In blog post #5, I made the claim that happier people live a fuller life. I've done some thinking and made the decision to make a new claim. My new question will be "Do happy people live a more meaningful life?" and my new claim: Yes, you live a more meaningful life if you are a happy person.
A counterargument for this claim would be that unhappy people can live a life of equal amount of living. This can be argued by explaining the fact that someone full of unhappiness can do and say everything exactly the same way as another person that is fully of happiness. The fact that they both did the same things gives each person a life of equal meaning.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
BL0G #5
Reading about the thoughts of philosophers on the subject of "The Meaning of Life" has really made me think. It makes me wonder if there really is a meaning to life. In our textbook, happiness is one of the possibilities to the meaning of life. With this being said, do the happiest people live the fullest lives?
I believe that happy people do live fuller lives. The happier you are, the more you love the life that you live. Elias said, "The happiest people spend the least time alone. They pursue personal growth and intimacy; they judge themselves by their own yardsticks, never against what others do or have."
Elias, Marilyn. "Psychologists Now Know What Makes People Happy." USA TODAY. 10 Dec. 2002. 10 June 2008.
I believe that happy people do live fuller lives. The happier you are, the more you love the life that you live. Elias said, "The happiest people spend the least time alone. They pursue personal growth and intimacy; they judge themselves by their own yardsticks, never against what others do or have."
Elias, Marilyn. "Psychologists Now Know What Makes People Happy." USA TODAY. 10 Dec. 2002. 10 June 2008
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
BL0G #4
The definition of the word “meaning”: the end, purpose, or significance of something. (Meaning)
Many people have different definitions to the word “life”. As I was doing some research, I found this particular definition of life and decided that it was the one that I agree with most:
“Life is a condition that distinguishes organisms from non-living objects, such as non-life, and dead organisms, being manifested by growth through metabolism and reproduction. Some living things can communicate and many can adapt to their environment through changes originating internally. A physical characteristic of life is that it feeds on negative entropy.” (Life)
While looking at an article written by Bendz, I found this quote:
“There are many people in the universe, with different needs, there is no absolute meaning of life. The meaning is different for different people, but we share many common needs so there should be a common meaning. Enlightened self interest is a good way to achieve maximum happiness to a maximal amount of people. If you live to make everybody else happy there will be more happiness, but if nobody looks at his best self interest nobody will be able to get that happiness.” (Bendz)
Depending on the particular individual, the meaning life can differ greatly. Satisfying personal relationships, accomplishments of which one can be proud, enjoyable activities, and learning are four different examples of what one may say their meaning of life is. We all have something/someone to life for, it is just the matter of figuring out what that particular thing or person is. (Rachels)
Philosophers have used the idea of “happiness” as the meaning of life. It was thought that “the best life” and “the happy life” were the same thing. And it has been researched that wealth and happiness have no correlation. Ronald Inglehardt compared levels of wealth in different countries. With what the people in those countries say about their satisfaction with their lives, he found that people in the wealthier countries are no happier than those in the poorer countries. Since wealth does not fully bring happiness, what does? Personal control, having good relations with people, and satisfying work are all things that happiness is correlated with. (Rachels)
Bendz, Fredrik. "The Meaning of Life." 5 Oct. 1996. 3 June 2008 http://www.update.uu.se/~fbendz/philo/meaning.htm.
"Life." Wikipedia. 1 June 2008. 3 June 2008 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life.
"Meaning." Def. 2. Dictionary. 3 June 2008.
Rachels, Stuart, and James Rachels. Problems From Philosophy. 2nd ed. New York: McGraw Hill, 2008. 180-190.
Many people have different definitions to the word “life”. As I was doing some research, I found this particular definition of life and decided that it was the one that I agree with most:
“Life is a condition that distinguishes organisms from non-living objects, such as non-life, and dead organisms, being manifested by growth through metabolism and reproduction. Some living things can communicate and many can adapt to their environment through changes originating internally. A physical characteristic of life is that it feeds on negative entropy.” (Life)
While looking at an article written by Bendz, I found this quote:
“There are many people in the universe, with different needs, there is no absolute meaning of life. The meaning is different for different people, but we share many common needs so there should be a common meaning. Enlightened self interest is a good way to achieve maximum happiness to a maximal amount of people. If you live to make everybody else happy there will be more happiness, but if nobody looks at his best self interest nobody will be able to get that happiness.” (Bendz)
Depending on the particular individual, the meaning life can differ greatly. Satisfying personal relationships, accomplishments of which one can be proud, enjoyable activities, and learning are four different examples of what one may say their meaning of life is. We all have something/someone to life for, it is just the matter of figuring out what that particular thing or person is. (Rachels)
Philosophers have used the idea of “happiness” as the meaning of life. It was thought that “the best life” and “the happy life” were the same thing. And it has been researched that wealth and happiness have no correlation. Ronald Inglehardt compared levels of wealth in different countries. With what the people in those countries say about their satisfaction with their lives, he found that people in the wealthier countries are no happier than those in the poorer countries. Since wealth does not fully bring happiness, what does? Personal control, having good relations with people, and satisfying work are all things that happiness is correlated with. (Rachels)
Bendz, Fredrik. "The Meaning of Life." 5 Oct. 1996. 3 June 2008 http://www.update.uu.se/~fbendz/philo/meaning.htm.
"Life." Wikipedia. 1 June 2008. 3 June 2008 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life.
"Meaning." Def. 2. Dictionary. 3 June 2008
Rachels, Stuart, and James Rachels. Problems From Philosophy. 2nd ed. New York: McGraw Hill, 2008. 180-190.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
BL0G #3
In this video, Terry Eagleton talks about a book that he has written. In this interview, some of the things that he discusses from the book really made me think. He throws out a few of his ideas to the question of what the meaning of life is. His last idea is happiness. I do believe that one of the meanings of life is happiness. I believe that this is true because not living a happy life makes life a bit pointless. And if life is pointless, then there is no meaning to life.
BL0G #2
I have decided to choose"The Meaning of Life" to be my topic. There are many sites that discuss the this topic. In this particular website, http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/life-meaning/, it is stated that most English speaking philosophers writing on meaning in life are trying to develop and evaluate theories, i.e., fundamental and general principles that are meant to capture all the particular ways that a life could obtain meaning. In another site that i found, http://www.philosophynow.org/archive/articles/24taylor.htm, i read about how you should first come up with the meaning of a 'meaningless life'. After you do so, you should figure out what to put into the picture to make the life meaningful. In http://www.update.uu.se/~fbendz/philo/meaning.htm, i found something that really made me think:
So what is the meaning of life?
I'm sorry, but I can't answer that for anybody. To find the meaning of your life everybody must look for themselves. This is what I have found.
First I thought that there is no meaning of life, and there isn't, not in life itself as a phenomenon. But then I realised that there is a meaning to every creature's life. The meaning of somebodies life, I said, is to spread it's genes in the population (Don't worry folks, I didn't live by this rule.), but now I have realized that I looked for the meaning of life in the wrong places. Procreating is fun, and part of the meaning of life, but we have reached a part of the development where procreating only leads to overpopulation. Overpopulation leads to wars and may be good for the genetic evolution of mankind, but is bad in the long run.
The statement about how everybody must look for the meaning of life themselves is something i agree with. I believe that everyone has their own meaning of life and it may be the same or different as some other person's but it's YOUR meaning to life.
So what is the meaning of life?
I'm sorry, but I can't answer that for anybody. To find the meaning of your life everybody must look for themselves. This is what I have found.
First I thought that there is no meaning of life, and there isn't, not in life itself as a phenomenon. But then I realised that there is a meaning to every creature's life. The meaning of somebodies life, I said, is to spread it's genes in the population (Don't worry folks, I didn't live by this rule.), but now I have realized that I looked for the meaning of life in the wrong places. Procreating is fun, and part of the meaning of life, but we have reached a part of the development where procreating only leads to overpopulation. Overpopulation leads to wars and may be good for the genetic evolution of mankind, but is bad in the long run.
The statement about how everybody must look for the meaning of life themselves is something i agree with. I believe that everyone has their own meaning of life and it may be the same or different as some other person's but it's YOUR meaning to life.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
BL0G #1
GOD AND THE ORIGIN OF THE UNIVERSE
I have a big interest in this topic for many reasons. Both of my parents are Catholic and they have raised me to be Catholic as well. Being Catholic, I have many beliefs in God and his many creations. I went to a Catholic grade school from kindergarten all the way up to the 8th grade. After graduating from the 8th grade, I went to a Catholic high school for all 4 years. So, being surrounded by Catholics, and being taught the religion as a subject in school for 12 years, it has kept me very sheltered. I do not know much about any of the other religions and other beliefs that other people may have. Learning a different view on the creation of the world would be pretty interesting for me, just because I have only known one point of view for my entire life. I am not looking for new beliefs, I am just curious to see what others believe.
THE MEANING OF LIFE
This topic fascinates me because everyone wonders what the meaning of life is from time to time. If not often, we have all thought about it at least once. We all go through these mundane scheduled days, or we may also go through the complete opposite. Some of us may have extremely busy days, while others not-so-busy. It makes me wonder, “What is the point? Why are we doing what we are doing? What is life’s purpose?” I do not think I could even begin to explain what the meaning of life is, so it would be interesting to really go into depth about this topic.
I have a big interest in this topic for many reasons. Both of my parents are Catholic and they have raised me to be Catholic as well. Being Catholic, I have many beliefs in God and his many creations. I went to a Catholic grade school from kindergarten all the way up to the 8th grade. After graduating from the 8th grade, I went to a Catholic high school for all 4 years. So, being surrounded by Catholics, and being taught the religion as a subject in school for 12 years, it has kept me very sheltered. I do not know much about any of the other religions and other beliefs that other people may have. Learning a different view on the creation of the world would be pretty interesting for me, just because I have only known one point of view for my entire life. I am not looking for new beliefs, I am just curious to see what others believe.
THE MEANING OF LIFE
This topic fascinates me because everyone wonders what the meaning of life is from time to time. If not often, we have all thought about it at least once. We all go through these mundane scheduled days, or we may also go through the complete opposite. Some of us may have extremely busy days, while others not-so-busy. It makes me wonder, “What is the point? Why are we doing what we are doing? What is life’s purpose?” I do not think I could even begin to explain what the meaning of life is, so it would be interesting to really go into depth about this topic.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
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