Purpose, Value, & Gods

One of the claims made by theists is that "without god, there is no purpose, and no value" or some specific that an atheistic universe has no "ultimate" or "intrinsic" purpose or value. I think this is very naive.
For something to have a purpose, by definition, it must be something that is designed/formed/created with an intention/goal in mind. A fork has a purpose only by virtue that it was designed with the intention of a certain use. Intentionality is the key to purpose. So of course in an atheistic universe, the universe and man has no purpose since it was not designed with any intentionality. Forks, houses, TVs, job classes still have purpose, since they are motivated by intention. So to say "if atheism is true there is no purpose" is simply false.
I can almost feel my theist readers saying "Yeah, but it's not ultimate purpose." If what is meant by this is, ultimately the entire cosmos has no purpose. Of course, but that's true with god as well. Was god created/designed with a goal in mind? No, by definition god just exists eternally. So the same argument could made against theism "Since god has no purpose, there's no ultimate purpose in a theistic universe"
Again, I can feel my theistic readers say "(1) God gives himself purpose!" or "(2) He has intrinsic purpose!" - First if (1) is true, then the claim "there's no purpose in an atheist universe" becomes false, because man could then assign purpose to himself or the cosmos. Second, (2) is just nonsense. 'intrinsic purpose' is a compete oxymoron. For something to be intrinsic, it must be inherent or 'by its very nature' - How can something be "designed with an intention" by its very nature? Purpose by definition is a quality that is only possible in relation to a mind. If it's a properties is intrinsic, it's not in relation to anything. So the whole idea of 'intrinsic purpose' is childish and contradictory.
What about value? The arguments are quite similar. Value again only exists in relation to minds. Something is given value by virtue of it being desired. Water and food have value only because they are desired. This is so devastatingly obvious its sad I even must make this point. Consider how economics work, the price or value of something goes up with the demand (desire for it). Again, this is a completely godless process. You don't need gods, just minds, which in an atheistic universe can and do exist. Intrinsic value is again an oxymoron for the same reasons.
So for all you guys out there who keep pounding this drum, just stop, you're simply embarrassing yourself.

By: David Campbell
Originally written: Tuesday, January 02, 2007