YPHI0002 - Culture, Value and the Meaning of Life

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YPHI0002 - Culture, Value and the Meaning of Life

• Lecture 1
• Joe Lau 14th Sept 2005

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Course web site

• Course coordinator Joe Lau (philosophy)
• Information and course material
• http//philosophy.hku.hk/courses/200506/yphi0002/
• Please visit the web site for
• This PowerPoint file
• Announcements
• Course schedule
• Information about film show and yoga session.
• Link to bulletin board

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Assessment

• Portfolio (50)
• In-class test on 7 Dec (50)
• Short essay questions about the lectures.
• NO makeup test. DO NOT take this course if you
  cannot attend the test.
• No tutorials
• Use the course bulletin board for questions.
• You can email me for appointments.

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What is the meaning of life?
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A popular answer

• The meaning of life is to search for the meaning
  of life.
• Circular
• No real explanation of meaning of life.
• X the search for X
• A more charitable interpretation.
• The process is important. OK if you do not know
  the answer.

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What does "meaning of life" mean?
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Two interpretations

• Meaning purpose
• What is the meaning of life What is the purpose
  of life?
• Meaning value
• A meaningful life A valuable life
• Nelson Mandelas life is very meaningful.

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Purpose Value

• A valuable life can serve many different
  purposes.
• A purposeful life might not be very valuable.

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What is the meaning of life?

• Whose purpose?
• Question 1 - Purpose of the creator?
• Question 2 - Purpose of the subject?
• Question 1 Is life created for a purpose?
• If no creator, no pre-defined purpose.
• Doesnt really matter whether life has a
  pre-defined purpose, because

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We should not fulfill the purpose of life if it
is not a valuable purpose.
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The most important question

• IS NOT
• What is THE meaning of life?
• IT IS
• How to live a valuable (meaningful) life?

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What makes a life meaningful?
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Some typical answers

• What makes a life meaningful?
• Following God.

• What makes a life meaningful?
• Being happy.

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Happiness

• Should we be concerned with OUR OWN happiness or
  should we also care about OTHER PEOPLE's
  happiness?
• Justice and fairness should be a constraint on
  our pursuit of happiness.
• We should also actively make other people happy.

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Sense of justice

• We should not pursue our own happiness without
  regard to other people.

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Making other people happy

• What people say on their deathbeds
• I should have spent more time with my friends
  and family.
• But not
• I should have spent more time in my office.

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Not this either

• I should have spent more time making rich
  people richer.

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A typical story -Professor Sydney Chung

• ????,??10?????,???????????????,???????????????????
  ?????????????,???????????,??????????,?????????????
  ????????

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Reminder

• Think very carefully about what a valuable life
  is for you.
• Dont wait until it is too late!