The Purpose Behind Purpose

Why is there any purpose at all?

Concept of Purpose

When everything that we see and experience has a purpose behind it - that is, every component and element of this world and beyond - is it then not logical to assert that the universe as a whole should have an ultimate purpose?

Shouldn’t the existence of the very concept of 'purpose' tell us that life itself should have a purpose? Shouldn’t our seeking of purpose behind things lead us to that conclusion as well? 

Why, after all, do we feel surprised when we see something or someone that may not seem to have a purpose? If this whole existence is a result of randomness and chance, then why should such a feeling occur? 

Random or Purposeful?

If existence is truly a result of ‘chance’, then 99% of things should be random and exist in a haphazard fashion; rather, why should purpose exist even behind a single percent? 

But isn’t the equation in the reverse? 

We are then faced with the inevitable question, ‘where did purpose and order come from in a world that is believed by many to come into existence from randomness’?   

If we understand the purpose of 99% of existence and fail to understand the meagre 1%, should we not be humbling ourselves to presume this 1% must have a purpose too; only that we are unable to comprehend it just now, due to our own lack of understanding?

Isn’t ‘Purpose’ Driven by Intelligence?

If a child starts behaving in a more purpose-driven way, do we associate this with their intellectual maturation or to more accidental behaviour? And the more purpose they show in their actions, do we not ascribe this more to their cognitive formation and intellectual progression?

Why do we then attribute the purpose-led phenomena in this universe (of which we surely are not the engineers) to ‘chance’ or to irrational constructs, such as ‘nature’, and not to a much higher form of intelligence?

Purpose in Micro-existence But Not in Macro-existence?

Why do we confine the concept of purpose to micro-existence, and not allow it to extend beyond? 

Let’s take the example of a robot or a machine. Would it not be absurd for one to see the purpose behind every single component of the machine, yet reject the purpose of the machine itself? In fact should such a machine exist, what would we say about its designer and maker? Would we not attribute foolishness or insanity to them? 

If every part and limb of a human being (and of every animal, plant, etc) is purposeful, then would it be unreasonable to assert that human beings themselves (and all the other phenomena) also have purpose behind their existence? 

If we look at the smallest particles that we know to underpin our existence, beginning from quarks and electrons, and moving upwards to molecules and cells, and then to the limbs; do we not see 'purpose' written on every single one of these? And do we not acknowledge that this purpose is conducive to the greater whole? 

Why should this stop then when it comes to the full-fledged human being?

Guilty of Plagiarism?

When scientists study and observe nature with the explicit aim of imitating it to solve human problems (also known as Biomimicry and Bionics), we associate this with their intelligence and ingenuity. However, in respect to the original design which they model their designs after, we attribute it to a mere purposeless ‘chance’! Isn’t this gross injustice and blatant dishonesty?!

And if we fail to acknowledge the original Designer, would it not amount to plagiarism of the worst kind? 

The air entering a peregrine falcon's nose during its high speed dives (320 km/h) would cause its lungs to explode, but bony tubercles in its nares safely regulate the passage of air. Engineers solved the air intake in jet engines in a similar way.

Why should the notion of 'purpose' even exist if it was devoid of any higher purpose itself?

'Did you then think that We had created you without purpose and that you would not be brought back to Us?'  (The Quran - 23:115)