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Question: How does the universe benifit from life!?
Or more commonly known as What is the purpose of life!? Why are there dogs and elephants and us!?Www@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
(I'm atheist; but I use any source that has the correct definition of an idea!.)
There is no purpose in the existence of life, per se!. Life exists because it exists, according to "naturalism!."
"Naturalism - Philosophical tendency that consists essentially in looking upon nature as the one original and fundamental source of all that exists, and in attempting to explain everything in terms of nature!."
http://www!.newadvent!.org/cathen/n!.htm

So that is how this Catholic reference defines "naturalism!."

"Naturalism: Naturalism, challenging the cogency of the cosmological, teleological, and moral arguments, holds that the universe requires no supernatural cause and government, but is self-existent, self-explanatory, self-operating, and self-directing, that the world-process is not teleological and anthropocentric, but purposeless!.!.!."
http://www!.ditext!.com/runes/n!.html

This does not mean Mankind does not have a purpose, but it is not predetermined anymore than is the life of a deer or a snail!. Man's life's purpose is what ever each and any man or woman wishes to make of it!. That is his heritage according to his own nature, that of the "rational animal!."

It has been argued that man is the animal "with a thumb," the animal "with language," the animal "who walks upright," etc!.

"!.!.!.the concept “man” does not consist merely of “rational faculty” (if it did, the two would be equivalent and interchangeable, which they are not), but includes all the characteristics of “man,” with “rational faculty” serving as the distinguishing characteristic!."
Introduction to Objectivist Epistemology, 34

So since the "distinguishing" characteristic is "rationality," whatever is predicated on reason is the distinguishing "purpose" of man!.

And since each man or woman must, necessarily, use his/her own rationality by his own standards and judgement, there is no single object to man's "purpose" other than to complete the ideal of reason that nature handed to him!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

The universe does not benefit from life, it is the other way around!.

There is also no purpose to life, other than life itself: survive and replicate!.

However, there is a clear answer to why there are elephants, and dogs and people!.
As life spreads, it constantly adapts to new environments!. Each living organism has psecific habilities allowing it to survive!. If one organism does not have such habilities in the environment it is in it will become extinct!.
Dogs (like wolves) work in packs!. By cooperation were able to hunt animals considerably larger than themselves!. Then dogs found humans and learned to cooperate with them too!.
Humans where just hairless monkeys one step away from extintion about 4!.5 million years ago, until they became smart enough to start developing tools and became able to change their environment (for example by planting things for food)!.
Elephants, interestingly enough, are also social animals, such as men and dogs!. They live in herds for protection and can use their trunks as an arm to reach food!.
Elephants, dogs and men evolved to take advantage of their environment in different ways!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

The universe does not benefit from life!. Life benefits from the universe!.
"A great deal of the universe does not need any explanation!. Elephants, for instance!. Once molecules have learnt to compete and to create other molecules in their own image, elephants, and things resembling elephants, will in due course be found roaming through the countryside…!. Some of the things resembling elephants will be men!. They are equally unimportant!. …Their special but not significant function is that they are able to act as commentators on the nature, content, structure and source of the universe and that, as a sideline, they can devise and take pleasure from communicable fantasies!."
Howard J!. Van Till
Professor of Physics and Astronomy, Emeritus
Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USAWww@QuestionHome@Com

Complex question!.
Only the creator could answer justifiably!.
Apperantly no gains but you lose 5 points, and I gain 2!.
Ha, Ha!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Dogs and elephants are conformations to an evolving universe!.
We are what gives the universe self awareness!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Why not!?, Is what God probably thought to Himself!. The possibility of stimulation of!.!.!.!.!.!.!? Then,!.!.!. the rest is history in the making!. ~STIMULUS~!.!.!.!.!.it's what for dinner!Www@QuestionHome@Com

The universe is indifferent to life!. Life has to adapt to the universe or cease!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

We need dogs to keep the burglars out!
The elephants are there so we can ride on their backs to keep us safe from tigers and lions when in the jungle!.
Us!?-Answers on a postcard pleaseWww@QuestionHome@Com

it dont benefit from it!. to think of it life ruins itWww@QuestionHome@Com