Meaning of life

As Douglas Adams so succinctly posited, the meaning of life is 42. However, as the characters in his novel soon realize, the answer to the meaning of life is useless without a properly - and, perhaps, a more specifically - formed question. If we narrow the rather uselessly broad question, we can ask about our individual purpose or place in our world, or what is morally or ethically right and wrong, or what we can do to satisfy our maker (or in the absence of a conscious greater being, ourselves)…

soul, the meaning of life, and the path to happiness. In the Apology he reflects on his crime and as to why he is being charged with the corruption of the youth. Throughout the Apology it can become clear that though he knows he will be condemned to death, he continues to philosophize himself and the jury. Within the Apology Socrates speaks of a virtuous life, a life that is filled with knowledge and with the knowledge, that is gained one will find true happiness, “ for the unexamined life is…

The Theory of Meaning Patricia L. Starck “Man’s main concern is not to gain pleasure or to avoid pain but rather to see a meaning in his life” (Frankl, 1992). This powerful statement by Viktor Frankl is among the fundamental concepts upon which the theory of meaning was developed by Patricia L. Starck. Starck, (2014) describes her 20 year professional relationship with Viktor Frankl and her extensive involvement with Frankl’s logotherapy as being great influences on the development of the…

Swenson takes a decidedly theistic stance on the meaning life in which the beginning of his argument is based on the idea of happiness. Swenson argues that life’s true purpose is based on achieving happiness through serving the moral consciousness. It is the moral consciousness through an action and devotion in which reveals the existence of God thus giving meaning and dignity to life. Furthermore, Swenson begin an idea that humans are provided by nature with the desire for happiness (Swenson…

questions are asked through people’s lives on their journey to find their purpose. Searching for the meaning or purpose of one’s life can help people open their eyes to the world around them and what effect they have on it. Since this carries such importance in people’s lives, many stories have been written dealing with the journey to find purpose. Two texts that deal with living ones life with meaning and purpose are, Dante’s Inferno and the Martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicitas. Dante’s Inferno…

synonymous with the problem of the meaning of life, is the ‘only really serious philosophical problem’. This essay will argue that Camus does so because he believes it is the original, unavoidable question, and because he believes his theory of the absurd can provide some form of new solution. Camus justifies his belief that the greatest philosophical problem is suicide with notions of literal, tautologous importance – questions of life and death are, unavoidably, matters of life and death.…

What is the meaning of Life? The simple fact that we have found no conclusive answer to the question speaks for itself as to the complexity and difficulty of the question. However while there has been no single ‘meaning’ that has been accepted by all, throughout history different philosophers have argued countless points on the topic. This essay will address the question itself and whether it is one worth asking, it will touch on whether life can have meaning and if so, how is that meaning…

“There’s More to Life Than Being Happy” is a journal article that was written by Emily Esfahani Smith. It was published on January 9, 2013. Its purpose is simply to explain to the audience that, ‘It is the very pursuit of happiness that thwarts happiness’ (Smith 2013). I very much enjoyed this journal article because after reading it I felt that I had actually connected to it. For example, a big topic that she focused on while writing this article, was that being happy dealt with “taking”,…

and faraway place to century old individuals, is becoming more familiar. The one question humans have never been able to answer, however, is: what is the meaning of life? With a question so broad, it seems impossible to even know where to begin. Kurt Vonnegut, author of Cat’s Cradle, suggests that we must take responsibility for finding meaning in our own lives, and unless the significance is pronounced by oneself, it is irrelevant.…

The literal definition of the word success is "a person or thing that achieves desired aims or attains prosperity." (Google search). However, throughout my own life experiences, I have perceived that there are multiple interpretations regarding the true meaning of the expression "success". What is success? When I was younger, I used to think that being successful only meant striving for a family and being a conscientious person. I did not view it the way others around me do. Those people…