Meaning of life.pptVIP

YPHI0002 - Culture, Value and the Meaning of Life Lecture #1 Joe Lau 14th Sept 2005 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 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. A popular answer 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 Mandela’s life is very meaningful.” Purpose = Value A valuable life can serve many different purposes. A purposeful life might not be very valuable. 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. Doesn’t really matter whether life has a pre-defined purpose, because … The most important question IS NOT What is THE meaning of life? IT IS How to live a valuable (meaningful) life? Some typical answers What makes a life meaningful? “Following God.” What makes a life meaningful? “Being happy.” Happiness Should we be concerned with OUR OWN happiness or should we also care about OTHER PEOPLEs happiness? Justice and fairness should be a constraint on our pursuit of happiness. We should also actively make other people happy. Sense of justice We should not pursue our own happiness without regard to other people. Making other people happy Not this either … “ I should have spent more time making rich people richer. ” A typical story -Professor Sydney Chung 鍾尚志說，去年10月疫潮過後，懷着大難不死、有點想避世的心情，到過裴濟、東帝汶和巴布亞新畿內亞等仍有獵頭族居住的落後地區當義