Although the meaning of life is a traditional question of philosophy, scientists began to specifically study it only about half a century ago: then the philosophy of the meaning of life became a separate direction. Before this, philosophers tried to understand what happiness, moral life, goodness, justice and responsibility are, they were looking for a definition of the concepts of “man” and “being” and, as if in passing, answered the question about the meaning of life. Why does this question keep coming up again and again?
Humans are so far the only living beings capable of reflection and looking at themselves from the outside. Unlike cats and hamsters, we can at any moment be distracted from our activities and ask ourselves why, out of many things to do, we chose this particular one.
This ability can not only save us from doing unnecessary things, but also makes us think about global things: why do we do anything at all, why do we live? Reflection also helps us realize our own mortality: understanding the finitude of life makes the question of its meaning urgent. We feel this especially acutely in moments of crisis or, as existentialist philosophers would say, in “borderline situations”: for example, when we experience the death of loved ones, learn about an incurable disease, get into a disaster, or get divorced.
As is usually the case in philosophy, there is no single correct answer, and different philosophical schools offer their own options.
Learn Wisdom: Living Like Socrates
For the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates (at least according to his student Plato), the meaning of life is wisdom, knowledge and self-knowledge. Only they can make us truly happy, because they teach us not to rejoice in material things, but in how we manage them. What's the point of money if it's used for wars and making others miserable? What's the point of gold if it doesn't benefit us or those around us?
Socrates noted that even the best things in the hands of a stupid person will only make him more unhappy, because he will not know how to properly manage them.
He will lose money, destroy his health because he will not take care of himself, and will miss out on love due to nagging or high expectations. A stupid person is doomed to misfortune, no matter how much he has - Socrates believed so, and therefore he taught that only in acquiring wisdom is the highest goal of our life. After all, a smart person, even if he has nothing, will find ways to turn the situation to his advantage.
“Since we all strive for happiness and, as it turns out, we are happy when we use things, and we use them correctly, and knowledge gives us this correctness and well-being, apparently every person should strive with all his might to become as wise as possible "
— Socrates in Plato's dialogue, Euthydemus
Enjoy: living the moment like the Cyrenaics
His students, known as the Cyrenaic school, disagreed with Socrates. They believed that knowledge is subjective - that is, everyone has their own truth, and therefore there is no need to learn wisdom, but it is better to declare various joys (including simple bodily pleasures like food and sex) as the meaning of life.
The Cyrenaics reasoned like this: since the future is unknown, and the same thing can bring both pleasure and suffering to different people (or one person at different times), you need to live in the present and try to make every moment of your life as happy as possible: enjoy delicious food and wine, good weather and meeting friends.
It is unknown what the future will turn out to be, but life is already happening now and consists of such individual moments.
This is the meaning of the Cyrenaiese - to enjoy life and decide for yourself what “pleasure” is for you: feasts and wine or intellectual conversations and philosophy. The Cyrenaics approved of everything.
“There is no need to regret the past or fear the future; but one must be content only with the present, and even then only with each individual moment of it.
A particular pleasure is in itself worthy of choice. But happiness does not arise through itself, but through individual pleasures.”
— quotes from the Cyrenaics according to Losev, “Cyrenaica”
Definition of concepts
Philosophy and psychology are closely related sciences. Psychology has two directions: knowledge and the totality of human traits that make up his character. In the first meaning, it is a science that studies the mechanisms and patterns of mental activity of society. In the second meaning, it denotes the mental processes occurring in the human body that make it individual.
Philosophy is the science of the general laws of development of nature, society and man. It reflects the state of society at a certain point in time and develops with it. Therefore it is not permanent. In different historical eras, currents arise in it, on the basis of which schools appear, and philosophers are divided in opinion.
Spiritually Enjoy: Living the Epicurean Way
The Cyrenaic view is what is usually meant when people talk about hedonism: pleasure and permissiveness. But not all philosophers are ready to admit that the meaning of our life lies in simple pleasures. However, they are not always ready to give up pleasures. How to combine this?
The ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus divided all pleasures into “temporary” and “permanent”. The first ones are those that come and go, and they are necessarily followed by suffering: for example, we were hungry, ate deliciously and enjoyed the food, but after a couple of hours we want to eat again, which means we suffer and are again in search of pleasure. And so on in a circle. Later, the English utilitarian philosopher John Stuart Mill would call these pleasures “lower” and emphasize that the Epicureans advised abstaining from them.
Instead, Epicurus proposed making the meaning of his life to receive “permanent” (or “higher”) pleasures - peace of mind, prudence and moderation.
If we achieve peace of mind, it does not go anywhere and supports us in difficult moments, helps us see the main thing in life. To achieve such a state of mind, Epicurus advised to engage in self-knowledge, learn everything new, not be afraid of the gods and death, and also focus on what is in our power.
“When we say that pleasure is the ultimate goal, we do not mean the pleasures of debauchery or sensuality, as those who do not know, do not share or poorly understand our teaching believe - no, we mean freedom from the suffering of the body and from the turmoil of the soul . For it is not endless drinking bouts and holidays, not the enjoyment of boys and women or the fish table and other joys of a luxurious feast that make our life sweet, but only sober reasoning, examining the reasons for our every preference and avoidance and expelling opinions that place great anxiety in the soul.”
— Epicurus, “Letter to Menoeceus”
Overcoming Suffering: Living Like the Stoics and Buddha
The teachings of Epicurus have many similarities with what the Stoics and Buddhists advise. Both of them seek the meaning of life in peace of mind - only it is achieved not through the search for constant pleasures, as the Epicureans think, but through freedom from suffering. So how can you stop suffering? There are several recipes here.
The Stoics believed that we are able to overcome suffering only by achieving a special state - apathy. And this is not complete indifference or even loss of strength, as is now commonly thought, but a specific state of mind that is achieved through correct judgment and self-control.
When we understand that everything in the world is divided into what we can control and what we cannot, and we begin to worry only about the former and not worry about the latter, then we will begin to live stoically. Moreover, the only thing we can completely control is our attitude to the situation. Only we ourselves have the right to decide whether to worry about bad weather, or instead dress warmer and focus on our mental balance. And stop suffering.
“If you are upset about something external, then it is not the thing itself that oppresses you, but your judgment about it. But eliminating the latter is in your power. If something in your own mood upsets you, then who is stopping you from correcting your way of thinking? In the same way, if you are upset about not doing something that seems right to you, then is it not better to do it than to be upset?
— Marcus Aurelius, “Alone with Myself”
The philosophy of Buddhism also places freedom from suffering above all else. To achieve such freedom, it is worth remembering that the source of suffering is our desires. We constantly want something and suffer when we don’t have it. Having received it, we suffer because we can easily lose it, and also because we begin to want more (or something else). Only by giving up all desires can we get rid of suffering and achieve a special state - nirvana.
However, the phrase “meaning of life” in our usual meaning is not very applicable to Buddhism. Buddhism is a broad branch of philosophy. It has so many different schools and currents and such complex terminology that some Western philosophers remind us: all that is accessible to Western understanding is the “adaptation” of Buddhism for our culture. Of course, this does not mean that you should abandon it and not explore it at all, but you should always remember the limitations of our understanding.
Build an ideal society: living the Confucian way
Another interesting version of the meaning of life that we inherited from Eastern philosophy is the desire to build a perfect society in which harmony will be achieved between man and Heaven.
The ancient Chinese philosopher Confucius teaches that an ideal society can only be built if each person fulfills his duties well and follows his destiny.
He viewed each person as a cog in a large mechanism, for the smooth operation of which it was important that everyone diligently fulfill their duties. Only by working together, fulfilling their assigned roles and treating each other with respect can people live in a better society. That is why Confucius declared self-improvement and the best performance of the work that is given to you as the meaning of life. Every person, no matter who he is, is capable of learning and improving what he does, whether it be cleaning and cooking or running a country.
In addition, Confucius reminds that people should never forget about others. Confucianism places a lot of emphasis on relationships: how to be a good son and parent, how to love all people, and how to fulfill your duty to others.
“When a person improves what is given to him by nature and uses it for the benefit of others, he is not far from the True Path. Don't do things you don't like to do to other people."
— Confucius, The Doctrine of the Mean
Films about the philosophy of life
Directors turn to the theme of human life in their films. Films about the philosophy of life that will make you think:
- "Tree of Life"
. Directed by Terrence Malick. This movie raises millions of rhetorical questions about the meaning of life, the problem of human identity. - "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind"
. The film by Michel Gondry, released in 2004, is a kind of philosophical teaching about how to live your life, accept mistakes and not forget about them. - "Fountain"
. A fantastic movie from Darren Aronofsky will show new interpretations of reality.
Doing your duty: living like Kant
If the ideas of duty are close to you, but somehow you don’t want to build an ideal world, then ask the 18th century German philosopher Immanuel Kant what the meaning of life is. He will advise you to voluntarily follow the categorical imperative or, more simply put, the moral law, which sounds like this:
“Act in such a way that the maxim of your will can at the same time have the force of a principle of universal legislation.”
— Immanuel Kant, Critique of Practical Reason
Kant offers several more variations of the categorical imperative, but its essence is this: our duty is to live and treat other people in the same way as we would like others to live and treat ourselves.
Simply put, if you put others down, don’t complain when they put you down. And if you want to be loved, first of all love and respect others.
However, Kant does not encourage selfishness and teaches that in no case should you treat others as a means to achieve your own goals: for example, loving others only so that they love you. On the contrary, you need to value each person and see in him an individual or, as Kant would say, “the ultimate goal.” Only life in accordance with morality can be meaningful.
It’s different for everyone, but I don’t have a destiny invented by someone in heaven.
There are only cause-and-effect relationships, actions performed and a little karma from this or past life. Events in my life depend on my choice and I myself am responsible for everything that happens to me. This doesn't mean that I don't believe in God. Of course, I believe in him, I read prayers, meditate and often turn to the higher powers in my heart. Sometimes I visit churches and temples, I believe in the power of saints and the existence of guardian angels, as I have seen them more than once in my dreams and felt their strength and help in real life. My universe always takes care of me, and I love it and trust it completely.
Making others happy and being happy yourself: living like utilitarians
However, not all philosophers agree that morality lies only in the fulfillment of moral duty. Utilitarianism teaches that an action can only be called moral when it brings the greatest possible happiness and benefit to everyone around it. This means that the meaning of life is to maximize this happiness and thus be useful to society.
But how to achieve this? You can, for example, mentally calculate how much happiness this or that action will bring, and then do what is most useful to society.
Sometimes even to his own detriment: when choosing between the happiness of one or ten, the utilitarian will prefer quantity. Therefore, a life filled with meaning will be one in which a person brings the greatest benefit to society and makes as many people happy as possible.
They like to criticize utilitarians for this: not everything in life can be so easily calculated and compared, and people are unlikely to agree to sacrifice themselves for the sake of others.
The 19th century English philosopher John Stuart Mill objects to this: “The happiness of others makes me happy,” which is why we perform good altruistic deeds. Most often, it is they who fill our lives with meaning: by making others happy and seeing smiles on their faces, we ourselves become a little happier.
There is no point: living nihilistically
However, some philosophers generally doubt that there is any meaning in life. For example, the 19th century German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche reminds us that there is no objective truth, everything depends only on ourselves, or more precisely, on the side from which we look at things. The world has no meaning, just as there is no one objective truth, and we need to stop searching.
The 20th century French philosopher Albert Camus agrees with him, who also says that life is absurd and has no meaning, no matter how desperately we try to find it. All our attempts are just different points of view, none of which can be final.
He compares man's eternal attempts to find an explanation for everything with Sisyphean work: we roll a stone up a mountain, hoping that this time we will be able to roll it to the top, the meaning will be found and everything will become clear - but the stone always rolls down, we are left with nothing and we start all over again.
Life is meaningless, but that doesn't mean you should give up and refuse to live. Rather, we should stop trying to find meaning and declare that the absence of meaning gives a person great freedom. You can do whatever you want and not worry that your actions are meaningless.
You can finally honestly say to yourself: “Life is absurd, but I will enjoy it.” Don't regret the past, don't worry about the future, just live.
“It all ends with the recognition of the profound futility of individual life. But it is precisely this recognition that gives them the ease with which they carry out their creativity, since accepting the absurdity of life allows them to completely immerse themselves in it.”
— Albert Camus, The Myth of Sisyphus
The expediency of practical psychology.
There can be many answers. And here everything depends on the psychologist’s individual understanding of his task.
So, for example, if this concerns the client, this may be the achievement of some specific results in his life, for example, getting a job, getting rid of addictions, solving personal problems, problems in the family, at work, etc.
This can also be a solution to problems of a person’s personal fulfillment, depressive and stressful conditions, neuroses, etc.
This can also be a solution to global existential problems of clients, if there is such a request.
It could be a combination of all of the above (which is most likely), and much more.
It is very important to understand that the solution to the listed problems in the interaction between a psychologist and a client concerns both equally. This is important to understand for the reason that a psychologist is also a person with many of his own problems and tasks, and is not at all obliged (and in most cases is not) to be some kind of perfect person who has completely solved all his problems
This is important to understand for the reason that a psychologist is also a person with many of his own problems and tasks, and is not at all obliged (and in most cases is not) to be some kind of perfect person who has completely solved all his problems. What distinguishes a psychologist from a client is a set of certain professional skills and knowledge, which in certain cases can lead to a certain result acceptable for the psychologist-client relationship
What distinguishes a psychologist from a client is a set of certain professional skills and knowledge, which in certain cases can lead to a certain result acceptable to the psychologist-client relationship.
But what should this result be? And is there something, some universal criterion that allows us to generalize the tasks of psychology? Of course, the results of a psychologist’s work (even based on stated requests) in their purely applied aspect can differ quite significantly.
Nevertheless, there is one important general criterion - all psychological work comes down to one task - improving the client’s quality of life, and I would add that this equally applies to the psychologist.
Search for your own meaning in life: live as modern philosophers teach
One article is not enough to describe all possible
to the question about the meaning of life. And life is also not enough to read all the thinkers and find out where they found meaning.
And therefore, some modern philosophers have acted more cunningly: they believe that each person must find for himself his own meaning of life.
You shouldn’t wait for someone wise to answer this most important question; it’s time to take life into your own hands and look for what inspires and fills gray days with meaning.
“It doesn’t seem to me that life in general has any purpose. It just happens. But each individual person has his own goal.”
— Bertrand Russell, “What is an Agnostic?”
And you need to find this very goal, and then live in such a way as to achieve it. However, philosophers warn: focusing on the future is just as dangerous as hoping that the answer to the question about the meaning of life can be found out by reading just a textbook.
“The habit of hoping for the future and thinking that it gives meaning to what is happening now is very dangerous. There will be no meaning in the whole if there is no meaning in its parts. There is no need to think that life is a melodrama in which the main character or heroine suffers and suffers, and then finds happiness. I live now and this is my day, then my son will have his day, and then his son will take his place.”
What is life
Movement in space and time, during which personal development occurs, experience, skills and knowledge are acquired, energy is expended on interaction with other individuals - this is what life means.
Important! There is no precise definition and characteristic signs for this phenomenon.
Types of concept
Life is a concept that can be viewed from different points of view:
- Physical. A continuous process, which is accompanied by the accumulation and dissipation of energy in order to increase or decrease chaos in the system - this is real life, as the science of physics tells in detail.
- Biological. According to this view, social existence is a special form of living matter, in each cell of which physical and chemical processes take place. The main criteria of a developing organism are: growth, metabolism, reactions to stimuli and reproduction. As long as a person breathes, he continues to live.
- If you look at this term from a psychological or cultural angle, you can find more than 7 billion definitions, since every adult and child interprets this phenomenon in their own way.
The concept of life in philosophy
For more than 30 centuries, philosophers and prophets from different nations of the world have been striving to understand life, to understand what it is and what its boundaries are. Spinoza, Socrates, Diogenes, Antisthenes and other sages reduced their thoughts to the fact that the foundation of the existence of all life on earth comes down to the search for the purpose of existence.
Important! Therefore, life in philosophy is a kind of key to determining the main motives and paths of development of the world, as well as the self-improvement of a person through his meaningful creative activity.
Benedict Spinoza
Often, in order to understand this term, ancient treatises used a comparison with death and non-existence. Life as being is an outdated philosophical definition.
Additional Information. In modern times, rational knowledge of the world has been replaced by irrational views. Faith, instincts and feelings have become the main tools that allow us to comprehend real existence.
