From: ingles@engin.umich.edu (Ray Ingles)
Subject: Re: Why it sucks to be an atheist...
Date: Sun, 10 Jan 93 00:18:39 EST
Organization: University of Michigan Engineering, Ann Arbor

In article <1io51qINNs1a@gap.caltech.edu> lieven@cco.caltech.edu (Lieven Pascal Leroy) writes:
>** Deep brooding mood warning **
>
>As an atheist, I usually consider religion as a necessary tool to
>impose a code of ethics people can live by, and a way to address the
>fear of what lies beyond death.

 It's been said, but I just wanted to emphasize that 'necessary' is
somewhat doubtful here...:->

>And I have wrestled with and accepted the fact that, unfortunately, I am only
>a complicated physical entity with a few decades of conscious existence.

 I sort of agree, kinda, in a way. Being an atheist, I am of the opinion
that, whatever it is that makes me 'me' and allows me to think is
physical and explainable. I further think it quite likely that whatever
'I' am, 'I' am encoded into the patterns of neurons and so forth in my
brain. So, I see no _a_priori_ reason to think that my life could not
be extended by advanced medical techniques.
 At the rate at which medical knowledge is advancing, I think the odds
that I may live long enough to reach life-extending technologies are
worth considering. (And even if I don't live long enough, I have a
difficult time picking apart the argument for cryonics in _Engines_of_
Creation_ by Drexler.)
 Mind you, I'm not *sure* about this. But I see no reason not to *hope*,
and maybe even plan for the possibility. If I *don't* try to live it's
pretty certain that I won't...
 (Yes, I know that entropy will get me if nothing else. But I think it
reasonable that someday people will be able to live for a *LONG* time,
and for me, the longer the better...)

[deletions]
>What, exactly, is the Point? By this, I mean: Is there a goal to be achieved,
>a level of purity on some standard to be attained, while we live?
>
>My own views so far are that, in the grand scale of things, there isn't any
>such ideal to struggle for.  Nothing you can do will last, and even if it
>could, you would ultimately gain nothing, because _you_ won't last.
>
>This leaves that the goal of life is simply enjoying oneself as best one
>can, and forget about how little it all matters.  I've never been very good
>at that one (I have a confession to make...  I have a dark side. :).
>
>If you've ever read 'The Vampire Lestat', by Anne Rice, you may have seen a
>more articulate expression of these views.  The overwhelming, mindboggling
>--Lieven, old at a young age

 Well, there are a few different answers. The one that works for me is,
"Sure, on the Grand Scale, my life doesn't matter. So what? I don't live
on the Grand Scale. I live on *my* scale, and I'm *dearly* important on
that level." Which is just a different way of expressing "the goal of
life is simply enjoying oneself as best one can, etc" but I think cuts
to the chase a bit better.
 Some atheists find purpose in working for the betterment of the human
race, the one thing that is pretty much guaranteed to outlast them,
and one thing that could use the help.
 I have read _TVL_, and I think I know where you're coming from, but it
just never struck me that way. If anything, the lack of a point just
tells me that I have to forge my own, and I think I can do a decent job
of it...

 Sincerely,

 Ray Ingles
 ingles@engin.umich.edu

 "Icky icky icky icky fKANG zoop-boing n zowzyin..." -The Knights Who
So Recently Said "NEE!"