To answer the question about the meaning of our lives, as individuals, we must first answer the question about our origins. There are only two possible answers regarding our origins.

The first is the natural one - that we are the product of evolution. That is, that our consciousness is the result of a long process of natural adaptation and change. As such, we are Nature in evolution, as Nature is the cosmos itself evolving.

The second possible answer is that we were created, almost as we are now, by some Being. Conventionally, this Being is called God. That is, that God created us, and endowed us with consciousness and free will. According to, for example, the theology of Islam, God has created us with free will to test us - for we must earn eternal life.

This second answer - that of theistic cosmology - allows for the possibility that miracles are possible, as it insists that there is a kind of life after death where we live on in some form, with some kind of identity. Theistic cosmology also describes our existence in terms of revelation, with our salvation, our eternal life, depending on whether or not we accept what is regarded as a revelation of God by some chosen human being.

Thus, theistic cosmology tells of God actively intervening in our development by appointing certain human beings as messengers to guide us to the right path.  A recent development of theistic cosmology is that there is some powerful extra-terrestrial being or race of beings who created us, or who guide us, or both.  A further development of this new idea regards us as part of some kind of cosmic laboratory experiment with Earth itself as the laboratory.
 

The first answer - that of natural cosmology - insists that there must be a reasoned explanation for all events, that such things as miracles are not possible, and that the idea of some supra-human Being (God) guiding us and being interested in us is inherently implausible.
 
 

Natural cosmology also considers that there is no individual life after death in some realm called heaven or paradise. Instead, it posits us as creating future development by what we do, or do not do: that we are but part of a chain, a nexus between the past and future. We have evolved consciousness, reason and a sense of morality, and we should use this to further ourselves, and the cosmos itself. Morality is that which enhances our lives in a positive and evolutionary way, enabling the creation of society and civilization. Civilization is honour made manifest in the world - the triumph of reason, justice, and honour. Honour - the basis of natural morality - is a positive evolutionary instinct made conscious. Thus, consciousness, reason, and honour, are regarded as natural evolutionary developments which are conducive to further positive change.

A positive change is one toward more consciousness, more reason, while a negative change is one toward less consciousness and less reason.

According to natural cosmology, our aim is to aid evolution - to use our consciousness, through our will, to create positive change in accord with what is right, or balanced. That is, in accord with the natural laws - with the will of life itself. This will of life is for more order; more consciousness; for more reason and honour.

The Earth is regarded as a living being - called Nature - which possesses a consciousness: this consciousness is our understanding, our knowledge, for we are Nature made manifest. That is, we, when we are reasonable, honourable and disciplined ( i.e. when we use our will to triumph over ourselves) are the consciousness of Nature - the consciousness of the life of this planet. This is the root of our very being, as humans.

Because of this, we have a duty to Nature - to do what is good and right for Nature, and thus for ourselves, for our future development. The primary duty is to not overstep the mark - to not commit what the ancients called hubris. To commit hubris is to be insolent toward Nature.
 

Natural cosmology regards all  modern societies as dedicated to, and based upon, hubris - they all have overstepped the mark because they have lost that awareness of, and respect, for Nature which is part of our humanity. To be so aware, to be respectful, is the very reason why we have evolved consciousness, reason and honour.

Our purpose is two-fold. First, to care for and nurture Nature - so allowing Nature to develope as it should. In a sense, we are the very guardians of Nature. Second, to continue our own evolution, our development of consciousness through reason and honour - through seeking knowledge and creating civilization.

The pursuit of knowledge by rational means is an evolution of consciousness, as civilization is the evolution of order: the creation of more order from chaos. Civilization is a bringing-into-being of that which was without being. We, as conscious, rational honourable beings are the cosmos in evolution, a participation in the very Being of the cosmos.

This pursuit of knowledge should take us beyond this planet - beyond our natural home and out into the very cosmos itself.

When we are not rational and honourable - when we do not use our reason, our will, and act in a dishonourable way - then we are not only committing hubris, but destroying part of the fabric of Nature and the cosmos itself: we are undermining evolution, and helping to destroy life itself.  We are thus negating our very purpose - our very humanity - and destroying the future.

When we use our will, and our reason, and so are honourable, we are creating the future - in effect, creating future life, future potential, future evolution.
Our acts, our life, can thus either enhance Nature, and the cosmos - and thus the Being of the cosmos - or they can harm Nature and the Being of the cosmos.
 

Unlike theistic cosmology, natural cosmology regards cosmic Being as being affected by us - for we are this very Being made manifest. This Being lives in us - in our reason, our honour, in our consciousness, in the very civilizations we create. We are this Being evolving and changing and becoming more aware.

That is, we as individuals can make a difference  - this Being grows, is strong and healthy, when we are conscious, honourable beings in pursuit of knowledge and understanding.  Perhaps also we could cause this Being to die if honour and reason died in us as a species.
 

We are bound to the cosmos as much - if not more - than we are bound to Nature. For Nature is the cosmos, the Being of the cosmos, made manifest, incarnate, on our planet just as we are Nature incarnate in human form. And it is this apprehension - this conscious understanding - of ourselves in relation to Nature and the cosmos, and thus in relation to other beings (including other human beings) which forms the answer natural cosmology gives to the question of what is the meaning and purpose of our lives.

Our purpose is to seek knowledge through reason, to be honourable and rational - to respect Nature and the beings of Nature - and to develope our consciousness further by seeking knowledge of the cosmos itself.

To enable us to do these things, we need to create and maintain the ordered, rational, just, tolerant and fair society which is civilization, as we need to expand such civilization beyond the confines of this planet by exploring the cosmos itself.
 

David Myatt
JD 2451513.1399