The Big Question (Part 3-B)

Science: Observations and Guesswork

Continuing our thoughts about the meaning and purpose of life from the secular side of the question, it is now time to turn to science. What can science tell us about the meaning or purpose of life?

First off, science can only tell us about what it observes. It does not speculate or guess except in the case of developing hypotheses for further testing. If the test fails, then the hypothesis is discarded because observation has shown it to be false.

The focus of science is on mechanics. It can tell us what something is, how it functions and why it functions that particular way. Thus is it vitally important for us to remember that true scientific conclusions are based upon what is, not speculations about what could be.

Yet with that thought in mind, science does offer two pointers which we should take into consideration. The first is genetics and the second is evolution.

What Genetics Tells Us

Genetics takes us to the very root of the stuff of life. It tries to answer the question of how does a duck become a duck, and a human become a human. What are the mechanics that take a single cell and turns it into a tree, a pet cat, or a little brother?

The most important piece of information genetics gives us in relation to the Big Question is that life is not pre-destined; that there is no such thing as fate. Sure DNA determines such things as eye color, hair color, sex, height and a phenomenal number of other physical characteristics, but such determination is not guaranteed. It is possible for DNA to be impacted and even completely modified by external influences.

For years we’ve been influencing the development of plants using selective breeding techniques to produce various hybrids and even completely new species. Mutations occur because of external influences, like excessive radiation, on DNA. Even one’s mental environment has an effect. A person, for instance, can have a genetic “tendency” toward obesity, but by struggling daily with hard choices the tendency can be controlled and normal weight achieved.

All of this goes to prove that, though we might have a pre-disposition toward something, we are not pre-destined toward that thing. Fate is a myth. Choice and disciplined action is superior.

What We Learn from Evolution

I’m not about to enter into the Creation vs. Intelligent Design vs. Evolution debate here. This is neither the time nor the place. I am going to state, however, that Evolution has very little to do with either Creation or Intelligent Design.

Evolution is rooted in science and is about the mechanics of how life works. It has very little to say about Cause and how it all started. Cause is speculative at best. Evolution is an observable phenomena. In my opinion, the debate is based on false premises and is irrelevant. Cause will never be answered definitively. Science has little, if anything, to say about it so why waste our time?

Here’s what we do know:

Nature is a lot of things, but one thing it’s not is Utopian. Life is a struggle. Ever see a spider eat a fly? Ever watch a lion hunt down and kill a gazelle? It’s brutal. It’s nasty, bloody, and horrible to watch.

When I was young I once watched a python kill and eat a mouse. It was everything I could do not to turn away. I forced myself to watch until that python had squeezed the last terrified breath out of that helpless, shuddering mouse. I did it, because I needed to be reminded of the terrible brutality that accompanies the beauty of life. I needed to never forget that life is hard. It’s a struggle. Labor, conflict, and striving are just as much a part of living well as vacations, entertainment and rest. A point we in modern times often forget.

Secondly, life is driven to produce more life. It is ultimately optimistic. It doesn’t give up. Even in the face of the fact that we live ultimately in a hostile environment (attempt a space walk without a space suit and see what I mean), life keeps on producing life. It’s as if there is a hidden drive to continue to defy the elements. Life keeps sticking up its middle finger into the face of the universe and says, “Up Yours! I’m going to live anyway, you pig!“

Life keeps producing, and keeps producing. But the trick is that it doesn’t produce the same thing over and over. It keeps trying new things. Which brings us to the third truth about evolution.

Life is about improvement and growth. Sure the changes happen slowly and in very tiny increments, but they happen nonetheless. Those changes that don’t work are quickly discarded. Most mutations don’t work and the mutant results often die without reproducing. Those, however, that ultimately improve the species are continued and the species improves over time. This, I believe, provides a big hint to the purpose and meaning of life.

So the observations of science offer some wonderful hints toward the meaning of life. But, apart from mechanics, reasons cannot be answered by science. For that we need to turn to philosophy and that’s the subject of next weeks post.

Pictures by flicker users extranoise, Todd Huffman, and D’Arcy Norman respectively under Creative Commons License. Use of this picture does not constitute an endorsement by neither extranoise, Todd Huffman, nor D’Arcy Norman of the ideas in this post.

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