Purpose of Life: Some Popular and Traditional Options

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Purpose of Life Some Popular and Traditional
Options
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Theism

• Theism Any view that believes in a God or gods
  and sees the purpose of life in terms of the
  service or satisfaction of a god
• Monotheism View that there is only one God
• Polytheism View that there are multiple gods
• Atheism View that there are no gods (or God)

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Naturalism/Natural Law Theory

• Naturalism The purpose of life is to fulfill
  certain tendencies or instincts that one has from
  nature
• Natural Law Theistic version of naturalism where
  purpose of life is seen to be found in the
  fulfillment of certain God given natural
  potentialities (Aristotle, Thomas Aquinas)

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Liberalism

• Liberalism As a philosophy of life, the belief
  that freedom and its expression is the ultimate
  purpose of life since freedom is the highest
  value
• Individualism The view that the expression of
  the uniqueness of individuals is the purpose of
  life (often combined with liberalism)

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Hedonism

• Hedonism The belief that the only thing of real
  value in life is happiness
• Utilitarianism A version of hedonism, but which
  argues that increasing happiness in general (for
  all beings, not just oneself) should be the focus
  of life

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Moralism

• The belief that the ultimate purpose in life is
  to do what is right, or what morality demands

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Relativisms

• Cultural Relativism The belief that value is
  determined by/and varies according to culture.
  As a philosophy of life, it is the view that
  purpose of life can only be found by consulting
  ones own culture
• Subjectivism The belief that value is determined
  by/and varies according to individuals

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Agnosticism

• Belief that it is impossible for people to know
  anything about ultimate realities or purposes
• Involves avoiding making any judgments about the
  ultimate purpose of life, since nothing can be
  known about such matters
• Agnostic from ancient Greek words meaning not
  knowing

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Pluralism

• The belief that there is more than one ultimate
  purpose of life, or that there can be multiple
  ultimate sources of value

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Nihilism

• Belief that there is no purpose to life and no
  real possible purposes to life

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Monism

• Belief that there is one unifying ultimate
  reality (characterized in various ways). As a
  philosophy of life, it usually sees the purpose
  of life in terms of the overcoming of the
  illusion of the multiplicity or non-unity of all
  things and the grasping of the fundamental unity
  of all reality
• Prominent in Eastern religions