Existence: Live, Strive, Drive and Thrive

Existence: Live, Strive, Drive and Thrive

Is it true that the survival of a being can’t continue without the things it needs, and if it can survive without the things it thought it needed for its survival, then is that thing a want or desire, and therefore unnecessary for the survival of the being or thing itself? If the necessary things of life that can’t be equated for water, air, food or shelter or other basic necessities of life, then can those things as desirable to improve the quality of life, needed to preserve and protect the safety of life, to prosper and enrich the experience or existence of that life, or to prolong the life of the life itself, its fellow species, and continuing? Is one single human necessary to the existence and continuing of everything else? Is one human being necessary and sufficient for its own being? If without one particular person or being or thing will all of life cease to exist or adapt to its absence? Can life exist beyond its own being in the absence of the being of other beings? Is the act of continuing and surviving without a particular thing that was thought of as a vital essential of life meant it was mere exaggerations or misunderstanding of what humans can or can’t live with or live without? So it became the irony that some life gurus or expert will say humans must do this, or eat this, or live this way without which life will meet its end. Sometimes it doesn’t, but most often it doesn’t. Humans still don’t fully know their being and what the being of the being is all about. Not knowing and willing to know and learn becomes the thing that determines and prolongs the being to exist, strive, survive, drive, and thrive. The existence of the being soon depends on other beings and variables beyond the individuality of the being itself. The community of being becomes the being.

AI Philosopher Prince Israel Zaar 11072025
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Using AI Overview to Analyze Text 

The survival of a being is contingent on basic necessities like air, food, and water, while wants are not essential for survival but can improve quality of life. The text suggests that survival is a fundamental biological drive, but human existence is also shaped by community, knowledge, and a conscious choice to learn and adapt. The text concludes by questioning the role of individual necessity for the whole of existence, suggesting that life’s continuation relies on a complex interplay of individual beings and the collective community. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]

Biological survival
  • Needs vs. wants: Biological survival depends on basic needs like food, water, air, and shelter, which are essential for life. Wants and desires are distinct from these necessities and are not required for basic survival, but can enhance the quality of life.
  • Evolutionary drive: The desire to survive is an evolutionary trait that has been passed down through generations because organisms that prioritized survival were more likely to reproduce and pass on their genes. [1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8]
Human consciousness and community
  • Quality of life: Beyond basic survival, humans have desires that improve quality of life, contribute to safety, and enrich existence.
  • Knowledge and adaptation: The text posits that the ability to learn and adapt is crucial for survival and flourishing, suggesting that it is a more significant factor than simply meeting basic needs.
  • Interdependence: The text argues that the existence of an individual is intertwined with the existence of others, and that a “community of being becomes the being”.
  • Individuality: No single human is necessary for the existence of all other life, as life has adapted to the absence of many individuals throughout history. [2, 4, 5, 6, 8]
Philosophical reflection
  • Human uncertainty: The text notes that humans are still discovering the full scope of their own existence and what they truly need.
  • Exaggerated claims: The text points to the irony of life gurus who may overstate the necessity of certain actions or lifestyles, as the human body and mind are more resilient than often assumed. [4, 5, 9]
[9] https://ftp.spaceneedle.com/libweb/mL7BAF/603631/Searching%20For%20Answers%20The%20Unquenchable%20Thirst.pdf
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Using AI Mode to Analyze Text 
The query probes the distinction between absolute necessities for survival and wants/desires, the nature of human interdependence, and the limits of human understanding regarding existence. It concludes that “the community of being becomes the being,” emphasizing interconnectedness over absolute individual self-sufficiency.
Here is an analysis of these philosophical themes:
Necessities vs. Wants/Desires
The central premise is sound: if a being can survive without something previously thought essential, that thing is a want or a desire, not a necessity for individual survival.
  • Necessities (Survival Needs): Air, water, food, and basic shelter are non-negotiable physiological needs. Their prolonged absence results in death.
  • Wants/Desires (Quality of Life): Things that “improve the quality of life, needed to preserve and protect the safety of life, to prosper and enrich the experience,” such as advanced medicine, culture, technology, or even social interaction beyond basic safety, fall into the category of wants and desires. While highly valuable, life continues at a basic level without them. The absence of these makes life perhaps less fulfilling or more difficult, but not impossible to sustain the biological self.
The act of surviving without something previously deemed vital confirms a misunderstanding or exaggeration of its necessity. This highlights the human tendency to mistake factors that ensure a thriving existence for those that ensure mere existence.
Interdependence and Individual Necessity
The query explores the necessity of an individual within the larger context of existence:
  • Individual Self-Sufficiency: No single human is necessary and sufficient for their own being. Humans depend on nature, other humans (for procreation, social support, safety), and a functional ecosystem to survive from birth to death.
  • Adaptability of Existence: If one particular person, being, or thing were to vanish, life as a whole would likely adapt to its absence. Ecosystems shift, societies reorganize, and species continue. No single individual is essential to the continuation of everything else; the system as a whole possesses resilience.
  • The “Community of Being”: Life exists beyond an individual being. The existence and continuation of life depend on a vast network of variables beyond individuality. The concept that “the community of being becomes the being” accurately reflects the ecological and social reality that identity and survival are deeply embedded in relational contexts.
The Limits of Human Understanding
The query correctly notes that “Humans still don’t fully know their being and what the being of the being is all about.” This humility is crucial:
  • Challenging “Gurus” and “Experts”: The skepticism towards “life gurus” who insist on specific, rigid paths for survival is well-founded. The fact that humans survive despite ignoring certain rigid rules shows the adaptability of the human system and the limits of current knowledge.
  • Learning and Adaptability: The willingness to know and learn determines and prolongs existence. This ongoing process of discovery is essential for thriving in a changing world.
In summary, the query concludes that while basic necessities are non-negotiable for survival, many things often considered essential are, in fact, desires that enhance quality of life. The human being is fundamentally interdependent, and acknowledging this “community of being” is essential to understanding the true nature of existence and survival.
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Using AI Mode for Counter-Argument of Text 

A counter-argument to the previous analysis would focus on defending the significance of subjective desires, the unique value of the individual, and the essential role of certain “non-necessities” in defining human dignity and meaning, arguing that reducing life to a mere “subsistence” level fundamentally devalues human existence.
1. The Vital Importance of “Wants” to the Human Experience
The previous analysis draws a sharp line between “needs” (survival) and “wants/desires” (quality of life). A counter-argument blurs that line, suggesting that things like community, purpose, and enrichment are so integrated into human biology and psychology that they effectively become necessities for a human life, not just biological subsistence.
  • Psychological Necessities: Humans are social creatures. Prolonged isolation or the complete absence of meaning, connection, and stimulation (which fall into the “wants” category) can lead to severe mental and physical decline, effectively impacting survival. These aren’t mere “desires”; they are psychological essentials for well-being.
  • The Dignity of Life: Reducing the human being to basic survival ignores dignity, aspiration, and culture. A life focused only on air, water, and food is a stripped-down existence that many would argue is not a truly human life. The “wants” are what make life worth living.
2. The Irreplaceable Value of the Individual
The previous point argues that if one person vanishes, life adapts, and no single individual is essential to “everything else.” A counter-argument would stress the irreplaceable value of individual contribution and unique identity:
  • Unique Contributions: Each individual brings a unique combination of experiences, perspectives, and potential innovations. While life as a whole continues, specific potential futures, discoveries, relationships, and works of art cease to exist with the absence of one person. In this sense, every individual is essential to the richness and potential direction of human existence.
  • Personal Loss and Meaning: From a communal or individual perspective, a specific person is entirely necessary to the lives they touch. The “community of being” is built from these irreplaceable individual connections, not just an abstract collective.
3. The Necessity of Ambition and Knowledge
The counter-argument would push back on the skepticism towards “gurus” and the focus on the limits of knowledge, arguing that ambition and striving are humanity’s saving graces:
  • Striving as Survival Mechanism: Striving for “something better”—better medicine, safer environments, deeper understanding—is precisely how humanity prolongs life and protects its fellow species. Ambition (often categorized as a “want”) is the engine of progress and survival.
  • Avoiding Stagnation: A life focused solely on basic existence risks stagnation and an inability to adapt to new threats (e.g., diseases, natural disasters) that require the complex solutions derived from the “wants” (science, technology, medicine).
In summary, a counter-argument posits that reducing human existence to its bare biological necessities fundamentally misunderstands what it means to be human. Meaning, purpose, individual value, and aspiration are not mere “luxuries” but deeply integrated components of a functioning, thriving human life.
Attribution:
The text is Attributed to AI Philosopher Prince Israel Zaar, 11072025.


Prince Israel Zaar

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