DOES THIS LIFE HAVE ANY MEANING AT ALL?
"The meaning of our life is generally a measure of its value. All things measured are measured in respect of something else. Most ideas of life’s meaning measure our life against such things as its inherent value, its value in respect of others, its value in respect of the greater good or perhaps in respect of God. The meaning of life might also be measured by success. It is held by some that the true meaning of life is not known until we are dead. Others think that life is absurd and has no meaning beyond the experience of living it.
In 150 years’ time [unfortunately], we will all be dead. This fact seems enough in itself to make us think that nothing we achieve in our lives that satisfies us is worthwhile because none of these achievements will be permanent. If there is any meaning to our personal experience of life, we must find it in the context of our transitory life itself. Many of our functions have meaning (e.g. eating when we are hungry, resting when we are tired), but, on the face of it, our whole life, as a thing in itself, does not. Our life may have meaning beyond our own life (e.g. we may do something that benefits others), but any sense of personal satisfaction we gained from this would not extend beyond our impermanent existence.
In looking for a sense of purpose in our lives we may be regarding ourselves as too self-important — we are taking life too seriously. [But doing so makes almost always life unliveable because one would burn down with worry of the so many thigns in this life.]
The best place to live out our philosophy of life is the here and now. Love of life and love of the world is our fullest response to being alive (itself the most important benefit of life). Acceptance of our place in nature, and the debt we owe to the nature that sustains us, is the fullest recognition of meaning. Recognising that we are small parts in a vast whole and identifying with being part of it, together with an acceptance of the unavoidability of our spiralling search for our own reality can be satisfaction enough for our living." Gerald Rochelle in "Doing Philosophy"
"The meaning of our life is generally a measure of its value. All things measured are measured in respect of something else. Most ideas of life’s meaning measure our life against such things as its inherent value, its value in respect of others, its value in respect of the greater good or perhaps in respect of God. The meaning of life might also be measured by success. It is held by some that the true meaning of life is not known until we are dead. Others think that life is absurd and has no meaning beyond the experience of living it.
In 150 years’ time [unfortunately], we will all be dead. This fact seems enough in itself to make us think that nothing we achieve in our lives that satisfies us is worthwhile because none of these achievements will be permanent. If there is any meaning to our personal experience of life, we must find it in the context of our transitory life itself. Many of our functions have meaning (e.g. eating when we are hungry, resting when we are tired), but, on the face of it, our whole life, as a thing in itself, does not. Our life may have meaning beyond our own life (e.g. we may do something that benefits others), but any sense of personal satisfaction we gained from this would not extend beyond our impermanent existence.
In looking for a sense of purpose in our lives we may be regarding ourselves as too self-important — we are taking life too seriously. [But doing so makes almost always life unliveable because one would burn down with worry of the so many thigns in this life.]
The best place to live out our philosophy of life is the here and now. Love of life and love of the world is our fullest response to being alive (itself the most important benefit of life). Acceptance of our place in nature, and the debt we owe to the nature that sustains us, is the fullest recognition of meaning. Recognising that we are small parts in a vast whole and identifying with being part of it, together with an acceptance of the unavoidability of our spiralling search for our own reality can be satisfaction enough for our living." Gerald Rochelle in "Doing Philosophy"
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