If the meaning of life is to replicate, i.e. to reproduce and pass on D.N.A.,?

Question

then is man no more important than and plant, animal, insect or bacterium? As these can do this far more effectively than us.

Answer 1

Almost  right.  Except than man is doing such a good job of replicating that many other plants, animals, and insects are at risk.  Bacterium seem to be holding their own.

One of the 2 right answers to the what came first, the chicken or the egg is a chicken is just an eggs way of making another egg.  Humans are just DNA's way of making more DNA.  A lot of evolutionary ideas make more sense if we consider the genetic packet the important result, not the animal or plant, etc. that is carrying them.

Answer 2

Nature is fighting a seemingly never-ending battle with Time. Nature wants it's inventions to last forever, Time wants to destroy them. It's not know why.

Nature has come up with replication as a stop-gap measure while it figures out it's next move. Time has itself on it's side. We and all living creatures are mere bacteria in a Petri dish.

Answer 3

Importance is a man made concept, and so we have a vested interest in putting ourselves on the top of the tree. Also as a percentage survival of offspring, man doesn't do too bad. DNA well if it was about simple replication then no more than minute fast replicating organisms would have evolved

Answer 4

Add to it that in contrast to the theory of evolution, most cell mutations are destructive ones.

Answer 5

no.

we have the ability to reason and make decisions.  hence, unlike bugs, we can understand that it's wrong to live off of each other and that sort of thing.  so, we have to try to live morally and our decisions aren't just based on need or survival skills.

Answer 6

We are mechanisms by which DNA reproduce itself.

We are no more important but the plants, animals, insects and bacteria don't have as much fun.

Answer 7

That, and answering questions on Y!A.

.

Answer 8

That is dependent on you view of the meaning of life; surely we are different to the plant, animal, insect or bacterium as we serve a different, yet equally respective, purpose. To reproduce it to only ensure that we can go on serving our own purpose for generations to come.

So yes, if you view your sole intent on the earth is to reproduce and move on, meh, your statement proves to be true. Some belief goes onto say that everything has its own purpose, and so everything is equally important.

But yeah, this confuses me a lot!..........

Answer 9

unfortunately...youll only find out the meaning of life when you die.

Answer 10

Meaning of life is what you make it, and I don't agree with your meaninig of life.  Thus, your question doesn't apply to me, so nyah!

Answer 11

Except some of us don't feel that the order/orientation of our nucleotides on a strand of DNA represents us as a whole. Therefore passing it on only passes on a part of us. The meaning of life for a lot of people is figuring out what happens to the rest of us.

Answer 12

The meaning of life is to worship God, and follow His plan for your life. He can give so many dimensions to your life. With His blessings you will see new beauty, feel new feelings, understand new thoughts, and experience life at a whole new level. Plus, you will have hope for an eternal, and perfect life, as well.

Answer 13

who says that anything is 'important' ?

who's to judge?

there aint no trophies

Answer 14

That's quite true.

Answer 15

Well, we are all organisms so we are all important. But we all have different features especially us heterotrophs. If you ask me we can't survive without these other organisms and they can't survive without us.

Answer 16

Yes, that is pretty much true.  That is why people cling to God - it gives them a feeling they are more than the plant, animal, insect or bacterium.

Answer 17

You have hit the nail right on its head. How true is your statement? As with any species, the means for existence is the passing on of one cultural knowledge and experiences through the procreation of offspring. Nature is efficient, because all other species never holds back of the totality of heredity. Whereas, humans seek to select what is passed down from generation to generation, omitting certain parts and events, their parent deem unnecessary. Nature omits nothing.

Efficiency is the key to longevity, and everlasting life. It is the knowledge one passes that determines the value of one life and culture. Imagine the lost of experience and learned education through the process of cloning and other forms of artificial procreation. Each generation learns more from the generation before, Nature makes no use of such methods, Nature's methods have be tested and proven infallible for more centuries than Mankind can count. Who then can become a better teacher?

Answer 18

"seek and ye shall find"

http://www.perceivingreality.com/

Answer 19

I don't think its the "meaning" of life, but it is the nature of many people. There are asexual insects, there are asexual humans. But historically and today, it is in many people's nature to want to reproduce. But I think there is much more to the meaning of life. Such as love, friendship, companionship. Babies can die if they aren't picked up, cared for, and loved. This may get closer to the meaning of life - having someone to care for you.

Answer 20

There is no meaning to anything, that is the point!

Answer 21

riiiiight

Answer 22

In the "narrow" frame work you use, the answer is "yes".

However, life's meaning is to "provide our intellect" to improve the stead of humanity by finding solutions for society's ills, e.g., solve pollution, find the cure for "x", build a better "XYZ" to improve the process of doing such, etc.

Procreation is "s*x" by a different name. That's almost an after thought in the larger scheme of life. That's all my dear Watson, elementary.