Abstract
This article explores a novel concept: life as the “eye” through which the Divine experiences the universe. Unlike traditional philosophical discussions that revolve around life’s purpose as fulfilling divine commands or achieving enlightenment, this article posits that life exists primarily to enable the Creator to perceive the universe in a subjective, human-like way. By tracing the historical evolution of philosophical thought across both Eastern and Western traditions, we establish a foundation for this argument. With support from global research and scholarship, we argue that life’s purpose is not necessarily grand or monumental but rooted in the simple act of existence—serving as the perceptual tool through which the Divine interprets the cosmos. This perspective bridges metaphysical concepts with existential aesthetics, contributing original insights to the global discourse on the nature of creation and existence.
Introduction
Philosophers, theologians, and thinkers from various cultures have long debated the purpose of life and its relationship to the cosmos. Traditional religious views often assert that life exists to fulfill divine will or commands, while modern existentialist thought grapples with life’s meaning in an indifferent universe. This article introduces a novel perspective: life as the “eye” of the Divine, suggesting that life was created to allow the Creator to experience the universe through the subjective, sentient experiences of living beings.
This proposition diverges from conventional views by framing life not merely as serving itself or adhering to a divine plan but as a vital tool for the Creator’s perception. Through living, experiencing, and perceiving, life serves as the mechanism by which the Divine engages with the universe—similar to how an artist engages with reality through creative interpretation. This inquiry draws on a wide range of philosophical traditions to establish a well-rounded argument for this perspective.
Historical Timeline and Philosophical Foundations
To fully grasp the uniqueness of this idea, we must first examine the historical trajectory of philosophical thought concerning life’s purpose.
Ancient Civilizations and Life’s Purpose
In ancient civilizations, the purpose of life was often embedded in cosmological narratives. For example, in ancient Egyptian philosophy, life was viewed as a journey towards Ma’at (truth and harmony), aligning oneself with cosmic order to ensure a favorable afterlife (Assmann, 2001).
Eastern Philosophies
In the East, Advaita Vedanta posits that the individual soul (Atman) is identical to the ultimate reality (Brahman), and life’s purpose is to realize this unity, transcending the illusion of separateness (Müller, 1899). Buddhism, on the other hand, teaches that life involves suffering caused by desire and ignorance, with the ultimate goal being the attainment of Nirvana, a state beyond individual existence (Harvey, 2013).
Taoism, articulated in Laozi’s Tao Te Ching, emphasizes living in harmony with the Tao—the ineffable principle underlying the universe. The purpose of life, according to Taoism, is to align oneself with this natural flow, rather than to alter or dominate it (Laozi, trans. Waley, 1934).
Western Philosophical Thought
In the West, Aristotelian philosophy considers life’s purpose in terms of achieving eudaimonia—flourishing through the cultivation of virtues (Aristotle, trans. Ross, 1925). Christian theology traditionally teaches that life exists to know, love, and serve God to attain salvation (Aquinas, trans. Pegis, 1945).
Immanuel Kant introduced the idea that humans cannot know things as they are (noumena) but only as they appear to us (phenomena). He emphasized that human purpose is rooted in moral duty rather than divine edicts (Kant, trans. Smith, 1929).
Existentialism and Human Freedom
Existentialists such as Friedrich Nietzsche and Jean-Paul Sartre approached life’s purpose from a secular perspective. Nietzsche famously declared the “death of God” and urged individuals to create their own values (Nietzsche, trans. Kaufmann, 1954). Sartre posited that existence precedes essence, meaning humans must define their purpose through action and freedom (Sartre, 1946).
Life as the Eye of the Divine: A Multisensory Experience
To support the idea that life serves as the Divine’s eye, it is essential to understand how different forms of life perceive the universe in diverse ways. Each species engages with the cosmos through its own sensory mechanisms, creating subjective realities that are unique to that species. For instance, bats use echolocation to navigate, experiencing their environment through sound waves rather than vision. To them, “sight” in the human sense does not exist; their world is composed of auditory echoes, a reality unimaginable to us.
Similarly, worms and insects rely on chemical signatures to interact with their surroundings, and certain birds, like migratory species, are able to perceive the Earth’s magnetic fields for navigation. Even within the human species, there is variation in sensory perception—people see colors differently, and some individuals, such as those with synesthesia, may even “hear” colors or “see” sounds.
These examples demonstrate that the universe we perceive is not objective but filtered through the limitations and capacities of our senses. Each species constructs its own “virtual reality,” an internal world that differs from the physical reality around it. This diversity of perception suggests that life fundamentally transforms an indifferent universe into something vibrant, rich, and meaningful.
Life as the Divine’s Perceptual Tool
When we extend this idea to the Creator, we can imagine that life serves as a means by which the Divine perceives the universe. Just as different species experience the world in varied ways, the Creator might experience the universe through the multitude of subjective realities generated by living beings. The idea of life as a “virtual reality generator” suggests that the Creator’s perception of the universe is not a passive observation of an objective reality, but an active, dynamic experience shaped by the sensory experiences of all living things.
This concept echoes Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenology, which argues that perception is not passive but actively constructed by the body and mind (Merleau-Ponty, 1945). Similarly, if life is the eye of the Divine, then the Creator’s experience of the universe is constantly evolving, shaped by the diverse perceptions of all living creatures.
The universe, without life, may exist as a neutral reality governed by physical laws. Yet through the subjective experiences of life, the universe becomes enriched with meaning—full of colors, sounds, emotions, and narratives. Life, in this sense, is the tool through which the Creator interprets and interacts with the cosmos, transforming it from a static entity into a living, experiential reality.
The Artistic Nature of Divine Perception
Human beings do not merely perceive the world; they actively create meaning through their experiences. Jean-Paul Sartre famously wrote, “Man is condemned to be free,” implying that human freedom compels us to construct meaning in a world devoid of inherent purpose (Sartre, 1946). If we extend this idea to the Divine, we could argue that life itself is an artistic expression—a creative process through which the Creator experiences the universe.
The diversity of life forms and their varied perceptions can be seen as the Creator’s palette, each species contributing to a richer, more complex understanding of the cosmos. Just as human artists engage with their environment to create art, the Creator engages with the universe through the subjective realities of living beings.
This notion finds resonance in D.T. Suzuki’s Zen philosophy, which asserts that life is not to be explained but directly experienced (Suzuki, 1927). In the same way, life serves not as an explanation for the Divine but as a direct, creative experience of the universe in all its multiplicity.
Conclusion: The Simple Importance of Existence
In conclusion, the idea that life serves as the “eye” of the Divine offers a fresh perspective on the purpose of creation. Life, in this framework, exists not to fulfill a grandiose divine plan but to enable the Creator to perceive and experience the universe through the subjective realities of living beings. The universe, when viewed through the lens of life, transforms from a neutral collection of physical laws into a dynamic, lived reality full of meaning.
As Alfred North Whitehead observed, “The purpose of life is to experience the universe in its manifold forms.” Life’s purpose need not be monumental; the simple act of experiencing, perceiving, and engaging with the universe is itself extraordinary. Through the eyes of life, the Creator gains an ever-evolving, richly textured perception of the cosmos—a reality far more profound than an objective, unobserved universe.
References
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Aquinas, T. (1945). Summa Theologica. Trans. Pegis, A. C. Benziger Bros.
Aristotle. (1925). Nicomachean Ethics. Trans. Ross, W. D. Oxford University Press.
Harvey, P. (2013). An Introduction to Buddhism: Teachings, History and Practices. Cambridge University Press.
Kant, I. (1929). Critique of Pure Reason. Trans. Smith, N. K. Macmillan.
Laozi. (1934). Tao Te Ching. Trans. Waley, A. George Allen & Unwin Ltd.
Merleau-Ponty, M. (1945). Phenomenology of Perception. Gallimard.
Müller, M. (1899). The Six Systems of Indian Philosophy. Longmans, Green and Co.
Nietzsche, F. (1954). The Portable Nietzsche. Trans. Kaufmann, W. Penguin Books.
Sartre, J-P. (1946). Existentialism is a Humanism. Yale University Press.
Suzuki, D.T. (1927). Essays in Zen Buddhism. Rider & Company.
Whitehead, A. N. (1978). Process and Reality. Free Press.
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