As an Atheist, I am often puzzled by the theist view that the Meaning of Life comes only from God. It seems very narrow, bleak, and heavy handed.

Do you find value in discussion of the Meaning of Life?
What do you think the meaning is?
What value do you think knowing the Meaning of Life brings?

  • MNByChoice@midwest.socialOPEnglish
    8·
    7 days ago

    The 42nd character in ascii is an asterisk (*) which is typically used for wildcard entries.

    That is fascinating!
    Is there evidence Douglas Adams intended that? Really cool regardless.

    • themeatbridge@lemmy.worldEnglish
      19·
      7 days ago

      He sort of answered this question in a few interviews, basically the same way anytime someone brought up the meaning of 42. Here’s his answer on an online message board:

      The answer to this is very simple. It was a joke. It had to be a number, an ordinary, smallish number, and I chose that one. Binary representations, base thirteen, Tibetan monks are all complete nonsense. I sat at my desk, stared into the garden and thought ‘42 will do’ I typed it out. End of story.

      Best,

      Douglas Adams

      He has at other times said there was a full story behind it, but preferred to keep it to himself (legend has it he told Stephen Fry, who promises he’ll take it to the grave). He didn’t intend for there to be a deeper spiritual or mathematical meaning, but he was tickled by all the theories and equations people would share with him, so he always encouraged that.

      It’s better left unexplained, because then we can fill in our own meaning.

    • snooggums@lemmy.worldEnglish
      41·
      7 days ago

      Well, the question that lead to the meaning of life is ‘what is six times seven’ so probably not the asterisk thing.

    • Lumidaub@feddit.orgEnglish
      1·
      7 days ago

      Even if this wasn’t what he was thinking, it doesn’t matter. If this interpretation makes sense to you (and it does to me), it’s correct for you.