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What gives human life meaning?

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What gives human life meaning?

I think this is subject to my own observations and experiences in how I comprehend the meaning of life which will be different than anyone else's.

Knowing this above, what is your opinion based on observations and experience, and would you rely on any others? What about the knowledge that has been recorded by previous generations? Why or why not?

In contrast to Aristotle, who believes that human beings have a certain essence that determines them to be a particular kind of being, Sartre says that we have no human nature or essence; or rather, we choose our nature or essence.

What is meant by essence? How do we acquire our essence?

Looking for a simple short answers in order to understand the meaning behind all this.

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The solution discusses what gives human life meaning.

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The solution below should get you started. In this particular task, you are asking for help in answering a series of existential questions. How best can we answer these? We can answer from a practical viewpoint - a common-sense answer that comes from experience, or we can answer using ideas from philosophers like Descartes and Aristotle. The solution below is in the form of a Q&A, directly answering each of your questions from these 2 perspectives. You can use the listed resources to further explore the topic. Just let me know via the feedback section if you need further clarification.

Experience and Observation

Q: What gives human life meaning - How do I know?

A: You are right to think that the meaning of one's life is subject to his experiences - the sum total of his life experience and socialization so far, at least from a social-scientific viewpoint. From an existential viewpoint however, the question of 'the meaning of life' ultimately has to do with purpose, achievement and knowledge for knowing and learning is that one human ability that defines a person. This too is Plato's view. What we come to know about ourselves, about others and the world, and working our lives towards the achievement of knowing is the ultimate goal, the meaning of life. He calls these the 'idea of forms'. Good, bad - they are not physical, they are abstract. But we gain entry into these 'forms' - universal knowledge - by learning. The more we learn about these forms (values, beliefs, ethics, morals, nature of things), the more meaning we gain into our mind, enriching our lives. We know, we ...

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  • MPhil/PhD (IP), Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
  • MA, Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
  • Certificate, Geva Ulpan (via Universita Tel Aviv)
  • BA, University of the Philippines
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