People of all ages share a aspiration for meaning, significance, and hope in their lives that can lead to an underlying sense of purpose. Discovering and understanding our purpose provides us with a basis and a map with clear directions for how we can live out life to the fullest. For each person, the meaning of life may vary and be slightly different based on different cultures and morals. In our humanistic culture, people pursue what they think they will find meaning in. Some of these quests for meaning include success within business, prosperity in revenue, satisfying sexual desires, entertainment, and doing good to other people. However, the knowledge and experiences in life imposes the view that placing the needs of others before …show more content…
Meaningless! ...Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless” (Ecclesiastes 1:2). King Solomon, the writer of Ecclesiastes, had wealth beyond measure, wisdom beyond any man of his time or ours, hundreds of women, palaces and gardens that were the envy of kingdoms, the best food and wine, and every form of entertainment available. He said at one point that anything his heart wanted, he pursued. And yet he summed up “life under the sun”—life lived as though all there is to life is what we can see with our eyes and experience with our senses—is meaningless. Why is there such a void? Coming from a christian background, we are lead to believe that God created us for something beyond what we can experience in the here-and-now. Solomon said of God, “He has also set eternity in the hearts of men...” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). In our hearts we are aware that the “here-and-now” is not all that there is.
In the journal article On Pursuit of the Purpose of Life: The Shona Metaphysical Perspective, the author Mawere justifies that loving others is an instinctive advantage that gives life a sense of meaning and purpose. “For the people of Shona, the purpose of life on earth is ‘to love’ in order to make the world a better place to live.” (Mawere, 2010).
There are many types of love that exist: the love that a mother has for her child, the love shared between a husband and a wife, and the love between friends as well as love in relationships with the other sex. Love is present
We all sit and wonder what’s the meaning of life. People can research and write novels about the topic, but we will never understand the real meaning until people experience life for themselves-until people feel like they’re experiencing the beauty of life. Every person has their own ideas of their needs, wants, and desires. But people don’t know what their needs, wants, or desires unless they go and discover what they love. Everyone has their own ways to share their views on the meaning of life-everyone is unique. If people walk around a shopping mall and ask each person what they believe the meaning of life is, this topic would receive different answers and views from each person. The answer from many people would be “just to live a happy life,” but is that all people have to say about the meaning of life?
In sum, life is supposed to be about more than happiness. We are supposed to do something important, adhere to some ethic, and serve a greater good. We live for a goal, a principle, or a destiny—not just for pleasure.1
What is love? How is love express? Where can I find it? All in all, it is obvious to distinguish that love is the essential emotion of human every time and everywhere. Some people may confuse about that, however, it is an arduous job to describe it due to the diversity. Some people believe love likes delicate and charming roses, which makes you stand and appreciate for the admiration. Some people approximates the bright light of the lighthouse, which illuminates the backing way of the sailing people. Some people confirm love equals
Susan Wolf addresses these questions an aim to bring out the distinctive characteristics of the reasons and motives that give our lives meaning. Wolf claims that "meaningful lives are laws of active engagement and projects of worth" (Wolf, 206). Suggesting that when a person is actively engaged in anything they feel alive and life is more worth living. Nevertheless, Wolf explains that neither religion or science is sufficient for leading a meaningful life, claiming that a life of passion could corrupt the pursuit of happiness if you decide to dedicate your life to how you feel. Suggesting that working toward some goal that is substantial than yourself, can be hard work if you don 't have any passion or connection to it. According to Wolf, the subjective element is necessary for a meaningful life and arises from active engagement in some activity that one loves. In addition, the passive attachment to objectively valuable things are not sufficient for meaning. The feeling of fulfillment originates when “one is doing what one loves, or when one is engaging in activities by which one is gripped or excited” (Wolf, 207).
In her book Meaning in Life and Why it Matters, Susan Wolf does not focus on this perennial question people have been asking over the vast confusion of human history rather she gazes her view at the question of how people seek and maintain meaningful lives. Seeking of meaningful life poses the question of motives that has driven us to engage in. Wolf judges the answer from philosophical point of view. Utilitarianism, a paradigm of teleological theory, accepts pleasure as the ultimate meaning of life. J. S. Mill argues, ‘pleasure and freedom from pain are the only things that are desirable as ends, and that everything that is desirable at all is so either for the pleasure inherent in it or as means to the promotion of pleasure and the prevention of pain’ [1863:10] Man demands and pursues the supreme good which comprises both virtue and happiness. Mill’s uses of the term pleasure confined it only in this physical world. Kant, on the other hand, uses it even after death. Virtue and pleasure, duty and inclination, are, according to Kant, heterogeneous notions. Their unity cannot be achieved within the narrow span of our life in this world. We, therefore, conceive immortal life for us. Hence, we seek pleasure not only in this material world, but also in the super sensible world as it is
This document explores the meaning of human life, its purpose, what it serves for and also
| The search for meaning and purpose in life is an important aspect of life. According to this psychologist, people are always striving to meet their needs.
As stated before, Taylor believes that our lives are somewhat meaningless when looking at it superficially. To adequately portray this idea, Taylor first defines the word meaningless by analyzing various scenarios that produce nothing in sense of accomplishments. The first example Taylor examines is the ancient myth of Sisyphus. Sisyphus betrayed the gods by sharing holy information with the mortals, for this he was sentenced to push a rock up a hill just to let it roll down for him to push it up again; a cycle that was to be done for all eternity empty of any achievement. This pointless cycle that amounts to nothing is what Taylor defines as meaningless. “Now in this we have the picture of meaningless, pointless toil, of a meaningless existence that is absolutely never redeemed.” (Taylor 475) Taylor compares this
Without this, one lacks purpose their life becomes
Love can be defined as an intense feeling of deep affection (Google). However, love cannot be confined into one type. There are many different types of love that are exhibited by human behavior: true love, infatuation, and lust. The previously stated expressions of love have been implemented in various pieces of writing. True love can be felt and interpreted in many different ways; whether it is for a significant other or your closest friends.
Susan Wolf’s article “Meaning in Life” addresses the debate question, Does life has meaning? Wolf’s position on the debate is the affirmative. She believes life has meaning as long as they meet certain criteria. That leads to the second debate question: What gives life meaning? Wolf’s position on this is that “meaningful lives are lives of active engagement in projects of worth” (Wolf 232). This position is also the basis of her main argument.
A common person who has yet to find a purpose feels like a lost soul who is drowned by social isolation, lost in a sea of faces, and unable to make a difference. Sometimes, these people adapt to mind-numbing and time-wasting hobbies, such as days of watching television, playing video games, or anything else to distract them from their real life. They watch commercials where people are attractive and have an excess of money, and they want to be that person, because they believe that 's what they were meant to be. Then they work, and work, and keep working jobs they do not fully enjoy. They receive money, but
Once one determines their purpose, one may achieve fulfilment through living a righteous life. Specifically, by determining ways to benefit and contributing society. Socrates touches on how righteous attributes are beneficial to not only to yourself but to the community as well. “Wealth does not bring about excellence, but excellence makes wealth and everything else good for men, both individually and collectively.” (Plato, n.d.). One may live a fulfilling life through mission work and focusing on the needs of the people around them.
In “The Meaning of Lives,” Wolf asserts that the question “What is the Meaning of Life?” is inherently unintelligible because it is uncertain what the question is asking. In other words it is too general because it has no specified context. Wolf then acknowledges, however, that there is value in examining the meaningfulness of a life. This is because she observes people wanting meaning as an unchangeable fact. While there is no grand reason for meaning, she suggests that we can create value through what we do in our life. In her work, Wolf constructs a framework on how to obtain meaning in one’s life. I will examine her view, then critically discuss the positive attributes and the shortcomings. Wolf does a sufficient job to outline a possible way to achieve meaning. However, I will argue that a definition for the meaningful life that does not include morality and happiness is not sufficient. Lastly, I will express the subjective and objective tension that weakens her stance.
What is the meaning of life? Well known Greek philosphers such as Socrates and Plato believed that our purpose in this life was to gain knowledge in preparation for the next life. Other Philosophers such as Epicurus believed that pleasure is the main goal in life. After giving these ideas lots of thought, I have come to my own conclusion that the true meaning of life is far more complex than either of these; far too complex for any human to fully comprehend. In fact these two different philosophies are only part of the grand picture. If it were that easy for men to figure out our lives wouldn't be so messed up now. The meaning of life revolves around many different things. I