How is it reasonable to believe that anything has any intrinsic meaning? Either participate in the discussion or don’t say anything, please. Posts like that that say absolutely nothing are just a waste of everyone’s time.
Far be it from me to waste everyone’s time! Yet you have little cause to be so hasty.
Let me clarify, as they say. It is by reason that you come to believe nothing has intrinsic value. If you were to not rely on (good) reason then you might, like many people, believe in intrinsic value. That seems to be what you’re saying.
But why should we even believe that reason is a thing to be trusted? Why should reason stand apart from empathy or other things you call mere biological traits. Even as it relates to applying our reason to the physical world, it is broadly accepted that we are imposing constructs that cannot capture the supposed reality of things. Doesn’t reason exist for the same purpose as other biological traits?
The Scarecrow listened carefully, and said, “I cannot understand why you should wish to leave this beautiful country and go back to the dry, gray place you call Kansas.”
“That is because you have no brains” answered the girl. “No matter how dreary and gray our homes are, we people of flesh and blood would rather live there than in any other country, be it ever so beautiful. There is no place like home.”
The Scarecrow sighed.
“Of course I cannot understand it,” he said. “If your heads were stuffed with straw, like mine, you would probably all live in the beautiful places, and then Kansas would have no people at all. It is fortunate for Kansas that you have brains.”