Existence Necessitates Purpose

The proposition on offer is that nothing inherent to mere existence necessitates purpose in that existence. Purpose has the following definitions (Dictionary.com): 1. the reason for which something exists or is done, made, used, etc. 2. an intended or desired result; end; aim; goal. 3. determination; resoluteness. 4. the subject in hand; the point at issue. 5. practical result, effect, or advantage: to act to good purpose. Obviously they are all mostly pertinent, and thus, I would suggest that we consider them as a totality, giving us a definition more along the lines of: "The reason for which something exists, is done, is made, or used to achieve an intended or desired result as a function of the resolution of an actor on a subject." Somewhat wordy, but it gets the point across well. *********************** First, if existence necessitated purpose, vestigial biological structures would not exist. This is an argument by counter-example that is fairly easy to follow. Take for example, the human appendix. The appendix no longer serves a purpose in the human body. Yet it exists. If existence necessitated purpose, the appendix would have one. And it does not. Second, existence and purpose are not causally related. By this, I mean that one does not directly cause the other. Purpose obviously does not cause existence, because something must exist before it CAN have a purpose. Existence obviously does not cause purpose, or vestigial organs would not have purpose. Third, the very nature of purpose requires intent. For example, a rock has a purpose as a weapon only if someone intends to throw it at another person. Intent requires rudimentary intelligence of some kind. For example, a person cannot throw a rock without understanding the end it is trying to accomplish. The rock by itself has no purpose. It may exist and have incidental effects, but these are not its PURPOSE. Effect is defined as (Dictionary.com): 1. something that is produced by an agency or cause; result; consequence: Exposure to the sun had the effect of toughening his skin. 2. power to produce results; efficacy; force; validity; influence: His protest had no effect. 3. the state of being effective or operative; operation or execution; accomplishment or fulfillment: to bring a plan into effect. 4. a mental or emotional impression produced, as by a painting or a speech. 5. meaning or sense; purpose or intention: She disapproved of the proposal and wrote to that effect. 6. the making of a desired impression: We had the feeling that the big, expensive car was only for effect. 7. an illusory phenomenon: a three-dimensional effect. 8. a real phenomenon (usually named for its discoverer): the Doppler effect. The difference between an effect and a purpose is thus: A purpose is the reason why something exists. An effect is what happens because it exists. My opponent will no doubt raise a stink over the 5th definition of effect, which includes a purpose. In that specific instance, effect and purpose are indeed interchangeable (She disapproved of the proposal and wrote for (to) that purpose.). However, in the other cases, they are not. Consider the first and second examples with purpose in place of effect: "Exposure to the sun had the purpose of toughening his skin. His protest had no purpose." In the first, it is clear one would need to INTEND to toughen one's skin for exposure to be a purpose. In the second, his protest no doubt had PURPOSE.... it just did not fulfill that purpose. Now for example, consider a tree (which of course exists). Now the tree may cast shade, provide homes for squirrels, and wood for a boat. None of these are the tree's purpose. To determine purpose, one must ask "Is this WHY the thing exists?" Obviously the tree does not exist because the squirrels needed a home. Or because someone wanted shade. Or because someone needed wood for a boat. The tree exists because a seed from another tree fell on the ground and grew. ********************** Furthermore, if existence DOES necessitate existence, my opponent will be able to provide a logical argument that shows this. And he cannot. ********************** Existence does NOT necessitate purpose.