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.
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