Wikiphilosophers/Meaning of life
The meaning of life pertains to the inherent significance or philosophical meaning of living (or existence in general). Does life have meaning? Or is life meaningless? Do we determine our own goals or are they determined for us?
Read users' philosophical views below.
- S. Perquin suggests that the purpose of life is created by universal consciousness, which deliberately attaches itself to the living body and influences its formation, indicating a purposeful existence orchestrated by this consciousness. Read more...
- Tropwine concludes that since life is simply a self-replicating series of chemical reactions, life's meaning lies in the nature of how these chemical reactions even occur or, in other words, how the universe itself is structured. Read more...
- User:Jaredscribe holds with Aristotle that "Nature does everything for a purpose / goal / end / w:Telos, and that an account of the final causes must be given, along with material, formal, and efficient causes, for an analysis of nature to be adequate. The purpose (not merely the function) of a leaf is to absorb sunlight and photosynthesize chemical energy. The purpose of an eye is to see, an ear to hear, a heart to pump blood, a stomach to absorb and digest food into chemical energy. These purposes are determined by our animal nature. Our unique brain's purpose is conceptual and moral reasoning, whereby we can cultivate intellectual and moral virtues, and exercise free will. Training humans to become free, is the purpose of the "liberal arts" education. I hold with w:Robert Solomon that those who claim "life is absurd" are blaming the universe for the absurdity of their own lives, and denying moral and intellectual responsibility for having chosen the wrong goals and having pursuing meaningless pleasures.
- Toby Lightheart posits that life creates all natural meaning and, therefore, has the ultimate significance in an otherwise meaningless universe. The purpose of life, individually and collectively, is to sustain and create more meaningful interactions, objects and life. This answer is a product of decomposing the question "what is the meaning of life?" and developing a new understanding of what "life" is. Read more...