There is no meaning to his life. objections to hedonism. Approaches and solutions to questions about the meaning of life

You are always interested in the answer to the question: "What is the meaning of life?". It is very difficult for each person to give a detailed answer to this question. What is the meaning of life?
The meaning of life is a person's desire for something new that goes beyond the boundaries of his life.

Most psychologists believe that if a person thinks too often about the meaning of life, then this is one of the signs that things are not going well for him.

Almost everyone has thought at least once... why does he live in this world, for what purpose. Let's take a closer look at many people's answers to the question - what is the meaning of life? Perhaps in this list you can find your answer.

1) The meaning of life is to be healthy and beautiful all the time! Do exercises every day, do not grow old, play sports, take care of yourself and stay “forever” young.

2) My meaning of life is to raise a child with dignity, buy a house and plant at least one tree.

3) The meaning of life is to leave behind a pleasant trace! So that after death you will be remembered with kind words and with a smile on your face, thanked for all the work done in life.

4) My meaning is unforgettable, pleasant memories! I want to live and understand that I lived my life worthy and do not regret a bit about anything.

5) The meaning of life is self-realization as a person! You need to strive for the best, every day to achieve success at work, at home, in relationships, to become a respected and independent person.

6) There is no meaning to life... Just live do not torment yourself and your soul with this senseless question.

Also, many people believe that now in the modern world the meaning of life lies in self-improvement, raising worthy children who can surpass their parents and achieve even greater results for the development of our world for the better. And it does not matter where and by whom we work - the main thing is to teach and educate our children with dignity! — our contribution and work is necessary for development.

The meaning of human life - video

The question, what is the meaning of human life, is asked by almost everyone. The meaning of life, the concept of it is one of the central in philosophy or religion. The lack of meaning in life can lead to depression and serious illness, so it is necessary to look for an answer to it. When the purpose of life disappears, a person is unhappy, loses interest in life, which complicates the existence of people nearby. In search of life with meaning, someone turns to religious texts, someone goes through psychological training, someone independently looks for the answer to this question, studying the treatises of famous philosophers.

The nature of the question: what is the purpose and meaning of human life

Many regularly ask the question: what is the meaning of human life? The need to find an answer to this question distinguishes man from animals. Animals exist, satisfying only a certain set of material needs - sleep, food, reproduction, for some animals, communication or community is also important. A person, if he does not find the answer to the question: “What is the meaning of my life?”, He will not be able to live a truly happy life. Therefore, the search for the meaning of life is so important for a person.

The meanings of life are a kind of compass that allows you to understand what is important for further existence and what is not. Living with meaning allows you to consciously make decisions in various situations. The presence of a goal in a person makes his existence understandable, filled. When he knows what he wants, he can easily form a strategy for his path.

The loss of the meaning of life, on the contrary, leads to depression. A person may begin to abuse alcohol to get rid of sad thoughts. If you do not find support in time, do not understand what is the meaning of a person's life, you can even become an alcoholic. After all, alcohol or drugs are a departure from reality, from the need to think, form your own goals and key areas of life.

Is it worth looking for the meaning of life?

Not everyone thinks about how to find the meaning of life. Some don't even think about it. After all, there are successful examples of people who did not think about how to live the time allotted to them, and lived it quite happily. This kind of people believe that you should not think about the meaning of life, it is enough just to live and enjoy. However, this is more like the life of animals and plants, therefore, by old age, as a rule, such people become deeply unhappy and begin to rethink their existence.

Close to those who do not think about the meaning of human life are those who believe that the purpose of being is simply to live. You just need to fulfill your functions as a father or mother, go to work, help parents and so on. Everyone does it. And this is the meaning of life - just to live it, fulfilling your social roles. But this is also an illusion. After all, a person, for example, sleeps to restore his energy, and not just to sleep. Or eat not in order to eat, but also to have the strength for further work. Therefore, the meaning of life is not just to live it, but to do something, to achieve something.

Finally, there are those who could not easily find the answer to this question for themselves, they believe that there is no meaning in life, which means that it is not worth looking for it. As a result, these people also liken themselves to plants and animals, believing that there is no special meaning to life.

Self-realization as a life goal

A fairly popular answer to the question, what is the purpose of life, is self-realization. Such a purpose and meaning of human life means that a person has achieved certain success in some of the spheres of life - in business, education, politics or any social issues. In other words, in this case, life with meaning consists in the fact that a person leaves a certain mark in history, his successes will be remembered and, perhaps, even enjoy the fruits of his labors. Such motivation is often present in scientists who want to make some kind of discovery and thus preserve the memory of themselves for a long period.

However, this goal has a serious moral dimension. Self-actualization can be done in different ways. After all, well-known criminals also self-fulfilled. They have achieved impressive success in their illegal affairs and operations. They are also remembered, in their field they are recognized authorities. And in the cases of scientists, the issue of ethics is essential. For example, those who studied the structure of the atom probably just wanted to understand the nature of the structure of the world. As a result, the atomic bomb appeared - one of the most terrible types of weapons.

Health Preservation

Some people, especially girls or women, make it their life's purpose to preserve beauty. Answering the question, what is the meaning of a woman's life, they regularly visit various fitness rooms, use the services of cosmetologists, use various means for rejuvenation, and so on. Increasingly, men are beginning to behave in a similar way, paying very close attention to their physical health.

Leading a healthy lifestyle is, of course, good. It really gives a person more energy, as a result of sports, endorphins are produced - hormones of happiness, which creates a feeling of constant success and joy. People who actively and devote a lot of time to their health look, of course, happy, which is why it seems that they have found their meaning in life. However, this is not quite true. Long years of life, a beautiful body, a lot of energy - what is all this for? If only in order to increase this beauty and health, then this is not entirely true. After all, every person is mortal. And even the best athlete will still die, no matter how hard he tries to maintain his physical form. Therefore, over time, the question will still arise, why was it necessary to lead such a lifestyle? After all, all this energy could be spent on something else. For example, for self-realization in some areas.

Earn Money

In the conditions of the material world, an increasingly popular answer to the question of where to find the meaning of life is in wealth and the accumulation of goods. As a result, more and more men and women are making great efforts to earn a lot of money to satisfy their material desires. At the same time, such desires tend to constantly increase, a person needs even more money and a kind of vicious circle is obtained, from which it is very difficult to break out.

Before death, people who want to accumulate as much money as possible face a serious problem - how to divide the inheritance. Moreover, when a person who craves material wealth reaches old age, many even begin to wait for his death in order to gain access to his savings. This makes him deeply unhappy.

It also makes no sense to take your savings with you to the grave, and here the question arises, why did you need so much time and work so hard? Indeed, in the process of earning material wealth, such people sacrificed a lot, ranging from attention to their own family and ending with receiving some simple life pleasures.

How was the question of the meaning of life solved before?

The question of how to find the meaning of life has been worrying mankind for many centuries. Already the ancient Greek philosophers wondered whether there is a meaning to life. Unfortunately, they could not give a clear answer to the question of how to find the meaning of life, only a few concepts appeared, one of which is self-realization (its author is Aristotle) ​​is still popular. Later, many scientists tried to find an answer to the questions: “What is the meaning or purpose of life, is there a common goal for humanity, should the goals of a man differ from women's goals?”

A clearer answer to the question of purpose in life is found in religious treatises. This is due to the fact that the basis of any religion is the human soul. If the body is mortal, then the soul lives forever, so the meaning of life is not in material, but in spiritual development. And if we consider the most popular world religions, we can draw the following conclusion:

• Own spiritual development, redemption of sins, preparation for the transition of the soul to heaven.
• Atonement for the sins of a past life, purification of karma, preparation of the soul for the transition to a new state of eternal happiness (the Vedic analogue of life in paradise).
• Preparation for the transition to a new reality or for reincarnation (settlement in a new body), and relocation to a new body can occur both “with an increase in status”, if a person lives well, observes religious norms, pays attention to his spiritual development, and with a decrease, if the norms are violated, and the person leads the wrong way of life.

Spiritual development

The meaning of life in the development of the soul can be formulated differently, as learning, going through a certain school. Within the framework of this concept, a person must search for the meaning of life through his spiritual development. And not only in theory - reading the relevant literature, but also in practice. Practice, in this case, is a form of examination. If a person is able to behave in accordance with religious precepts, then the exam will be passed, and he will be transferred to the next class, where there will be more difficult tasks that test the spiritual strength and stability of the "student".

Of course, in the process of such training, there are, as in a regular school, changes when you can relax, do various pleasant things. But then the lesson starts again, and again you need to work. Thus, the philosophy of life as a school requires considerable effort. After all, constant development requires constant efforts, but, on the other hand, treating difficulties as lessons greatly facilitates their passage. To overcome a life problem, it is enough to understand what a person is doing wrong, how to do it right, and life will change for the better. In addition, if there is no meaning in life, one can always turn to the experience of saints who have achieved impressive success in their activities.

Preparing for the transition to a new reality

This concept says that in the course of his life a person goes through various tests, and the more he passes them, the higher the likelihood that he will be ready for the transition to a new reality. Some religions say that there are several levels of life. If a person is engaged in the development of his soul, he moves to the next level, where he will have better conditions, but the tests are more difficult. If development does not occur, and even degradation occurs, as a result of which a person will be transferred to another reality of a lower order. In Christianity, we are talking about heaven and hell (if a person behaves decently, thinks about the soul, then he will go to heaven, and if he sins, then to hell). The Vedic treatises speak of the existence of ten levels of reality, each of which has its own tests and its own conditions of existence.

Reflections on eternal life and a new reality can also help when it is not clear what to do, if there is no point in living. In such a situation, depression is practically guaranteed, but it is not clear how to find the meaning of life. Conversations with mentors and relatives help to restore the desire to live, who can tell you what to do if a person does not see the meaning of life.

How to return the meaning of life to a person?

Some girls, reflecting on the question of what is the meaning of a woman's life, suggest that in children. When they have children, they devote all their energy to them. However, children eventually grow up and become independent. In such a situation, many mothers complain that the meaning of life has disappeared, nothing pleases them, and there is no point in living on.

The question arises, how to fill life with meaning? The search for the meaning of life begins with the answer to the question: "What is the purpose of life?". How to determine the main goal? To begin with, it is recommended to make a list of goals in life. From the list received, you should choose which goals inspire, give strength, fill with energy. This will be the main personal goal that will help answer the question of what is the meaning of life. However, you should not stop at this stage, setting goals is not enough when life suddenly ceased to be meaningful. You need to understand how to achieve your goal. To do this, you have to understand how to change your life.

Spiritual practices can also help a person who believes that there is no point in living. Psychology in such situations, as a rule, does not help. It allows you to set goals, but it does not tell you how to change your life. Reflections on the soul, overcoming trials allow you to correctly set the goal of life, set priorities and find the meaning of life, both for a man and a woman. However, in fairness, it should be said that for many who have lost their purpose in life, personal growth training helps to change the model of life and become happier.

Thus, answering the question, what is the meaning of life, you should first of all think about your soul. Life with meaning makes it full, joyful. However, various ideas that one should preserve beauty or accumulate material wealth are false, because they do not have a spiritual component that makes a person truly happy. In addition, you need to know how to set a goal correctly and how to achieve it later. This allows you to find the answer to questions about why to live and how to live. If a person has lost the meaning of life, finding a purpose in life can help him. When he understands why he lives, he can see the goal, the desire to live with him, most likely, will no longer be lost.

Philosophy about the meaning of human life

1. Approaches and solutions to questions about the meaning of life

2. Search for the meaning of life

Introduction

Man is the only being who is aware of his mortality and can make it a subject of discussion. The vocation, purpose, task of every person is to comprehensively develop all his abilities, to make his personal contribution to the history, to the progress of society, its culture, the meaning of the life of society. The meaning of life lies in life itself, in its eternal movement as the formation of man himself. Death is terrible for those who do not see how meaningless and disastrous their personal lonely life is, and who thinks that he will not die. A person has died, but his attitude to the world continues to affect people, not even the way it was during life.

Meaning of life - this is a perceived value to which a person subordinates his life, for the sake of which he sets and fulfills life goals. The question of the meaning of life is the question of the meaning of human death and of his immortality. If a person did not leave a shadow after his life, then his life in relation to eternity was only illusory. Understand the meaning of life, determine your place in the eternal stream of change.

The question of the meaning of life, one way or another, confronts every person - if he has at least somehow developed as a person. Usually such questions come in early adolescence, when the newly created man must take his place in life - and strives to find it. But it happens that one has to think about the meaning of life both in old age and in the dying state. This collision of a single person with himself as a particle of a vast, infinite world is not always easy. It is terrible to feel infinity in oneself - and it is terrible not to notice it. In the first case, it is an incredible burden of responsibility, too jubilant pride, from which the soul can break; the opposite is a sense of one's own illogicality, the hopelessness of existence, disgust for the world and for oneself. However, thinking about the meaning of life is necessary for any person, without it there are no full-fledged people.

1. APPROACHES AND SOLUTIONS TO QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MEANING OF LIFE

The question of the meaning of life is the question of whether it is worth living? And if everything is worth it, then why live? Since ancient times, people have been asking this question, trying to find the logic of their lives.

There are two answers to this question:

1. The meaning of life is originally inherent in life in its deepest foundations, this approach is most characteristic of the religious interpretation of life. The only thing that makes life comprehensible and therefore has absolute meaning for man is nothing else than active participation in the divine-human life.

2. The meaning of life is created by the subject himself- in accordance with this statement, it can be understood that we ourselves are consciously moving towards the goal set before us, by any means of being. We give meaning to life and thereby choose and create a human essence, only we and no one else.

Awareness of the meaning of life, as the main value, is of a historical nature.

Each era, to one degree or another, influenced the meaning of life definition of a person.

Life is meaningful - when you are needed for something and you understand why. Even in a semi-animal state, in the web of everyday worries and in the swamp of narrow-minded interests, a person does not cease to be universal, belonging not only to himself, his family, his class, but also to humanity as a whole, and to the world in its entirety. Of course, a separate person, an individual - cannot be a person in general, these are different levels. But man in general is represented in each individual man, since the universal can exist only as a community of its representatives. Each of them reveals its own side of the universal - and any side of it must be represented by someone, must incarnate and go its own way as a thing, or a living being.

When a person lives meaningfully, it does not become easier for him to live, rather the opposite. But a person who knows his purpose, his destiny, is always a force. He may doubt and suffer, he may make mistakes and retreat from himself - this will not change anything. The meaning of his life will guide him and force him to do what is required - even if it is contrary to the will of the person himself, his desires and interests, as far as he is aware of them.

There are various approaches to solving the life-meaning problem, of which the following can be distinguished:

The meaning of life is in its spiritual foundations, in life itself;

The meaning of life is carried beyond the limits of life itself;

The meaning of life is introduced by the person himself into his life;

There is no meaning to life.

Within the framework of the first approach, there is a religious version. The meaning of human life was given by God already at the time of the creation of man. Having created man in his own image, endowed him with free will. And the meaning of a person's life is to achieve a given similarity with God. The meaning of human life is the preservation and purification of one's immortal soul.

Philosophy considers the moral meaning of human life in the process of improving its spiritual foundations and its social essence on the basis of goodness.

The meaning is contained in life itself, but, unlike the religious point of view, it is argued here that the meaning of a person's life is found in it himself. The meaning of life consists of situational, specific meanings that are individual, as life itself is individual. On the basis of situational meaning, a person plans and solves situational tasks of every day or even hour.

The second approach takes the meaning of life beyond the limits of a specific human life, extrapolating the meaning of human existence to the progress of mankind, for the benefit and happiness of future generations, in the name of bright ideals and justice.

All of the above is the highest meaning and end in itself, while every human generation and every living person acts as a means to achieve this goal. Many people live for their own future.

From the point of view of the proponents of the third approach, life in itself has no meaning, and the person himself brings it into his life. Man, as a conscious and volitional being, creates this meaning in his own ways. But the will, ignoring the objective conditions of human existence, imposing its own meaning, turns into voluntarism, subjectivism and can lead to the collapse of meanings, existential emptiness and even death.

From the lips of a modern young man, one can hear that the meaning of his life lies in pleasure, joy, and happiness. But pleasure is only a consequence of our aspirations, and not its goal. If people were guided only by the principle of pleasure, then this would lead to a complete devaluation of moral actions, since the actions of two people, one of whom spent money on gluttony, and the other on charity, would be equivalent, since the consequence of both is pleasure.

As for joy as the meaning of life, then joy itself must have meaning. Even a child, with his very mobile nervous system, directs his joy outward, to the object or action that causes it. Joy, therefore, is also not an end in itself, but a consequence of the goal achieved. The meaning of life is revealed to a person only when it is required by an objective necessity, when humanity as a whole is mature enough to accept, to master this particular aspect of its existence. In other words, the meaning of the life of an individual is realized when this life becomes truly universal, when the actions and deeds of a person are not his individual characteristics, but something inherent in many people, albeit to varying degrees, and not all together.

But still, attempts to find the meaning of human life prevailed in the history of human thought:

The meaning of life is in its aesthetic side, in achieving what is majestic, beautiful and strong in it, in achieving superhuman greatness;

The meaning of life is in love, in striving for the good of what is outside of man, in striving for harmony and unity of people;

The meaning of life is to achieve a certain ideal of a person;

The meaning of life is in maximum assistance in solving the problems of social development and the comprehensive development of the individual

The realized meaning of life, which has value not only for the living, but also for society, relieves a person of the fear of death, helps to meet it calmly, with dignity and a sense of accomplishment.

2. SEARCH FOR THE MEANING OF LIFE

The life of every person is dramatic, no matter how successfully life develops, no matter how long it is, the end is inevitable. All our life affairs must be commensurate with the eternal, a person is doomed to think about death, and this is his difference from an animal that is mortal, but does not know about it, though animals feel the approach of death, especially domestic ones.

Spiritual values ​​- a kind of spiritual capital of mankind, accumulated over a millennium, which not only depreciates, but usually increases.

How and why can philosophy help in the search for the meaning of life? The fact is that the unity of the various aspects or stages of life is achieved only when they are subordinate to something else that does not change right now (although, generally speaking, it may be subjected to in the future. Philosophy cannot directly answer any vital problem, indicate a way out of any situation.But it is able to prepare a person to choose a path, give him the means to solve a problem - and confidence in the possibility of such a solution.The cornerstone of philosophical materialism - the principle of the material unity of the world - is a direct indication that continuity and stability in any things or affairs are the same necessary aspects as their change and development.If there is something, then it should be.And if there is me, then I will definitely be needed - for myself, other people, the world as a whole. to doubt your own necessity - you just need to realize it, discover it for yourself.

Philosophy gives a person a direction to search for the meaning of life. After all, if it is clear to him why humanity exists in general, why there is a society in the form in which he sees it around, why this or that group of people is in society, it is much easier for a person to decide, through his attitude towards others, to understand why he himself.

Questions :

1. How do you understand the term "meaning of life"?

2. What are spiritual values?

3. What is the meaning of life from a religious point of view?

Bibliography:

Introduction to psychology / Ed. ed. prof. A.V. Petrovsky. - M .: Publishing Center "Academy", 1996. - 496s.

Modern Philosophy: Dictionary and reader. - Rostov-on-Don: Phoenix publishing house, 1995. - 511p.

Philosophical Encyclopedic Dictionary / Ch. edition: L.F. Ilyichev, P.N. Fedoseev. – M.: Sov. Encyclopedia, 1983. - 840s.

Khapchaev I.A. Fundamentals of philosophy. - Pyatigorsk, 1997. - 294 p.

What is the meaning of human life? Many people at all times thought about this question. For some, the problem of the meaning of human life does not exist at all as such, someone sees the essence of being in money, someone - in children, someone - in work, etc. Naturally, the greats of this world also puzzled over this question: writers, philosophers, psychologists. They devoted years to this, wrote treatises, studied the works of their predecessors, etc. What did they say about this? What was the meaning of life and the purpose of man? Let's get acquainted with some points of view, perhaps this will contribute to the formation of our own vision of the problem.

About the question in general

So, what is the point? Both Eastern sages and philosophers of completely different times tried to find the only correct answer to this question, but in vain. Every thinking person can also face this problem, and if we are not able to find the right solution, then we will try to at least reason and understand the topic a little. How to get as close as possible to the answer to the question of what is the meaning of human life? To do this, you need to determine for yourself the purpose, the purpose of your existence. Depending on what you want to achieve in a certain period, the meaning of a person’s life will also change. This is easy to understand with an example. If at the age of 20 you firmly decided for yourself to earn a lot of money, that is, you set such a task for yourself, then with each successful transaction, the feeling that life is filled with meaning will only grow. However, after 15-20 years, you will realize that you worked hard to the detriment of your personal life, health, etc. Then all these years may seem, if not meaninglessly lived, then only partially meaningful. What conclusion can be drawn in this case? That a person's life should have a purpose (in this case, a meaning), even if it is transient.

Is it possible to live without meaning?

If a person is deprived of meaning in means that he has no intrinsic motivation, and this makes him weak. The absence of a goal does not allow you to take your own destiny into your own hands, to resist adversity and difficulties, to strive for something, etc. A person without the meaning of life is easily controlled, since he does not have his own opinion, ambitions, life criteria. In such cases, their desires are replaced by others, as a result of which individuality suffers, hidden talents and abilities do not appear. Psychologists say that if a person does not want or cannot find his own path, purpose, goal, then this leads to neurosis, depression, alcoholism, drug addiction, and suicide. Therefore, each person must look for the meaning of his life, even if unconsciously, to strive for something, to wait for something, etc.

What is meant by the meaning of life in philosophy?

Philosophy about the meaning of human life can tell us a lot, so this question has always been in the first place for this science and its admirers and followers. Philosophers have been creating for thousands of years some ideals to which one had to strive, some laws of existence, in which the answer to the eternal question lay.

1. If, for example, we talk about ancient philosophy, then Epicurus saw the goal of being in obtaining pleasure, Aristotle - in achieving happiness through knowledge of the world and thinking, Diogenes - in striving for inner peace, in the denial of family and art.

2. To the question of what is the meaning of human life, the philosophy of the Middle Ages gave the following answer: one should honor the ancestors, accept the religious views of the time, pass all this on to posterity.

3. Representatives of the philosophy of the 19th and 20th centuries also had their own view of the problem. Irrationalists saw the essence of being in a constant struggle with death and suffering; existentialists believed that the meaning of a person's life depends on himself; the positivists, on the other hand, considered this problem to be meaningless, since it is expressed linguistically.

Interpretation in terms of religion

Each historical epoch poses tasks and problems for society, the solution of which most directly affects how a person understands his destiny. As living conditions, cultural and social needs change, it is natural that a person's views on all issues also change. However, people have never abandoned the desire to find that one, so to speak, universal meaning of life, which would be suitable for any stratum of society, for each period of time. This same desire is reflected in all religions, among which Christianity is worth noting. The problem of the meaning of human life is considered by Christianity inseparable from the doctrine of the creation of the world, of God, of the fall, of the sacrifice of Jesus, of the salvation of the soul. That is, all these questions are seen on the same plane, respectively, the essence of being is presented outside of life itself.

The idea of ​​"spiritual elite"

Philosophy, or rather, some of its followers, considered the meaning of human life from another interesting point of view. At a certain time, such ideas about this problem became widespread, which cultivated the ideas of the “spiritual elite”, designed to save all of humanity from degeneration by introducing it to cultural and spiritual values. So, for example, Nietzsche believed that the essence of life is that geniuses are constantly born, talented individuals who would elevate the common people to their level, deprive them of the feeling of orphanhood. K. Jaspers shared the same point of view. He was sure that representatives of the spiritual aristocracy should be a measure, a model for all other people.

What does hedonism say about this?

The founders of this doctrine are the ancient Greek philosophers - Epicurus and Aristippus. The latter argued that both bodily and spiritual pleasure is good for the individual, which should be positively evaluated, respectively, displeasure is bad. And the more desirable will be the pleasure, the stronger it is. The teaching of Epicurus on this issue has become a household word. He said that all living things are drawn to pleasure, and any person strives for the same. However, he receives not only sensual, bodily pleasure, but also spiritual.

Utilitarian theory

This kind of hedonism was developed mainly by the philosophers Bentham and Mill. The first, like Epicurus, was sure that the meaning of life and human happiness is only in obtaining pleasure and striving for it and in avoiding torment and suffering. He also believed that the criterion of utility could mathematically calculate a specific kind of pleasure or displeasure. And having made their balance, we can find out which act will be bad, which one will be good. Mill, who gave the current its name, wrote that if any action contributes to happiness, then it automatically becomes positive. And so that he would not be accused of selfishness, the philosopher said that it was important not only the happiness of the person himself, but also those around him.

Objections to Hedonism

Yes, there were, and quite a few. The essence of the objections boils down to the fact that hedonists and utilitarians see the meaning of human life in the pursuit of pleasure. However, as life experience shows, a person, performing an act, does not always think what it will lead to: happiness or chagrin. Moreover, people deliberately do such things, which are obviously associated with hard work, torment, death, in order to achieve those goals that are far from personal benefit. Each individual is unique. What is happiness for one is torment for another.

Kant deeply criticized hedonism. He said that happiness, which hedonists speak of, is a very conditional concept. It looks different to everyone. The meaning and value of human life, according to Kant, lies in the desire of everyone to develop good will in themselves. Only in this way can perfection be achieved, fulfilled. Having a will, a person will strive for those actions that are responsible for his destiny.

The meaning of human life in the literature of Tolstoy L.N.

The great writer not only pondered, but even agonized over this question. In the end, Tolstoy came to the conclusion that the purpose of life is only the self-improvement of the individual. He was also sure that the meaning of the existence of one individual cannot be sought separately from others, from society as a whole. Tolstoy said that in order to live honestly, one must constantly fight, tear, get confused, because calmness is meanness. That is why the negative part of the soul seeks peace, but it does not understand that the achievement of the desired is associated with the loss of everything that is good and kind in a person.

The meaning of human life in philosophy was interpreted in different ways, this happened depending on many reasons, the currents of a particular time. If we consider the teachings of such a great writer and philosopher as Tolstoy, then the following is said there. Before deciding the question of the purpose of existence, it is necessary to understand what life is. He went over all the then known definitions of life, but they did not satisfy him, since they reduced everything only to biological existence. However, human life, according to Tolstoy, is impossible without moral, moral aspects. Thus, the moralist transfers the essence of life into the moral sphere. After Tolstoy turned to both sociology and religion in the hope of finding that single meaning that is intended for everyone, but all was in vain.

What is said about this in domestic and foreign literature?

In this area, the number of approaches to this problem and opinions is no less than in philosophy. Although many writers also acted as philosophers, they talked about the eternal.

So, one of the oldest is the concept of Ecclesiastes. It speaks of the vanity and insignificance of human existence. According to Ecclesiastes, life is nonsense, nonsense, nonsense. And such components of life as labor, power, love, wealth, have no meaning. It's the same as chasing the wind. In general, he believed that human life has no meaning.

The Russian philosopher Kudryavtsev in his monograph put forward the idea that each person independently fills being with meaning. He only insists that everyone see the goal only in the "high" and not in the "low" (money, pleasure, etc.)

The Russian thinker Dostoevsky, who constantly "unraveled" the secrets of the human soul, believed that the meaning of a person's life is in his morality.

The meaning of being in psychology

Freud, for example, believed that the main thing in life is to be happy, to get maximum pleasure and enjoyment. Only these things are self-evident, but a person who thinks about the meaning of life is mentally ill. But his student, E. Fromm, believed that it is impossible to live without meaning. You need to consciously reach out to everything positive and fill your being with it. In the teachings of V. Frankl, this concept is given the main place. According to his theory, under no circumstances in life can a person fail to see the goals of existence. And you can find meaning in three ways: in deeds, in experiencing, in the presence of a certain position towards life circumstances.

Is there really a meaning to human life?

In this article, we consider such an ever-existing question as the problem of the meaning of human life. Philosophy on this score gives more than one answer, some options are presented above. But each of us at least once, but thought about the meaningfulness of their own existence. For example, according to sociologists, approximately 70% of the world's inhabitants live in constant fear and anxiety. As it turned out, they were not looking for the meaning of their existence, but simply wanted to survive. And for what? And that fussy and disturbing rhythm of life is a consequence of the unwillingness to understand this issue, at least for oneself. No matter how we hide, the problem still exists. Writers, philosophers, thinkers were looking for answers. If we analyze all the results, we can come to three judgments. Let's try to find the meaning, shall we?

Judgment one: there is no meaning and cannot be

This means that any attempt to find a goal is a delusion, a dead end, self-deception. Many philosophers adhered to this theory, including Jean-Paul Sartre, who said that if death awaits us all ahead, then there is no point in life, because all problems will remain unresolved. A. Pushkin and Omar Khayyam also remained disappointed and dissatisfied in the search for truth. It should be said that such a position of accepting the meaninglessness of life is very cruel, not every person is even able to survive it. Much in human nature opposes this view. On this occasion, the next paragraph.

Second judgment: there is a sense, but everyone has their own

Admirers of this opinion believe that there is a meaning, or rather, it should be, so we must invent it. This stage implies an important step - a person stops running from himself, he must recognize that being cannot be meaningless. In this position, the person is more frank with himself. If the question appears again and again, then it will not be possible to dismiss or hide from it. Please note that if we recognize such a concept as meaninglessness, by doing so we prove the legitimacy and right to exist of that very meaning. It's all good. However, representatives of this opinion, even acknowledging and accepting the question, could not find a universal answer. Then everything went according to the principle "once admitted - think for yourself." There are many paths in life, you can choose any of them. Schelling said that happy is the one who has a goal and sees in this the meaning of all life. A person with such a position will try to find meaning in all phenomena, events that happen to him. Someone will turn to material enrichment, someone - to success in sports, someone - to the family. Now it turns out that there is no universal meaning, so all those “meanings” are what? Only tricks that cover up the meaninglessness? And if, nevertheless, there is a common sense for everyone, then where to look for it? Let's move on to the third point.

Third judgment

And it sounds like this: there is a meaning in our existence, it can even be known, but only after you know the one who created this being. Here the question will already be relevant not about what is the meaning of a person's life, but about why he is looking for it. So, lost. The logic is simple. By committing sin, the person has lost God. And there is no need to come up with a meaning here, you just need to know the Creator again. Even a philosopher and a convinced atheist said that if the existence of God is excluded from the very beginning, then there is nothing to look for meaning at all, it will not exist. A bold decision for an atheist.

Most Common Answers

If you ask a person about the meaning of his existence, he is likely to give one of the following answers. Let's look at them in more detail.

In procreation. If you answer the question about the meaning of life in this way, then you show the nakedness of your soul. Do you live for children? To train them, put them on their feet? And what's next? Later, when the children grow up and leave the cozy nest? You will say that you will teach your grandchildren. Why? So that they, in turn, also do not have goals in life, but go in a vicious circle? Procreation is one of the tasks, but it is not universal.

At work. For many people, future plans are career related. You will work, but for what? Feed the family, dress? Yes, but this is not enough. How to realize yourself? Also not enough. Even the ancient philosophers argued that work will not please for a long time if there is no common meaning in life.

In wealth. Many people believe that the accumulation of money is the main happiness in life. It becomes a passion. But in order to live fully, countless treasures are not needed. It turns out that making money all the time for the sake of money is pointless. Especially if a person does not understand why he needs wealth. Money can only be a tool for realizing its meaning, purpose.

In existence for someone. This is already more filled with meaning, although it is similar to the item about children. Of course, caring for someone is grace, it is the right choice, but not enough for self-realization.

What to do, how to find the answer?

If, nevertheless, the question posed does not give you rest, then the answer should be sought in yourself. In this review, we briefly reviewed some of the philosophical, psychological, and religious aspects of the problem. Even if you read such literature for days and study all the theories, it is far from a fact that you will 100% agree with something and take it as a guide to action.

If you decide to find the meaning of your life, then something does not suit you in the present state of affairs. However, be careful: time is ticking, it will not wait for you to find something. Most people try to realize themselves in the above directions. Yes, please, if you like it, it brings pleasure, then who will forbid it? On the other hand, who said that it is impossible, that it is wrong, that we have no right to live like this (for children, for relatives, etc.)? Everyone chooses his own path, his own destination. Or maybe you shouldn't look for it? If something is prepared, then it will come anyway, without any extra effort on the part of a person? Who knows, maybe it's true. And don't be surprised if you see the meaning of life differently at every stage of your existence. This is fine. The nature of man in general is such that he constantly doubts something. The main thing is to be filled like a vessel, to do something, to devote your life to something.

Is there a clear, definitive answer to the question of the meaning of life? Yes and no. After all, on the one hand, the meaning of life (the meaning of being) is in the niche of eternal philosophical problems. Eternals, which means that never before has any of the ancient philosophers and none of the greatest minds of today been able to give such an answer that would not make you doubt and try to object to this. But the answers are completely different.

From the meaning of life, which consists solely in a person’s striving for virtue (after all, virtue is happiness), through the well-known slogan of the Epicureans: “eat, drink, be merry”, which means “be content with the external aspects of life”, to a complete denial of any manifestation of the meaning of life .

“Human life is only a manifestation of a certain world will” (A. Schopenhauer).

The pursuit of pleasures, or the pursuit of virtues - everything will ultimately lead to disappointment, satiety and boredom. Look for it, don't look for it... the meaning of life. And maybe then it is worth inventing it? Perhaps there is a true meaning in this fiction?

“Life before we live it is nothing, but it is up to you to give it meaning” (Jean-Paul Sartre).

Yes… perhaps very wise and philosophical. But still, it does not save us from the painful search for the question of the proper meaning of life, especially in a period of hopeless apathy and disappointment.

The meaning of human life from the point of view of religion

So, the meaning of life is the eternal question of philosophy, but what is interesting, along with this, the question of the meaning of life always has a clear and fundamental answer in religion. Of course, there are many religions, but in the modern world, as a result of globalization, we are increasingly limited to three world religions: Christianity, Islam and Buddhism. So maybe it's worth delving into the religious answer about the meaning of life? At least taking into account the fact that, despite such a diverse nature of world religions, they all look in one direction, answering this most important question in human life.

Revealing the question of the meaning of life from the point of view of religion, we certainly look into the realm of the transcendent. In other words, we can comprehend the meaning of life only by “stepping over”, “going beyond”, “crossing” the boundaries of life itself. But this does not mean at all that one must die in order to know the true meaning of life. Although, from the point of view of religion, here the secret meaning of the eternal question will be revealed to us in its entirety. But, fortunately, even up to this critical point we are able to comprehend the main goal of human life.

Oddly enough, but almost all religions see in human life a deep meaning, a sacred (or better, correct) purpose and an important goal. This goal is essentially the same for all religions, and it is ultimately aimed at a person, and serves a person. So, in Christianity, where, following dogmatic theology, the meaning and purpose of human life lies in becoming like God, inheriting such a life with God that would be eternal and blessed, and therefore in the need for continuous knowledge.

In Islam, the meaning of life lies in the worship of Allah, surrender to the Almighty, obedience to God. In Buddhism, given the denial in this religion of the idea of ​​the root cause or God the Creator, the meaning and main goal of life is to end suffering. At first glance, the meaning of life in Christianity and Islam seem similar. And at the same time, they also seem somehow very remote from what can be directed at a person and serve him, be good for him, and therefore what he sees in his own happiness. After all, inheritance or obedience to God and one's own happiness look like diametrically opposed phenomena. But in Buddhism, it seems that everything really converges. Here, the main meaning is getting rid of suffering, which means gaining some kind of blissful state of the absence of suffering and desires (nirvana).

But if you do not stop at the level of the so-called "first glance", but still start to "dig" deeper and deeper, then it becomes clear that all religions (and even those that are not among the world ones) strive, first of all, for the good for man, to his own happiness and peace. Inheritance of God in Christianity and obedience to Allah in Islam is only an indication of the ways to get rid of suffering, which Buddhism already takes out as the direct meaning of life. The essence of the religious meaning of life lies in striving for the good for a person, delivering him from suffering, in his own happiness. It is only necessary to comprehend the relationship between this happiness and the path to its achievement, and then agree to go through this path.

What is the meaning of life? (modern view)

The authors of the Internet magazine site are well aware that today not everyone understands religious and philosophical statements so clearly, so we will also give an answer to this difficult question, in a slightly different way, using an example. So, what could be the meaning of your life:

• Enjoy the beauty of earthly goods;


• Give life to another person (give birth and raise a child);


• To do something necessary and useful for the future of mankind;


• Feel human emotions (love, fear, hate, happiness, joy, pride, etc.).


• Help other people.

In other words, each of us has a calling to fulfill. It should be remembered that nothing on Earth happens just like that, everything has its own secret plan. Therefore, any events should be able to enjoy and treat indulgently, even bad ones.

Only when you realize that you are living here and now, and only once, only then will you look at your existence with a diametrically opposite look.