Re: Martin Fowler and the meaning of life

[Sethomas]

Then why not admit defeat and kill oneself? That's what it's all about, isn't it? Or are you saying there's a better question to be asked?

[FartinMowler]

It's not a question...the meaning of life is finding meaning to your life

[Sethomas]

Or, as Sartre said, "existence precedes essence". That's the crux of Existentialism. But does that mean that if we find no essence/meaning, we should feel liberated to call it quits?

[FartinMowler]

Do your farts smell better than mine?

[theapportioner]

Originally Posted by Sethomas

Or, as Sartre said, "existence precedes essence". That's the crux of Existentialism. But does that mean that if we find no essence/meaning, we should feel liberated to call it quits?

Well, for Sartre essence or facticity is basically everything that doesn't include consciousness. So, we all necessarily have "essence", and our past counts as part of that essence, or being-in-itself. I'm not sure I understand.

[theapportioner]

Originally Posted by Sethomas

Then why not admit defeat and kill oneself? That's what it's all about, isn't it? Or are you saying there's a better question to be asked?

More the latter. I think the question "what is the meaning of life?" is ill-posed and too ambiguous to be meaningful, heh. Meaning for whom? Life in general? Human life? An individual's life? Your life?

And what do you mean by meaning? Teleology? An end, or purpose to life? The value of life? The function of life? I think if you mean to say "purpose of life" that's one thing, maybe more explicable, but the concept "meaning of life" is strange to me. "Meaning of your life", or mine, that may be easier to understand.