's one of the ideas underlying the dialectical materialism of Marx and his argument for communism. I think a lot of Aristotelian thought also wound up working it's way into the church.

[Eris]

Interesting, yet ultimately flawed theory in the light of modern developments. Reproduction is positive when there is natural selection; that is, the weak perish, but today nearly every cause of death has been removed, so we don't evolve int the same way.

We've, as a species, become a constant. And constants are meaningless. They are dead.

[OminousCloud]

The acorn's purpose is to make more acorns by becoming an oak tree. Man's purpose is to make more men. It's simple really..

[Azel]

The acorn's purpose is to make more acorns by becoming an oak tree. Man's purpose is to make more men. It's simple really..

Alot of things are simple to you Mini Twilight. Lol.

[OminousCloud]

Alot of things are simple to you Mini Twilight. Lol.

I know, my intelligence is just so great, that nothing is a challenge anymore. Oh what a painful existance...

[Tenhauser]

Our only purpose is to survive by any means necessary.

[riolu72x]

this is what i think we're here not dead we're happy

[Wio]

Interesting, yet ultimately flawed theory in the light of modern developments. Reproduction is positive when there is natural selection; that is, the weak perish, but today nearly every cause of death has been removed, so we don't evolve int the same way.

We've, as a species, become a constant. And constants are meaningless. They are dead.
Wait, so was death removed or what?

[-Batman-]

Wait, so was death removed or what?

Yes, 2 years ago.
You should have gotten a memo.

[Eris]

Wait, so was death removed or what?

Not all together, but people don't die in the extent they used to. Now'days people grow old and wither away. Natural selection couldn't tell the difference, anything that happens after the age people stop having children is a blind spot for evolution.

[sadida]

The acorn's purpose is to make more acorns by becoming an oak tree. Man's purpose is to make more men. It's simple really..
....In other words nature has set itself up for eventual self destruction? (since more ppl = more destruction of nature) Actually no, nature is still trying to save itself...AIDS and all that.

[Eris]

....In other words nature has set itself up for eventual self destruction? (since more ppl = more destruction of nature) Actually no, nature is still trying to save itself...AIDS and all that.

Nature is not more intelligent than a deck of cards. It has no intent, and isn't "trying" to do anything. But otherwise you are right, infinite reproduction is impossible in a world with finite resources.

[noki]

wow i think i learned a lot from this post 1st it was nonsense and now.... i think i get it

[UrusaiSevera]

The telos of man is similar to that of the oak tree, in the respect to evolution... by natural selection (darwinian theorem).. but seeing as we humans have a great will to survive, we have taken away most natural causes to die... We will ofcourse die.. but not without shall we say "putting up a fight"...
In nature, when you are flawed, you will most likely perish... we as humans have been doing everything possible to take this away... (imo, resulting in huge medical, technological i.e. scientifical development and improvement)

No, nature has not set itself up for eventual self-destruction taking us as mankind with it, though ofcourse until some extent we as humans are bound to nature... like Eris said...

One thing that truly bothers me with Teleology is the often recurring word "design"... Like you said about the acorn.. It's designedto grow into and oak tree... though... why designed? What especially bother me is the word "intellegent design"... which also could aply to the whole acorn to aok tree story....

[Knightmare]

Sounds like hippie nonsense, Mans only reason for living is to "eat drink and be merry for tomottow we could die"

[Eris]

Sounds like hippie nonsense, Mans only reason for living is to "eat drink and be merry for tomottow we could die"

It's actually quite the contrary. There is no "love" in this sort of strict darwinian philosophy, so it's undertones are more crass than they may appear at a glance.

That "cease the day" crap however, now that's so hippie it's banned in four states. I say rip the moment from the cold dead fingers of fate, conquer the day!

[Gravemaker]

Everyone knows the point of existance is to eat cake.

[Koshiro]

Teleology is interesting and all, however, I have come to the conclusion that the purpose of man is to wonder what the purpose of man is, which is something I fail to do XD.

[Yippy123]

Actually the point of existance is nothing... we only thrive on this world because of weird organisms that first started to form and then the whole aspect of evolution took place. Everyone says survival of the race is necessary but what good is that? Humans are so gay its unreal and what makes me so furious is that so many people dont know how to respect each other. Stupid damn wars going on all the time im sick of it! Stupid racism, segregation, bullying, sexism, peodophiles, stereotypes. Stupid nuclear bombs and terrorist attacks! Stupid everything in this world i hate it. So what is the purpose of man? Absolutely nothing but to cause suffering...