Meaning of Life
The meaning of life is a rational question. It is a broad question that I would say, has no definite answer since many philosophers have come up with answers to the meaning of life. When we talk of the meaning of life, there are various questions asked e.g. why are we on earth? What is the purpose of my life? What is life all about? The meaning of life dwells on many issues such as ethics, principled and unprincipled conscious, values, divine powers, the soul and the afterlife (Karl, 1969).
Some of the main philosophers who have tried to come up with a clear meaning of what life is are: Plato and Aristotle. I chose this two philosophers since their works have contributed immensely in learning. Their philosophies are still in use today alongside with their schools of thought. Having read some of their works, I settled to using their philosophies in explaining the meaning of life. Plato developed the philosophy of Platonism. In this philosophy, Plato describes the meaning of life as an accomplishment of the utmost form of understanding. This is the understanding of the virtuousness that is from which all right and just things gain value and significance. This means that all human beings are should practice what is virtuous. This philosophy of Platonism by Plato thus suggests that, the meaning of life is living a desirable quality life that concurs with nature (Julia, 1999).
Aristotle came up with the philosophy of Aristotelianism. He described the meaning of life in provisions of moral and happiness. He suggested that, all human beings always look for the good in the things they do as they pursue happiness in it. The meaning of life is thus the virtuous life which is the pursuit of happiness, and that, happiness is not in the things done, but rather the doing of something (Christopher, 2010).
The main similarity in the two philosophies is that, they both talk of doing what is right. The difference between the two philosophies is that, in Platonism, the meaning of life is achieved when we do what is acceptable (Julia, 1999). This is different from Aristotelianism which talks of the meaning of life being whatever one is doing as long as it is right and it brings happiness.
I have given prior thought of the topic meaning of life before writing on it. This is because, the question, meaning of life, is broad and has different views from different people. Having read the philosophies of Plato and Aristotle, I have drawn various lessons from them. I have learnt that life is what we make it and as one gets to pursue different endeavors, there is also the pursuit of happiness in it e.g. if I want to buy a house, the need that comes first is shelter, what comes next is the happiness that I derive from the shelter. Their philosophies are of help in appreciating the little things that come by in life and that are important. This is of benefit even in the future as I will always place happiness and the pursuit of doing what is right as the meaning of life.
The meaning of life, from my own point of view, is doing what is acceptable in order to achieve a purpose which is doing what is right and that which brings happiness in my life. This is because happiness is the meaning and rationale of life. It is what human existence is all about. My idea or philosophy on the idea of life is thus similar to Plato’s and Aristotle’s philosophies in that, we all agree on doing what is right and pursuing happiness as the meaning of life. In a nutshell, what is ordinary among the actions of all human beings is that we always look for the best in whatever things we do and we always practice this for the sake of the happiness it always brings.
