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    ening of lifeFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJump to: navigation, search

    For other uses, seeMeaning of life (disambiguation).

    Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going?, one ofPost-ImpressionistPaul Gauguin's most famous paintings

    The meaning of life is aphilosophicalquestion concerning thesignificanceoflifeorexistencein general. It can also be expressed indifferent forms, such as "Why are we here?", "What is life all about?", and"What is the purpose of existence?" It has been the subject of muchphilosophical,scientific, andtheologicalspeculation throughout history.There have been a large number of proposed answers to these questionsfrom many differentculturalandideologicalbackgrounds.

    The meaning of life is in the philosophical and religious conceptions ofexistence,social ties,consciousness, andhappiness, and borders onmany other issues, such assymbolic meaning,ontology,value, purpose,ethics,good and evil,free will, theexistence of one or multiple Gods,conceptions of God, thesoul, and theafterlife. Scientific contributionsfocus primarily on describing relatedempiricalfactsabout theuniverse,exploring the context and parameters concerning the 'how' of life. Sciencealso studies and can provide recommendations for thepursuit of well-beingand a relatedconception of morality. An alternative,humanisticapproachposes the question "What is the meaning of mylife?" The value of the

    question pertaining to the purpose of life may coincide with theachievement ofultimate reality, or a feeling ofoneness, or even a feelingofsacredness.

    Contents [hide]1 Questions

    2 Western philosophical perspectives

    2.1 Ancient Greek philosophy

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    2.2 Enlightenment philosophy2.3 19th century philosophy

    2.4 20th century philosophy

    3 East Asian philosophy

    3.1 Mohism

    3.2 Confucianism3.3 Legalism

    4 Religious perspectives

    4.1 Western religions

    4.2 South Asian religions

    4.3 East Asian religions

    5 Scientific inquiry and perspectives

    5.1 Psychological significance and value in life

    5.2 Origin and nature of biological life

    5.3 Origins and ultimate fate of the universe

    5.4 Scientific questions about the mind5.5 Physical health

    6 In popular culture

    7 Popular views

    7.1 To realize one's potential and ideals

    7.2 To achieve biological perfection

    7.3 To seek wisdom and knowledge

    7.4 To do good, to do the right thing

    7.5 Meanings relating to religion

    7.6 To love, to feel, to enjoy the act of living

    7.7 To have power, to be better

    7.8 Life has no meaning

    7.9 One should not seek to know and understand themeaning of life

    7.10 Life is bad

    8 See also

    9 References

    10 External links

    Questions

    Questions about the meaning of life have been expressed in a broad

    variety of ways, including the following:

    What is the meaning of life?What's it all about?Who are we?[1][2][3]

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    Philosopher in Meditation (detail) byRembrandt Why are we here?What are we here for?[4][5][6] What is the origin of life?[7] What is the nature of life?What is the nature of reality?[7][8][9] What is the purpose of life?What is the purpose of one's life?[8][10][11] What is the significance of life?[11] see also Psychological significance

    and value in life

    What is meaningful and valuable in life?[12] What is thevalue of life?[13] What is the reason to live?What are we living for?[6][14]These questions have resulted in a wide range of competing answers andarguments, fromscientifictheories, tophilosophical,theological, andspiritualexplanations.

    Western philosophical perspectives

    The philosophical perspectives on the meaning of life are those ideologieswhich explain life in terms of ideals or abstractions defined by humans.

    Ancient Greek philosophy

    Plato and Aristotle inThe School of Athensfresco, byRaphael. Plato is pointingheavenwards to the sky, and Aristotle is gesturing to the world.

    Platonism

    Main article:PlatonismPlatowas one of the earliest, most influential philosophersmostly foridealisma belief in the existence ofuniversals. In theTheory of Forms,universals do not physically exist, like objects, but as heavenly forms. InThe Republic, theSocratescharacter'sdialoguedescribes theForm of the

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    Good.

    In Platonism, the meaning of life is in attaining the highest form ofknowledge, which is theIdea(Form) of the Good, from which all good and

    just things derive utility and value.

    AristotelianismMain article:Aristotelian ethicsAristotle, an apprentice ofPlato, was another early and influentialphilosopher, who argued that ethical knowledge is not certain knowledge(such asmetaphysicsandepistemology), but is generalknowledge.Because it is not atheoreticaldiscipline, a person had to study andpractice in order to become "good"; thus if the person were to becomevirtuous, he could not simply study what virtue is, he had to be virtuous, viavirtuous activities. To do this, Aristotle established what is virtuous:

    Every skill and every inquiry, and similarly, every action and choice ofaction, is thought to have some good as its object. This is why the goodhas rightly been defined as the object of all endeavor [...] Everything isdone with a goal, and that goal is "good".

    Nicomachean Ethics1.1Yet, if action A is done towards achieving goal B, then goal B also wouldhave a goal, goal C, and goal C also would have a goal, and so wouldcontinue this pattern, until something stopped itsinfinite regression.Aristotle's solution is theHighest Good, which is desirable for its own sake.It is its own goal. The Highest Good is not desirable for the sake of

    achieving some other good, and all other "goods" desirable for its sake.This involves achievingeudaemonia, usually translated as "happiness","well-being", "flourishing", and "excellence".

    What is the highest good in all matters of action? To the name, there isalmost complete agreement; for uneducated and educated alike call ithappiness, and make happiness identical with the good life and successfulliving. They disagree, however, about the meaning of happiness.

    Nicomachean Ethics1.4Cynicism

    In theHellenistic period, theCynicphilosophers said that the purpose oflife is living a life ofVirtuethat agrees withNature. Happiness dependsupon being self-sufficient and master of one's mental attitude; suffering isthe consequence of false judgments of value, which cause negativeemotionsand a concomitant vicious character.

    The Cynical life rejects conventional desires forwealth,power,health, andfame, by being free of the possessions acquired in pursuing the

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    conventional.[15][16] As reasoning creatures, people could achievehappiness via rigorous training, by living in a way natural tohumanbeings.Theworldequally belongs to everyone, sosufferingis caused by false

    judgments of what is valuable and what is worthless per thecustomsandconventionsofsociety.

    Cyrenaicism

    Cyrenaicism, founded byAristippus of Cyrene, was an early Socraticschool that emphasized only one side of Socrates's teachingsthathappiness is one of the ends of moral action and that pleasure is thesupreme good; thus ahedonisticworld view, wherein bodily gratification ismore intense than mental pleasure. Cyrenaics prefer immediategratification to the long-term gain of delayed gratification; denial isunpleasant unhappiness.[17][18]

    Epicureanism

    Main article:Epicureanism

    Bust ofEpicurusleaning against his discipleMetrodorusin theLouvre Museum.

    ToEpicurus, the greatest good is in seeking modest pleasures, to attaintranquility and freedom from fear (ataraxia) via knowledge, friendship, andvirtuous, temperate living; bodily pain (aponia) is absent through one'sknowledge of the workings of the world and of the limits of one's desires.Combined, freedom from pain and freedom from fear are happiness in its

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    highest form. Epicurus' lauded enjoyment of simple pleasures is quasi-ascetic "abstention" from sex and the appetites:

    "When we say ... that pleasure is the end and aim, we do not mean thepleasures of the prodigal or the pleasures of sensuality, as we areunderstood to do, by some, through ignorance, prejudice or wilfulmisrepresentation. By pleasure we mean the absence of pain in the bodyand of trouble in the soul. It is not by an unbroken succession of drinkingbouts and of revelry, not by sexual lust, nor the enjoyment of fish, andother delicacies of a luxurious table, which produce a pleasant life; it issober reasoning, searching out the grounds of every choice andavoidance, and banishing those beliefs through which the greatest tumultstake possession of the soul."[19]

    The Epicurean meaning of life rejects immortality and mysticism; there is asoul, but it is as mortal as the body. There is noafterlife, yet, one need not

    fear death, because "Death is nothing to us; for that which is dissolved, iswithout sensation, and that which lacks sensation is nothing to us."[20]

    Stoicism

    Stoicismteaches that living according to reason and virtue is to be inharmony with the universe's divine order, entailed by one's recognition ofthe universallogos(reason), an essential value of all people. The meaningof life is "freedom fromsuffering" through apatheia(Gr: ), that is,beingobjectiveand having "clear judgement", notindifference.

    Stoicism's prime directives arevirtue,reason, andnatural law, abided to

    develop personal self-control and mental fortitude as means of overcomingdestructiveemotions. The Stoic does not seek to extinguish emotions, onlyto avoid emotional troubles, by developing clear judgement and inner calmthrough diligently practiced logic, reflection, and concentration.

    The Stoic ethical foundation is that "good lies in the state of the soul", itself,exemplified inwisdomand self-control, thus improving one's spiritual well-being: "Virtue consists in a willwhich is in agreement with Nature."[20] Theprinciple applies to one's personal relations thus: "to be free from anger,envy, and jealousy".[20]

    Enlightenment philosophyFurther information:Enlightenment philosophyTheEnlightenmentand thecolonial eraboth changed the nature ofEuropean philosophy and exported it worldwide. Devotion andsubservience to God were largely replaced by notions of inalienablenatural rights and the potentialities of reason, and universal ideals of loveand compassion gave way to civic notions of freedom, equality, and

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    citizenship. The meaning of life changed as well, focusing less onhumankind's relationship to God and more on the relationship betweenindividuals and their society. This era is filled with theories that equatemeaningful existence with the social order.

    Classical liberalismClassical liberalismis a set of ideas that arose in the 17th and 18thcenturies, out of conflicts between a growing, wealthy, propertied class andthe established aristocratic and religious orders that dominated Europe.Liberalism cast humans as beings with inalienable naturalrights(includingthe right to retain the wealth generated by one's own work), and sought outmeans to balance rights across society. Broadly speaking, it considersindividuallibertyto be the most important goal,[21] because only throughensured liberty are the other inherent rights protected.

    There are many forms and derivations of liberalism, but their central

    conceptions of the meaning of life trace back to three main ideas. Earlythinkers such asJohn Locke,Jean-Jacques RousseauandAdam Smithsaw humankind beginning in thestate of nature, then finding meaning forexistence through labor and property, and usingsocial contractsto createan environment that supports those efforts.

    Kantianism

    Immanuel Kantis regarded as one of the most influential thinkers of the lateEnlightenment.

    Kantianismis a philosophy based on theethical,epistemological, andmetaphysicalworks ofImmanuel Kant. Kant is known for hisdeontologicaltheory where there is a single moral obligation, the "CategoricalImperative", derived from the concept ofduty. Kantians believe all actionsare performed in accordance with some underlyingmaximor principle, andfor actions to be ethical, they must adhere to the categorical imperative.

    Simply put, the test is that one must universalize the maxim (imagine thatall people acted in this way) and then see if it would still be possible toperform the maxim in the world without contradiction. In Groundwork, Kantgives the example of a person who seeks to borrow money withoutintending to pay it back. This is a contradiction because if it were auniversal action, no person would lend money anymore as he knows thathe will never be paid back. The maxim of this action, says Kant, results in

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    a contradiction in conceivability (and thus contradicts perfect duty).

    Kant also denied that the consequences of an act in any way contribute tothe moral worth of that act, his reasoning being that the physical world isoutside one's full control and thus one cannot be held accountable for theevents that occur in it.

    19th century philosophy

    Further information:19th century philosophyUtilitarianism

    Jeremy Bentham

    The origins ofutilitarianismcan be traced back as far asEpicurus, but, asa school of thought, it is credited toJeremy Bentham,[22] who found that"nature has placed mankind under the governance of two sovereignmasters, pain and pleasure", then, from that moral insight, deriving the

    Rule of Utility: "that the good is whatever brings the greatest happiness tothe greatest number of people". He defined the meaning of life as the"greatest happiness principle".

    Jeremy Bentham's foremost proponent wasJames Mill, a significantphilosopher in his day, and father ofJohn Stuart Mill. The younger Mill waseducated per Bentham's principles, including transcribing and summarizingmuch of his father's work.[23]

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    Nihilism

    Nihilismsuggests that life is without objective meaning.

    Friedrich Nietzschecharacterized nihilism as emptying the world, andespecially human existence, of meaning, purpose, comprehensible truth,

    and essential value; succinctly, nihilism is the process of "the devaluing ofthe highest values".[24] Seeing the nihilist as a natural result of the ideathatGod is dead, and insisting it was something to overcome, hisquestioning of the nihilist's life-negating values returned meaning to theEarth.[25]

    The End of the World, by John Martin.ToMartin Heidegger, nihilism is the movement whereby "being" isforgotten, and is transformed into value, in other words, the reduction ofbeing to exchange value.[24] Heidegger, in accordance with Nietzsche,saw in the so-called "death of God" a potential source for nihilism:

    If God, as the supra-sensory ground and goal, of all reality, is dead; if thesupra-sensory world of the Ideas has suffered the loss of its obligatory,and above it, its vitalizing and up-building power, then nothing moreremains to which Man can cling, and by which he can orient himself.[26]

    The French philosopherAlbert Camusasserts that the absurdity of thehuman conditionis that people search for external values and meaning ina world which has none, and is indifferent to them. Camus writes of value-nihilists such asMeursault,[27] but also of values in a nihilistic world, thatpeople can instead strive to be "heroic nihilists", living with dignity in theface of absurdity, living with "secular saintliness", fraternal solidarity, andrebelling against and transcending the world's indifference.[28]

    20th century philosophy

    Further information:20th century philosophy

    The current era has seen radical changes in both formal and popularconceptions of human nature. The knowledge disclosed by modernscience has effectively rewritten the relationship of humankind to thenatural world. Advances in medicine and technology have freed humansfrom significant limitations and ailments of previous eras;[29] andphilosophyparticularly following thelinguistic turnhas altered how therelationships people have with themselves and each other are conceived.Questions about the meaning of life have also seen radical changes, from

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    attempts to reevaluate human existence in biological and scientific terms(as in pragmatism and logical positivism) to efforts to meta-theorize aboutmeaning-making as a personal, individual-driven activity (existentialism,secular humanism).

    PragmatismPragmatism, originated in the late-19th-century U.S., to concern itself(mostly) withtruth, positing that "only in struggling with the environment" dodata, and derived theories, have meaning, and that consequences, likeutility and practicality, are also components of truth. Moreover, pragmatismposits that anything useful and practical is not always true, arguing thatwhat most contributes to the most human good in the long course is true.In practice, theoretical claims must bepractically verifiable, i.e. one shouldbe able to predict and test claims, and, that, ultimately, the needs ofmankind should guide human intellectual inquiry.

    Pragmatic philosophers suggest that the practical, useful understanding oflife is more important than searching for an impractical abstract truth aboutlife.William Jamesargued that truth could be made, but not sought.[30][31]To a pragmatist, the meaning of life is discoverable only via experience.

    Theism

    Main article:Philosophical theismTheists believe God created the universe and that God had a purpose indoing so. Many theists, including the former atheistAnthony Flew, havebeen persuaded that God created because of the scientific evidence for a

    low entropyBig Bangmore than 13 billion years ago. Theists also hold theview that humans find their meaning and purpose for life in God's purposein creating. Theists further hold that if there were no God to give lifeultimate meaning, value and purpose, then life would be absurd.[32]

    Existentialism

    Main article:Meaning (existential)

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    Edvard Munch'sThe Scream, a representation ofexistential angst.According to existentialism, each man and each woman creates theessence (meaning) of his and her life; life is not determined by asupernatural god or an earthly authority, one is free. As such, one's ethicalprime directives are action, freedom, and decision, thus, existentialismopposesrationalismandpositivism. In seeking meaning to life, theexistentialist looks to where people find meaning in life, in course of whichusing only reason as a source of meaning is insufficient; this gives rise tothe emotions ofanxietyanddread, felt in considering one'sfree will, andthe concomitant awareness of death. According toJean-Paul Sartre,

    existence precedes essence; the (essence) of one's life arises onlyafterone comes toexistence.

    Sren Kierkegaardspoke about a "leap", arguing thatlife is full ofabsurdity, and one must make his and her own values in an indifferentworld. One can live meaningfully (free of despair and anxiety) in anunconditional commitment to something finite, and devotes that meaningfullife to the commitment, despite the vulnerability inherent to doing so.[33]

    Arthur Schopenhaueranswered: "What is the meaning of life?" by statingthat one's life reflects one's will, and that the will (life) is an aimless,irrational, and painful drive. Salvation, deliverance, and escape from

    suffering are in aesthetic contemplation, sympathy for others, andasceticism.[34][35]

    ForFriedrich Nietzsche, life is worth living only if there are goals inspiringone to live. Accordingly, he saw nihilism ("all that happens is meaningless")as without goals. He stated that asceticism denies one's living in the world;stated that values are not objective facts, that are rationally necessary,universally binding commitments: our evaluations are interpretations, and

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    not reflections of the world, as it is, in itself, and, therefore,all ideationstake place from a particular perspective.[25]

    Absurdism

    Main article:Absurdism

    "... in spite of or in defiance of the whole of existence he wills to be himself with it, to takeit along, almost defying his torment. For to hope in the possibility of help, not to speak ofhelp by virtue of the absurd, that for God all things are possible no, that he will not do.

    And as for seeking help from any other no, that he will not do for all the world; ratherthan seek help he would prefer to be himself with all the tortures of hell, if so it mustbe."

    Sren Kierkegaard,The Sickness Unto Death[36]In absurdist philosophy, the Absurd arises out of the fundamentaldisharmony between the individual's search for meaning and the apparentmeaninglessness of the universe. As beings looking for meaning in ameaningless world, humans have three ways of resolving the dilemma.

    Kierkegaard and Camus describe the solutions in their works,TheSickness Unto Death(1849) andThe Myth of Sisyphus(1942):

    Suicide(or, "escaping existence"): a solution in which a person simplyends one's own life. Both Kierkegaard and Camus dismiss theviability of this option.

    Religiousbelief in atranscendentrealm or being: a solution in which onebelieves in the existence of a reality that is beyond the Absurd, and,as such, has meaning. Kierkegaard stated that a belief in anythingbeyond the Absurd requires a non-rational but perhaps necessaryreligious acceptance in such an intangible and empirically

    unprovable thing (now commonly referred to as a "leap of faith").However, Camus regarded this solution as "philosophical suicide".

    Acceptance of the Absurd: a solution in which one accepts and evenembraces the Absurd and continues to live in spite of it. Camusendorsed this solution, while Kierkegaard regarded this solution as"demoniac madness": "He rages most of all at the thought thateternity might get it into its head to take his misery from him!"[37]

    Secular humanism

    Further information:Secular Humanism

    The "Happy Human" symbol representingSecular Humanism.

    Persecular humanism, thehuman speciescame to be by reproducingsuccessive generations in a progression ofunguided evolutionas anintegral expression ofnature, which is self-existing.[38][39] Humanknowledge comes from human observation, experimentation, and rationalanalysis (thescientific method), and not from supernatural sources; the

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    nature of theuniverseis what people discern it to be.[38] Likewise, "valuesand realities" are determined "by means of intelligent inquiry"[38] and "arederived from human need and interest as tested by experience", that is, bycritical intelligence.[40][41] "As far as we know, the total personality is [afunction] of the biological organism transacting in a social and cultural

    context."[39]

    People determine human purpose without supernatural influence; it is thehuman personality (general sense) that is the purpose of a human being'slife.Humanismseeks to develop and fulfill:[38] "Humanism affirms ourability and responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal fulfillment thataspire to the greater good of humanity".[40] Humanism aims to promoteenlightened self-interestand thecommon goodfor all people. It is basedon the premises that thehappinessof the individual person is inextricablylinked to the well-being of all humanity, in part because humans are socialanimals who find meaning inpersonal relationsand because cultural

    progress benefits everybody living in theculture.[39][40]

    The philosophical sub-genresposthumanismandtranshumanism(sometimes used synonymously) are extensions of humanistic values. Oneshould seek the advancement ofhumanityand ofall lifeto the greatestdegree feasible and seek to reconcileRenaissance humanismwith the21st century'stechnoscientificculture. In this light, every living creaturehas the right to determine its personal and social "meaning of life".[42]

    From ahumanism-psychotherapeutic point of view, the question of themeaning of life could be reinterpreted as "What is the meaning of my

    life?"[43] This approach emphasizes that the question is personalandavoids focusing on cosmic or religious questions about overarchingpurpose. There are many therapeutic responses to this question. ForexampleViktor Franklargues for "Dereflection", which translates largelyas: cease endlessly reflecting on the self; instead, engage in life. On thewhole, the therapeutic response is that the question itselfwhat is themeaning of life?evaporates when one is fully engaged in life. (Thequestion then morphs into more specific worries such as "What delusionsam I under?"; "What is blocking my ability to enjoy things?"; "Why do Ineglect loved-ones?".) See also:Existential TherapyandIrvin Yalom

    Logical positivismLogical positivistsask: "What is the meaning of life?", "What is themeaning in asking?"[44][45] and "If there are no objective values, then, islife meaningless?"[46]Ludwig Wittgensteinand thelogical positivistssaid:[citation needed] "Expressed in language, the question is meaningless";because, in life the statement the "meaning of x", usually denotes theconsequences of x, or the significance of x, or what is notable about x,

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    etc., thus, when the meaning of life concept equals "x", in the statementthe "meaning of x", the statement becomesrecursive, and, therefore,nonsensical, or it might refer to the fact that biological life is essential tohaving a meaning in life.

    The things (people, events) in the life of a person can have meaning(importance) as parts of a whole, but a discrete meaning of (the) life, itself,aside from those things, cannot be discerned. A person's life has meaning(for himself, others) as the life events resulting from his achievements,legacy, family, etc., but, to say that life, itself, has meaning, is a misuse oflanguage, since any note of significance, or of consequence, is relevantonly in life (to the living), so rendering the statement erroneous.BertrandRussellwrote that although he found that his distaste for torture was notlike his distaste for broccoli, he found no satisfactory, empirical method ofproving this:[20]

    When we try to be definite, as to what we mean when we say that this orthat is "the Good," we find ourselves involved in very great difficulties.Bentham's creed, that pleasure is the Good, roused furious opposition, andwas said to be a pig's philosophy. Neither he nor his opponents couldadvance any argument. In a scientific question, evidence can be adducedon both sides, and, in the end, one side is seen to have the better case or, if this does not happen, the question is left undecided. But in aquestion, as to whether this, or that, is the ultimate Good, there is noevidence, either way; each disputant can only appeal to his own emotions,and employ such rhetorical devices as shall rouse similar emotions inothers ... Questions as to "values" that is to say, as to what is good orbad on its own account, independently of its effects lie outside thedomain of science, as the defenders of religion emphatically assert. I thinkthat, in this, they are right, but, I draw the further conclusion, which they donot draw, that questions as to "values" lie wholly outside the domain ofknowledge. That is to say, when we assert that this, or that, has "value",we are giving expression to our own emotions, not to a fact, which wouldstill be true if our personal feelings were different.[47]

    Postmodernism

    Further information:Postmodernism

    Postmodernist thoughtbroadly speakingsees human nature asconstructed by language, or by structures and institutions of humansociety. Unlike other forms of philosophy, postmodernism rarely seeks outa priorior innate meanings in human existence, but instead focuses onanalyzing or critiquing given meanings in order to rationalize or reconstructthem. Anything resembling a "meaning of life", in postmodernist terms, canonly be understood within a social and linguistic framework, and must be

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    pursued as an escape from the power structures that are alreadyembedded in all forms of speech and interaction. As a rule, postmodernistsseeawarenessof the constraints of language as necessary to escapingthose constraints, but different theorists take different views on the natureof this process: from radical reconstruction of meaning by individuals (as in

    deconstructionism) to theories in which individuals are primarily extensionsof language and society, without real autonomy (as inpoststructuralism). Ingeneral, postmodernism seeks meaning by looking at the underlyingstructures that create or impose meaning, rather than theepiphenomenalappearances of the world.

    Naturalistic pantheism

    According tonaturalistic pantheism, the meaning of life is to care for andlook after nature and the environment.

    East Asian philosophyFurther information:Chinese philosophyandJapanese philosophy

    Mohism

    Further information:MohismThe Mohist philosophers believed that the purpose of life was universal,impartiallove. Mohism promoted a philosophy of impartial caring - aperson should care equally for all other individuals, regardless of theiractual relationship to him or her.[48] The expression of this indiscriminatecaring is what makes man a righteous being in Mohist thought. This

    advocacy of impartiality was a target of attack by the other Chinesephilosophical schools, most notably theConfucianswho believed thatwhile love should be unconditional, it should not be indiscriminate. Forexample, children should hold a greater love for their parents than forrandom strangers.

    Confucianism

    Further information:ConfucianismConfucianismrecognizes human nature in accordance with the need fordiscipline and education. Because mankind is driven by both positive and

    negative influences, Confucianists see a goal in achieving virtue throughstrong relationships and reasoning as well as minimizing the negative. Thisemphasis on normal living is seen in the Confucianist scholarTu Wei-Ming's quote, "we can realize the ultimate meaning of life in ordinaryhuman existence."[49]

    Legalism

    Further information:Legalism (Chinese philosophy)

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    The Legalists believed that finding the purpose of life was a meaninglesseffort. To the Legalists, only practical knowledge was valuable, especiallyas it related to the function and performance of the state.

    Religious perspectives

    The religious perspectives on the meaning of life are those ideologieswhich explain life in terms of an implicit purpose not defined by humans.

    Western religions

    Symbols of the three main Abrahamic religionsJudaism,Christianity, andIslamFurther information:Abrahamic religionandIranian philosophyChristianity

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    Christ the Redeemerstatue onCorcovadomountain inRio de Janeirois symbolic ofChristianity,[50] illustrating the concept of seekingredemptionthroughJesus Christ.

    Christianity has its roots in Judaism, and shares much of the latter faith'sontology, its central beliefs derive from the teachings ofJesus Christ, as

    presented in theNew Testament. Life's purpose in Christianity is to seekdivine salvation through the grace of God and intercession of Christ. (cf.John11:26) The New Testament speaks of God wanting to have arelationship with humans both in this life and the life to come, which canhappen only if one'ssins are forgiven(John 3:1621; 2 Peter 3:9).

    In the Christian view, humankind was made in theImage of Godandperfect, but theFall of Mancaused the progeny of the first Parents toinheritOriginal Sin. The sacrifice of Christ's passion, death andresurrection provide the means for transcending that impure state(Romans 6:23). The means for doing so varies between different groups of

    Christians, but all rely on belief in Jesus, his work on the cross and hisresurrection as the fundamental starting point for a relationship with God.Faith in God is found in Ephesians 2:89 "[8]For by grace you have beensaved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; [9]not asa result of works, that no one should boast." (New American StandardBible; 1973). A recent alternative Chrisitian theological discourse interpretsJesus as revealing that the purpose of life is to elevate our compassionateresponse to human suffering.[51] Nonetheless the conventional Christianposition is that people are justified by belief in the propitiatory sacrifice ofJesus' death on the cross. The Gospel maintains that through this belief,

    the barrier that sin has created between man and God is destroyed, andallows God to change people and instill in them a new heart after his ownwill, and the ability to do it. This is what the terms "reborn" or "saved"almost always refer to.

    In theWestminster Shorter Catechism, the first question is: "What is thechief end of Man?", that is, "What is Man's main purpose?". The answer is:"Man's chief end is to glorify God, and enjoy him forever". God requiresone to obey the revealed moral law saying: "love the Lord your God with allyour heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind;and your neighbour as yourself".[52] TheBaltimore Catechismanswers the

    question "Why did God make you?" by saying "God made me to knowHim, to love Him, and to serve Him in this world, and to be happy with Himforever in heaven."[53]

    The Apostle Paul also answers this question in his speech on theAreopagusinAthens: "And He has made from one blood every nation ofmen to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined theirpreappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they

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    should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and findHim, though He is not far from each one of us." [54]

    According toRevelation4:11, everything exists for God's pleasure.

    The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints(Mormons) teaches that

    the purpose of life on Earth is to gain knowledge and experience.[55]Mormons believe that God the Father first created humans as spirits, eachwith the potential to progress toward perfection. Earth life is considered acrucial stage in this development wherein a physical body, coupled withthe freedom to choose, makes for an ideal environment to learn andgrow.[55] The Fall of Adam is not viewed as an unfortunate or unplannedcancellation of God's original plan for a paradise, rather the oppositionfound in mortality is an essential element of God's plan because onlythrough experiencing opposition firsthand can humankind learn to choosegood over evil (Genesis 3:22, 2 Nephi 2:11[56]). Physical separation from

    God is an integral part of this mortal learning experience, but he doesn'tleave us in darkness. From the beginning, God has followed a pattern ofrevealing knowledge through chosen prophets. This instruction from Godincludes the concept of repentance as a lifelong growth process throughwhich humankind continuously learns to make better choices by forsakingsin and learning from mistakes. Throughout this process, baptizedmembers can regularly invoke the cleansing power of Christ's atonementthrough the weekly ordinance of the sacrament (Luke 22:17-20). It is bythis cleansing power of the atonement that mortals are made worthy toreturn to the presence of the Father, where they can continue to build uponthe wisdom gained during mortality (Doctrine and Covenants 130:18-19[57]) and ultimately fulfill their end purpose, which is to attain a fullness of

    joy by inheriting God's glory (Romans 8:16-17, Galatians 4:7)that is tosay, his intelligence (Doctrine and Covenants 93:36; 50:24). Because Godis just, he allows those who weren't taught the gospel during mortality toreceive it after death in the spirit world, so that all of his children have theopportunity to reach their full potential.

    Catholicism's way of thinking is better expressed through the Principle andFoundation of St. Inatius of Loyola: "The human person is created topraise, reverence, and serve God Our Lord, and by doing so, to save his or

    her soul. All other things on the face of the earth are created for humanbeings in order to help them pursue the end for which they are created. Itfollows from this that one must use other created things, in so far as theyhelp towards one's end, and free oneself from them, in so far as they areobstacles to one's end. To do this, we need to make ourselves indifferentto all created things, provided the matter is subject to our free choice andthere is no other prohibition. Thus, as far as we are concerned, we shouldnot want health more than illness, wealth more than poverty, fame more

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    than disgrace, a long life more than a short one, and similarly for all therest, but we should desire and choose only what helps us more towardsthe end for which we are created."[58]

    Islam

    InIslam, man's ultimate life objective is to worship the creatorAllah(God)by abiding by the Divine guidelines revealed in theQur'anand theTradition of theProphet. Earthly life is merely a test, determining one'safterlife, either inJannah(Paradise) or inJahannam(Hell).

    For Allah's satisfaction, via the Qur'an, all Muslims must believe in God, hisrevelations, hisangels, hismessengers, and in the "Day of Judgment".[59]The Qur'an describes the purpose of creation as follows: "Blessed be he inwhose hand is the kingdom, he is powerful over all things, who createddeath and life that he might examine which of you is best in deeds, and heis the almighty, the forgiving" (Qur'an 67:12) and "And I (Allh) created

    not the jinn and mankind except that they should be obedient (to Allah)."(Qur'an 51:56). Obedience testifies to theoneness of Godin his lordship,his names, and his attributes. Terrenal life is a test; how one acts(behaves) determines whether one's soul goes to Jannat (Heaven) or toJahannam (Hell).[60][citation needed] However on the day of Judgement thefinal decision is of Allah alone.[61] Allah may coverup short comings andallow some people to go to heaven even though they may have some sinsin the record.

    TheFive Pillars of Islamare duties incumbent to every Muslim; they are:Shahadah(profession of faith);salat(ritual prayer);Zakah(charity);Sawm

    (fasting duringRamadan), andHajj(pilgrimage toMecca).[62] They derivefrom theHadithworks, notably ofSahih Al-BukhariandSahih Muslim. Thefive pillars are not mentioned directly in the Quran.

    Beliefs differ among theKalam. TheSunniconcept of pre-destination isdivine decree;[63] likewise, theShi'aconcept of pre-destination isdivine

    justice; in theesotericview of theSufis, the universe exists only for God'spleasure; Creation is a grand game, wherein Allah is the greatest prize.

    The Sufi view of the meaning of life stems from thehadith qudsithat statesI (God) ws Hidden Tresure nd loved to be known. Therefore I

    created the Creation tht I might be known. One possible interprettion ofthis view is that the meaning of life for an individual is to know the nature ofGod, and the purpose of all of creation is to reveal that nature, and toprove its value as the ultimate treasure, that is God. However, this hadith isstated in various forms and interpreted in various ways by people, such, as'Abdu'l-Bahof theBah' Faith,[64] and inIbn'Arb's Fu al-ikam.[65]

    Bah' Faith

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