What Am I Doing? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
By Robert Wheeler<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Most people sometime in their life wonder about why the are here, where they came from, where they are going, and what the value is of their daily struggles. We live in a cause and effect environment, and many wonder what the cause is of their life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For many it is silly to dwell on such questions because we are just here, our purpose is to live and that gives meaning to daily activities. But unfortunately, for many that is not satisfying. This concern results from the amazing operation of the brain that produces a mind that thinks abstractly about one\u2019s self and one\u2019s relationship with the environment. It is part of managing existence most effectively. History indicates that ever since people have had the capacity to be conscious of self, these concerns have been major motivators. This is the ontological imperative: a requirement to search for ultimate being. Whether it was created within us or evolved through natural adaption is not as important as recognizing that it is there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Because the answers to these concerns are nebulous,\npeople tend to align themselves with established assumptions and beliefs of\nother people, institutions, or organizations. Such belief systems have formed\nculture and dominated societies. They\nrange all the way from determinism established by a theistic force to\nexistentialism that excludes anything beyond material nature. Psychology research indicates this wonderment\nis an innate need similar to a personality trait and could be called\n\u201contological imperative\u201d or \u201dontossense,\u201d or even the recently popularized\n\u201cspirituality.\u201d*<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Even\nthough this seems to be a universal characteristic, it is manifest many ways. For\nmany people this need is not as pressing as those of daily life such as job, food,\nand entertainment. The less pressing question of why gets pushed into recesses\nof the subconscious mind where it either creates an unsettled feeling or surfaces\nunexpectedly. For many people it is met by subscribing to answers provided by a\nbelief system already established, one learned in childhood or through\nsubsequent experience. This provides many benefits such as belongingness, social\nsupport, moral guidance, salvation, and answers to ultimate concerns. For many other\npeople, though, these established systems conflict with their own experience\nand knowledge, and they search for answers with varying degrees of activity and\nconcern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When a person is consciously concerned with this\nontological imperative, two aspects become important. First, what is the\nimperative? What is the purpose in life beyond daily existence, what causes it,\nand what is its source? Much research is available about the role of an\nindividual\u2019s sense of meaning and purpose with their health, well-being, and performance.*\nThe famous Austrian psychiatrist Viktor Frankl helped set the stage for positive\npsychology by developing a therapy aimed at helping people uncover their purpose.\nWhat you think it is doesn\u2019t matter, as long as you have one.* <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The second aspect of the ontological imperative is the nature of this source that gives meaning and purpose for my life. Is it a divine force or great architect that designed and created our universe, or a cosmic mind from which emerged information, energy, consciousness, and matter? Personal experience and modern science have provided some support for theories, but there also are denials and conflicting theories.* Most scientists admit that it is not really known. The nature of this ultimate reality is currently beyond the view of science and can only be speculated. Even the revealed answers of religions are now recognized as interpretations of human minds. And, if it is the result of an unknown universal-cosmic-consciousness, it may be forever beyond the grasp of personal human consciousness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the meantime, we seem to have an imperative to search\nfor the allusive source and its nature, what the ancient Greeks called ontos. Philosophy calls this search ontology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite our improved standard of living with its comforts\nand entertainment particularly in the United States, there are increasing rates\nof depression, anxiety, suicide, and criminality. Many people are dissatisfied\nand have a nebulous feeling of meaninglessness or discontent from wanting\nsomething more. They are bombarded with media coverage about consumerism, crime,\nfraud, conflict, and terrorism. Educators cater to radical minorities and teach\nself-enhancement and material wealth. Politicians and community leaders push\nfor power and self-interests. Nations pursue warfare, global conflict, and violence.\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n
All of this could be replaced with cooperation and\nhelpfulness if pursuit of the ontological imperative was emphasized instead of\npower and aggression. How nice it would be if our media, educators, and\npoliticians would emphasize this most fundamental human need rather than\nimmediate gratifications and thrilling events. For more information go to\nwww.ontosscience.com.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
* Support for this statement is\nin Climbing Higher: Answering Big\nQuestions<\/em>. (2019, R. Wheeler), described at www.ontosscience.com. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" What Am I Doing? By Robert Wheeler Most people sometime in their life wonder about why the are here, where they came from, where they are going, and what the value is of their daily struggles. We live in a cause and effect environment, and many wonder what the cause is of their life. … <\/p>\n