Philosophy of Existentialism: What is the meaning of life?

Philosophy of Existentialism: What is the meaning of life? free download

The Philosophy of Existentialism explains the meaning of life

What is the meaning of life? This is perhaps the single most difficult question that every human being faces at some point in their life. Since the dawn of humanity, humans have wondered why I am here? Where have I come from? And what does it mean to be alive? And what is my purpose in life?

Since there was no rational answer, throughout history, humans resorted to religious faith to satisfy this existential dilemma. God was the answer. But modernity came along to question the existence of God. So now it was left to philosophers to come up with a rational answer. In this video, I will attempt to give you one of the most comprehensive philosophical answer to the question, what is the meaning of life from a more secular, non-religious perspective. Most of  these philosophers were atheist, expect one. So the big question is: does philosophy have an answer? Or is philosophy dead wrong about the meaning of life?

First, we start with Schopenhauer the father of atheism and pessimism. Inspired by Hinduism, Schopenhauer’s philosophy centres on will to life. We are driven by a blind will to continue life and suffer. But why and how? Second, Soren Kierkegaard starts off from a non-religious perspective but his quest ends in God. In other words, he thinks there cannot be meaning, without god. But why? I included him because he is often considered the father of existentialism and had great influence on future philosophers.

Third, Nietzsche said God is dead and rationality is too boring, so he places the meaning of life in his doctrine of will to power. In other words, we are not driven to continue life, but rather to achieve immortality through greatness. But how can we do that? Fourth, Carl Jung’s theory of the unconscious is very important to understand the meaning of life. We are born pre-assembled with a software, or cultural artefacts called archetypes that helps us navigate life. But how does the unconscious influence the conscious mind?

Fifth, JP Sartre’s existential philosophy claims there is no essence prior to existence. We are born as empty slate and it is up to us to paint a meaning on it. But how do we define our own existence? This section is perhaps the longest, which is ironic, the philosophy of emptiness has the most things to say. Or it makes sense, when something is empty, you need more stuff to fill it. And finally, Albert Camus’s philosophy of absurdism states that there is no meaning in life so no point searching for one. Instead focus on something else, which he calls the will to joy.