The Meaning of Life

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The Meaning of Life
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The Meaning of Life

• L1 Why Dying is Bad

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Perspective

• If we can understand why death is bad, it may
  help us to realise what is good about life, which
  might help us work out the meaning of life
• NOTE Most of the arguments from this class are
  from the first Mark Rowlands reading in the
  course book

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Aside Why Study Philosophy?

• You might get to become a philosophy lecturer
• Which means that your university will pay you
  lots of money to fly to exotic locations around
  the world so you can get drunk and discuss the
  meaning of life with other philosophers

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Death is (Sometimes) Good

• Death in general can be good
• It prevents overcrowding
• It ensures genetic variation (imagine if I were
  king of the universe)
• Death of specific people or creatures can be good
  for others
• The death of Hitler probably prevented some
  future massacres
• The death (by heart attack?) of a grizzly bear
  that is charging at your family is probably good
  for you

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But is Death Good for the One that Dies?

• Some people think so (in some cases)
• Some religions think the right kind of death will
  give you a better life
• Some people in ancient times thought that an
  honourable death made your life better
• Someone who is terminally ill and in terrible
  pain may be very happy to die
• But usually, death is seen as bad for the person
  who dies
• If I were to die right now, most of you would
  think it was bad for me

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Most of Us are Afraid of Dying

• Would it help if you knew exactly when youd be
  kicking the bucket?
• http//www.deathclock.com/
• http//www.canadianbusiness.com/my_money/planning/
  retirement_rrsp/life_expectancy/tool.jsp
• Would it help if you knew exactly how youd be
  kicking the bucket?
• http//www.gotoquiz.com/how_will_i_die

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Why is Death Bad?
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What Happens when we Die?

• Random perspective
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vEE9vgIuOgoI
• Your view?

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Assume there is no Afterlife

• If you think there is an afterlife, then imagine
  a universe in which there isnt
• Im not trying to be depressing just
  philosophical
• And, it should help us work out whats good about
  life!
• What does death rob us of that is so valuable?

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What is Death?
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What is Death?

• It doesnt happen in a life
• It is the limit of a life
• A limit of some thing (e.g. a visual field or a
  life) is not a part of that thing
• Now we have agreed on this, a 2000 year old
  problem arises

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The Epicurean Argument

• Death cant harm us, so it cant be bad for us
• P1) We can only be harmed when we are alive
• P2) Death is the limit of life (its not a part
  of life)
• C) Therefore, death cannot harm us

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Reply to The Epicurean Argument

• Denying P2 seems impossible
• Deny P1 We can also be harmed when were not
  alive
• But how?

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Harms of Depravation

• Some harms are only harms because of their
  relation to your previous states
• If I broke your leg right off last year and you
  now have a prosthetic replacement, then the harm
  I have caused you is affecting you now because I
  have deprived you of something you would
  otherwise have had
• (Maybe awesome dancing skills?)
• But, how can being deprived of life hurt us when
  we are dead?

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Death and Possibility

• Can something that doesnt happen in our life
  harm us?
• Death harms us because it prevents us from
  realising our possibilities
• I could have been a star

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Death and Possibility

• Can something that doesnt happen in our life
  harm us?
• Death harms us because it prevents us from
  realising our possibilities
• I could have been a star
• Possibilities are not going to work
• There are a lot of possibilities for my future
• dying now wouldnt rob me of those possibilities
  because nearly all of them would never have
  happened anyway!

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Losing a Future

• Can something that doesnt happen in our life
  harm us?
• Death harms us because it deprives us of a future
• Future experiences, beliefs, desires, projects
  etc.
• But how can you lose something that doesnt exist
  yet?
• And if it doesnt exist yet isnt it just a
  possibility?

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Some Concepts of Future

• 1) Minimal future
• Everything that exists has at least a minimal
  future unless it is instantaneously destroyed
• 2) Being-towards-a-future
• Has future-oriented mental states desires, goals
  and projects that can be satisfied or thwarted
• So we all have a future in this sense (while
  still being alive)
• Two versions of this type of future

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Three Concepts of Future (Cont.)

• 2A) Being-towards-a-weak-future means having
  non-conceptual future-directed states
• Or goals about the future that you can hold
  without needing a concept of the future
• E.g. I want an ice cream
• 2B) Being-towards-a-strong-future means having
  conceptual future-directed states
• Or goals you hold about the future that you need
  a concept of the future to make sense of
• E.g. I want to pass the PHIL105 exam so I can
  become a philosophy lecturer in a few years and
  go to those meaning of life drinking conferences

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We are All Being-Towards-a-Strong-Future

• So many of the things that we do are based on the
  fact that we have future goals (that we know
  cannot be realised right now)
• Just about every time you pick up your coursebook
  or come to a lecture or refrain from drinking at
  lunch time is because of your future goals (e.g.
  getting a job after uni)

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Death is Bad

• Can something that doesnt happen in our life
  harm us?
• Death harms us because it deprives us of a future
• Future experiences, beliefs, desires, projects
  etc.
• Death harms us because it takes away the future
  that we would have otherwise had (which thwarts
  our weak and strong future-directed mental
  states)

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Death is Bad (Cont.)

• Death harms us because it takes away the future
  that we would have otherwise had (which thwarts
  our weak and strong future-directed mental
  states)
• The strong future-directed mental states such as
  life plans are more important they are a bigger
  loss if they are thwarted
• So, is Epicurus argument resolved?

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Is Epicurus argument resolved?

• P1) We can only be harmed when we are alive
• P2) Death is the limit of life (its not a part
  of life)
• C) Therefore, death cannot harm us
• Deny P1 Death harms us because it takes away our
  future (which thwarts our weak and strong
  future-directed mental states)

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Death and the Meaning of Life 1

• Death harms us because it takes away the future
  that we would have otherwise had (which thwarts
  our weak and strong future-directed mental
  states)
• Since death harms us, being a being-towards-a-futu
  re must have value
• So, perhaps what is valuable about life is bound
  up with being a being-towards-a-future
  especially in a strong way

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Death and the Meaning of Life 2

• The value of our life seems connected to our
  being a being-towards-a-strong-future
• We think its sad when people die young/before
  completing their goals
• But what does this mean for the meaning of life?
• Is life meaningless without future plans?
• What about living in the moment?

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Death and the Meaning of Life 3

• Maybe if we thought we were about to die, we
  would better understand what is valuable in life

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Take-Home Lessons

• Death takes away something important, something
  valuable maybe even something meaningful
• Death is bad because it deprives you of future
  philosophizing
• Dont make future plans when you know you are
  about to die
• Buy more crappy stuff while you still can!

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Next Time

• Read
• The Mark Rowlands chapter excerpts
• p218-234 of the coursebook
• Get ready to discuss
• The absurdity of life

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The Meaning of Life

• L2 The Absurd and the Meaning of Life

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Last Time

• Perhaps what is valuable about life is bound up
  with being a being-towards-a-future
• especially in a strong way
• We think its sad when people die young/before
  completing their goals
• So, maybe our desires, plans and projects are
  important even meaningful

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Last Time 2

• But what does this mean for the meaning of life?
• Is life meaningless without future plans?
• What about living in the moment?
• Is pursuing our goals what makes our life
  meaningful or are our goals absurdly
  insignificant?

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So, Our Plans are Meaningful?

• Maybe not maybe the best way to understand the
  relationship between our plans and even our very
  existence is to see it as absurd!
• NOTE Most of the arguments from this class are
  from the second Mark the rock star Rowlands
  reading in the course book

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Absurd in the Ordinary Sense

• A noticeable difference between what someone
  intends or claims and reality

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Absurd in the Ordinary Sense

• A noticeable difference between what someone
  intends or claims and reality
• A clash between the internal and external
  perspectives
• George Bush doesnt think hes a kitten-eater,
  but
• Everyone else knows that he is

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Absurd to Philosophers

• The dramatic difference between
• Our (internal) perception of the significance of
  our lives
• The objective (external) perception of the
  significance of our lives
• Its absurd because, from the external view, our
  lives have only a tiny fraction of the
  significance that we feel and act as though it has

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Our Significance from the Inside

• Every event in the universe is viewed by its
  actual and likely impacts on us
• Events are only significant if they are likely to
  or actually do significantly affect us
• The universe revolves around us
• We are all like this to some extent, but some
  people dont realise that this is the same for
  other people!
• You may know people like this

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Our Significance from the Outside 1

• Each and every one of us are completely
  insignificant to 99.9999999999999999999 of what
  exists
• When heat death kills the universe, our plans
  would seem beyond insignificant to anything left
  to observe
• How big are we? (Not very big)
• How long do we live compared to the universe?
  (Not very long)

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Our Significance from the Outside 2

• Even if we do have free will, so many of our
  choices are still the result of our prior
  causes
• Why will most of you vote for the same political
  party that your parents do?
• Why are you (and not all the other try-hards) so
  individual?

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The Human Condition

• Also known as the Human Situation
• From the inside, our significance is paramount
• From the outside, our significance is basically
  none-existent
• The Human Condition is being aware of the
  contradiction between these two points, the
  absurdity of our situation
• Humans are thought to be unique in their ability
  to be aware of this situation

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Which Story is True?

• From the inside, our significance is paramount
• From the outside, our significance is basically
  none-existent
• According to logic, our lives either are or are
  not significant
• Its a logical contradiction to say that our life
  is both significant and insignificant at the same
  time
• So, which one of these stories is true?

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The Myth of Sisyphus

• Sisyphus made a deal with the Gods and then went
  back on it
• They punished him by giving him a meaningless
  chore to do for eternity
• Sisyphus is much like us in this way
• But Sisyphus defiantly curses the Gods
• An act that only makes sense if his existence has
  internal significance

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The Absurd and The Meaning of Life

• Sisyphus labour and the way he approaches it
  might help solve the problem of absurdity
• Does it matter if our life is objectively
  meaningless?
• Perhaps all that matters is that we think our
  lives are meaningful
• But, being happy with the illusion of
  meaningfulness is not necessarily a very
  appealing solution!

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The Human Condition Revisited

• From the inside, our significance is paramount
• From the outside, our significance is basically
  none-existent
• The Human Condition is being aware of the
  contradiction between these two points, the
  absurdity of our situation
• So, are our plans significant or not?
• And can our lives be meaningful?

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Take-Home Lessons

• Dont drop out of uni or you might end up with a
  job like Sisyphus
• Dont ever let George Bush cuddle your kitten
• No one likes it when you act like you are the
  centre of the universe
• The Human Condition is absurd because we can
  understand that our lives are insignificant but
  we cannot get rid of our self-importance

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Next Time

• Read
• The Meaning of Life by Richard Taylor
• p235-239 of the coursebook
• Get ready to discuss
• The real meaning of life!

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The Meaning of Life

• L3 What Makes Life Meaningful?

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Last (Two) Times

• Death might be bad because our desires, plans and
  projects are important even meaningful
• The Human Condition is absurd because we can
  understand that our plans (and our whole lives!)
  are insignificant but we cannot get rid of our
  self-importance

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Exam Info

• There is an exam document on Blackboard with the
  following info on it
• Exam date and rooms
• Exam instructions
• Examinable sections of the course

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Warm up

• This lecture is going to be a bit intense
• Warm up activity
• Think seriously about how you would answer this
  question
• What would you tell a child if you could tell
  them just one thing and they would take it on
  board?
• Turn to your neighbour and tell them what your
  answer was

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Lets Answer the Qn Already!

• What do you guys think the meaning of life is?
• Youtube doco
• Be happy
• Helping others
• Religious purposes
• Dont know

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Richard Taylor!

• Richard Taylor is our guru at the top of the
  mountain
• NOTE Most of the arguments from this class are
  from the Richard Taylor reading in the course book

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Recall The Myth of Sisyphus

• Sisyphus made a deal with the Gods and then went
  back on it
• They punished him by giving him a meaningless
  chore to do for eternity
• Nothing comes of Sisyphus labours
• And nothing will ever come of them
• His existence is meaningless

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What if He Wanted to Roll Rocks?

• Imagine that the Gods changed Sisyphus desires
  so that all he wants to do is roll the rock up
  the hill
• He now gets exactly what he wants for all
  eternity
• Sounds great!
• But, does this make his existence any more
  meaningful?

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Taylor on Meaning

• Meaninglessness is endless pointlessness
• Meaningfulness is activity with a point, a
  result, a significant culmination
• So, which of these best represents all life as we
  know it?
• This includes plants and animals

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Is Life (in General) Meaningful? 1

• Glow worms, cicadas and the meaningless cycle of
  life
• The only point of any living things life is just
  life itself

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Is Life (in General) Meaningful? 2

• Humans also follow and perpetuate the meaningless
  cycle of life
• We imagine that we have goals and plans, but are
  they really for anything other than surviving and
  reproducing?
• Even when our achievements create lasting
  results, like building a temple, how long will it
  persist and will it prevent our children from
  merely surviving and reproducing?

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The Meaning of Life is Life Itself?

• This answer is not very satisfying
• Many people have religious beliefs that centre
  around a departure from this meaningless cycle
• Going to heaven
• Becoming enlightened, etc.
• But which religion is right?
• Are there any good reasons to believe in one over
  another?

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What Does What is the Meaning of Life Mean? 1

• What does life mean? (Not interesting)
• To us, it means not being dead or lifeless
• To a God, it might mean amusement or experiment
• To a plant, it probably doesnt mean anything
• What is the purpose for life?
• Various religious purposes
• To continue the cycle of life
• There is no purpose for life
• But, if there is a purpose for life, then life is
  meaningless!!

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A Purpose for Life Makes it Meaningless

• P1) If life has an ultimate purpose, then it must
  be either possible or impossible to fulfill that
  purpose
• P2) If its impossible, then life is cruel and
  meaningless
• P3) If it is possible, then
• not fulfilling it would make your life
  meaningless
• and fulfilling it would also make your life
  meaningless (because then there would be no more
  point to it!)
• C) Therefore, if life has an ultimate purpose,
  then life is meaningless

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What Does What is the Meaning of Life Mean? 2

• So, perhaps the best way to understand this
  question is taking it to mean
• How can we make our lives meaningful?

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How Can We Make Our Lives Meaningful? 1

• The answer should be objective
• We should all be able to follow whatever the
  answer is and be able to make our lives
  meaningful
• Follow religious guidance (and make sure you pick
  the right one)
• Taylor Simply understand that the meaning of
  life is to live in the manner in which it is our
  nature to live
• The glow worm does what is in its nature

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How Can We Make Our Lives Meaningful? 2

• Taylor For humans, then, the meaning of life is
  living as we will to live
• This might make you dissatisfied with our lot,
  but remember if there were a purpose for life,
  then life might be cruel and meaningless!
• Taylor So, the meaning of life comes from within
  us living in accordance with our will is how we
  can achieve meaning in our lives

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What Does this Mean for Us?

• Taylor So, the meaning of life comes from within
  us living in accordance with our will is how we
  can achieve meaning in our lives
• We are beings-towards-a-future
• Our plans are the only significant thing we have
  only the pursuit of them brings meaning to our
  lives
• These plans are absurdly insignificant from the
  outside, but not so from the inside thank
  goodness!
• Without the subjective importance of our own
  plans, our lives might truly be meaningless

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The Moral of the Story

• Whatever your dreams and goals are you should
  live them as only you can
• like this guy

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So, now you know the meaning of life, you can
pursue your other goals
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Taylor on TMOL Recap

• Taylor is basically saying that
• the meaning of life is the same for all life
• the meaning of life is to live in accordance with
  your nature
• for humans, that is to use our will to make
  plans and follow them through
• this means that for humans, to make our lives
  meaningful, we should make plans and take them
  seriously (as though they are very significant)
• So the meaning each of our lives have for us, is
  very significant for us (thank goodness!)

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Objections?

• But, what do you guys think of Taylors
  objective, naturalistic, internalist account of
  the meaning of life?

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Dealing With Doubt

• But, what do you do if you have a bout of feeling
  that life is meaningless?
• Watch a child play and see how the tiniest idea
  or object can mean so much to them
• And remember, the fact that your experiences feel
  real to you is enough to give life meaning
• And that the same is true of others as well
• So, make some plans, do something fun, or just do
  something that will make someone else feel good!

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Take-Home Lessons

• If you really want to roll a rock up a hill, then
  just do it
• With the power to wear a Spiderman costume, comes
  the responsibility not to do it in public
• The meaning of life is the same for all life
• Taylor The meaning of life is the meaning that
  each of us continuously experiences in our lives
  through the act of living

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How to Find Out More

• Enroll in more philosophy courses and try to
  reconcile your findings about ethics, free will,
  time, biology, what it means to really know
  something, consciousness etc.
• And/or just think and talk about it
• Visit me in my office hour MY715 Thur
  210-300pm
• And