Each person on our planet is a separate world with its own concepts, rules, beliefs and the right to choose independently how to live. Everyone is so different, everyone is interesting in their own way and can be whatever they want.
They say that a person's character is formed before the age of five. While my character was forming, my parents got a lot of trouble from me, because I was a very wayward and independent child from a very young age. I'm 28 now, and I quite like the way I grew up thanks to my parents' upbringing and life circumstances.
Today I want to share with my readers my personal and important defining moments that make my life happy.
Love for yourself and the world around you.
In this there is goodness, light, and positivity. My personal principle is expressed in the words “it’s good where I am.” I travel a lot and am often asked where I like best. It is always difficult for me to answer this question, because wherever I go, I take myself with me everywhere. I am my own best friend and an interesting person. I can get to know myself as much as I want and it doesn’t depend on my location. Every day I make a choice in this or that matter, but at the heart of every decision is love for myself, for the world and for the people around me.
The problem of life in philosophy article on the topic
Content
Introduction 3
- The meaning of life as a philosophical problem 4
- Philosophical movements about the meaning of life 5
Conclusion 7
List of used literature 8
Introduction
The relevance of the topic lies in the fact that since ancient times man has asked himself the question of what is the essence of human existence. Many philosophers and thinkers have tried to answer why a person lives, why he came into this world, why he dies and what happens to him after death. The orientation of Greek thinkers towards man and his mind is connected with the fundamental attitude of the entire Greek culture - the call for self-knowledge.
The problem of life in philosophy has not been central for a long time. We are talking about posing the problem in its purest form, that is, a philosophical understanding of the concept of life itself and everything that is directly related to life, the living; one can say this: philosophy surprisingly rarely asked the question: “What is life?”, preferring to think about variations on the theme of life: the meaning of life, the origin of life, life and death, life and immortality, and the like. For most philosophers of the past, such a formulation of the question seemed natural. The scheme was quite standard, if one can apply the word “standard” to the history of human thought: one or another thinker thought about the problem of life and almost immediately moved on to consider the problems of death or immortality, or even the meaning of life.
The problem of life (living) in philosophy and the problem of searching for the meaning of life, setting the goal of existence must differ from each other. The difference is in the nuances, but the difference is there.
The purpose of this work is to explore the problems of life in philosophy.
The task is this:
- study the meaning of life as a philosophical problem;
- reveal philosophical trends about the meaning of life.
Structurally, the work consists of an introduction, main part, conclusion and list of references.
- The meaning of life as a philosophical problem
The meaning of life, the meaning of being is a philosophical and spiritual problem related to determining the ultimate goal of existence, the purpose of man, man as a biological species, as well as man as an individual, one of the basic ideological concepts that is of great importance for the formation of the spiritual and moral image of an individual. *
The question of the meaning of life can also be understood as a subjective assessment of the life lived and the correspondence of the achieved results to the original intentions, as a person’s understanding of the content and direction of his life, his place in the world, as the problem of a person’s influence on the surrounding reality and a person’s setting goals that go beyond life. In this case, it is implied the need to find an answer to the questions: “What are life values?” (or the most general goal of human life as such), “Why (for what) should I live?”
The question of the meaning of life is one of the traditional problems of philosophy, theology and fiction, where it is considered primarily from the point of view of determining what the most worthy meaning of life for a person is.
Ideas about the meaning of life are formed in the process of people’s activities and depend on their social status, the content of the problems being solved, lifestyle, worldview, and the specific historical situation. In favorable conditions, a person can see the meaning of life in achieving happiness and prosperity; in a hostile environment of existence, life may lose its value and meaning for him.**
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* Spirkin A.G. Philosophy – M.: Yurayt, 2012. – 832 p.
** Alekseev P.V., Panin A.V. Philosophy – M.: Prospekt, 2012. – 592 p.
- Philosophical movements about the meaning of life
Philosophy of life is a philosophical movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Life is what arises naturally, being is what arises artificially. The meaning of a person is most fully revealed in the historical experience of society.
Many philosophers at different times talked about the meaning of life:***
- In the first faith BC, the Buddhist Haynayama states that man must save himself. The meaning of life is to go to Heaven, avoid hell; Cyrenaica.
- A person’s good is his pleasure. This is both the meaning and purpose of life. The founder of this branch is Hedonipus (7th century BC);
- in the 4th-3rd century BC China - Taoism. Tao Tzu - to move away from the passions and vanity of life to the primitiveness of the past, to simplicity and naturalness;
— the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates believed that a person’s actions are determined by the degree of his awareness;
- in the 13th faith in Europe, Thomas Aquinas believed that there is no other form in man except the thinking soul;
- the 16th century Italian Maceavelii believed that a person’s desires are insatiable, and fortune allows him to achieve only a little;
— Russian cosmism emerged in Russia in the second half of the 19th century. Philosophers I. Kirievsky, V. Solovyov, N. Fedorov, P. Florensky, N. Lossky. Man is the main part of Nature and they must be considered in unity; the human Mind is responsible to nature.
Progratism – The meaning of life is to achieve success (John Dew, William Pierce, William James). Existentialism (philosophy of existence) - arose at the end of the First World War, founders: Shestov, Berdyaev. Then in Germany (Heidegger, Jaspers) after the Second World War in France (Camus, Sartre).
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***Ilyin V.V., Lebedev S.A. Philosophy – M.: Eksmo, 2011. – 336 p.
Religious existentialism (Shestov, Buber, Berdyaev, Jaspers) and atheistic (Heidegger, Camus, Sartre) the meaning of being is God; atheistic: life in general is absurd (there is no meaning), only a person can determine his life, if a person is not free, he is not a person.
Conclusion
The question of the meaning of life is one of the traditional problems of philosophy.
The concept of the meaning of life is present in any developed ideological system, justifying and interpreting the moral norms and values inherent in this system, demonstrating goals that justify the activities they prescribe.
The social position of individuals, groups, classes, their needs and interests, aspirations and expectations, principles and norms of behavior determine the content of mass ideas about the meaning of life, which under each social system have a specific character, although they exhibit certain moments of repetition.
Subjecting to a theoretical analysis of the ideas of mass consciousness about the meaning of life, many philosophers proceeded from the recognition of a certain unchangeable “human nature”, constructing on this basis a certain ideal of a person, in the achievement of which the meaning of life was seen - the main purpose of human life.
Great philosophers: Socrates, Plato, Descartes, Spinoza, Diogenes and many others had clear ideas about what kind of life is “best” (and, therefore, most meaningful) and, as a rule, associated the meaning of life with the concept of good.
People have asked and are still asking questions about the meaning of life, putting forward competing hypotheses, philosophical, theological and religious explanations. The verifiable answers to these questions shaped science.
At the moment, science is able to answer, with a certain degree of probability, specific questions such as “How exactly...?”, “Under what conditions..?”, “What will happen if...?” At the same time, questions like “What (is) the purpose (meaning) of life?” remain within the framework of philosophy and theology only.
Bibliography
- Alekseev P..V., Panin A.V. Philosophy – M.: Prospekt, 2012. – 592 p.
- Baturin V.K. Philosophy of Science - M.: Unity-Dana, 2012. - 304 p.
- Ilyin V.V., Lebedev S.A. Philosophy - M.: Eksmo, 2011. - 336 p.
- Sadokhin A.P. Concepts of modern natural science - M.: Omega-L, 2012. - 240 p.
- Spirkin A.G. Philosophy - M.: Yurayt, 2012, 832 p.
Nobody owes anyone anything and no one cares about anyone.
This point is also about freedom, but not about my personal, but about the freedom of choice of other people. I do not like and have no right to criticize anyone for their actions. Although, I must admit that once in my life I was offended by the behavior of the man with whom I lived and even expressed my categorical dissatisfaction with his actions. But it was a special story from which I learned a good lesson and now I am very grateful to life even for this. Of course, I am a living person who experiences different emotions, and sometimes I can get angry, be harsh, or even shout from the bottom of my heart, but to be offended or condemn someone for their behavior - well, no... it goes against my essence.
Life philosophy
Life philosophy is a way of seeing yourself, the world and the people around you.
In accordance with the vision of life, life values and strategies, in connection with the chosen or habitual position in life, everyone has their own philosophy of life: a system of beliefs, what is right and wrong, how to treat and strive for what. “No one owes anyone anything”, “The strongest wins”, “Everything depends on me” or “You can’t trust anyone” - there are many options for life philosophy. Depending on how thoughtful the philosophy of life is, it can be effective or not, promoting development or stopping it.
Life philosophy can be positive and negative, optimistic or pessimistic, with an emphasis on the Self or on others, with different life positions (Creator, Consumer, Parasite, Romantic), aimed at development or created for the purpose of psychological protection (see).
There are many philosophies of life. The difference between the most famous of them can be illustrated by the example of seeing a glass. Yes, Glass. Shall we try?
- Buddhism: There is actually no glass.
- Judaism: why is the glass half empty only with us?
- Orthodoxy: the glass is half empty for our sins.
- Catholicism: The glass is only half empty for bad people.
- Islam: There is no glass but a glass.
- Freudianism: You were underwatered as a child.
- Realism: That's right, it's a glass.
- Stoicism: yes, the glass is half empty - that’s what I need.
- Communism: everyone has the right to a full glass.
- Socialism: the glass is empty, but everyone has the same.
- Capitalism: glass for sale, inexpensive.
- I don't care: So what?
- Skepticism: Is this a glass?
- Confucianism: Be as serene as this glass
- Yogi: you are the glass and its contents.
- And only physicists know: the glass is always full!
- Life is unique or your Self moves from life to life, incarnating in different bodies;
- Life is joy, or life is a challenge, or life is like a zebra.
The philosophy of life is well reflected in the Metaphor of Life.
Cultural interpretation
A way of seeing (perceiving) a situation, given by the local culture or chosen by the person independently.
We can say that this is the choice of the most suitable Life Tale. Positive and promising is probably best. See Emotions and Vision
Elements of life philosophy
Life philosophy includes:
1. General views on life, vision of the picture of life.
2. Beliefs about yourself and others.
- I’m Okay, You’re Okay, or very differently: Everyone is an enemy, people can’t be trusted.
- I am a small person, I can do little, I have nothing to claim... - or the life philosophy of the Winner: “The world belongs to me!”
3. Predominant life strategies, ways of living and life principles.
- Position of the Victim or position of the Author
If for some reason you think that someone else should solve your problems for you, and not you, then you have an unsuccessful philosophy of life, and it is difficult to move through life confidently with it. Accustom yourself to the position of the Author: “I planned it - I will do it!” After this, by the way, it will be much easier for you to be friends with people and cooperate. People can help, that's great, and it can be used!
- Position of the Creator, Consumer, Romantic or Parasite: “You die, and then I will die.”
Changing Life Philosophy
How to change your philosophy of life? Communicate with those people who have a philosophy that is attractive to you, and redraw your Metaphor of life. This seems surprising, but you can change your vision of the world by implanting new pictures and visions into your pictures of the world. Through working with the Metaphor of Life, you can effectively change not only your philosophy of life, but also the philosophy of life of another person - of course, if he himself does not mind.
Development direction
Useful exercises and pictures that can enrich your philosophy of life:
- Exercise "Okay"
- The world belongs to me (develops a sense of self-confidence)
You can be free even when paired with your loved one.
To be together, faithful to each other, honest, open, discuss anything and fulfill any desires of each other. At the same time, respect, support and completely exclude any manifestations of criticism and humiliation in the relationship. Only harmony, acceptance, growth and movement forward without causing pain and without rejecting each other in the end. Do you think this is a fairy tale? No, this is reality and I was in such a relationship a couple of years ago. They stopped at that time due to the fact that I had a problem in my butt, and the young man was tied by serious circumstances to the city, from which I had been trying with all my heart to escape for many years. And even the marriage proposal of a handsome young man could not keep me next to him.
Concept and types of activities
Activity is one of the central forms of human existence. Unlike animals, which adapt to the environment or act on the basis of instinctively laid down programs, humans implement a subjective, active approach to the world.
Note 1
Activity in its structure presupposes the presence of a clearly understood goal, a program of action that leads to its achievement, as well as a motive that encourages the individual to act and is based on existing needs.
Human activity has transformative potential; it changes both the object of activity, i.e. what the efforts are aimed at, as well as the subject of the activity, who in the course of activity realizes himself, gains practical experience, improves his own skills, etc.
It is customary to distinguish four main types of activities:
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- communication,
- teaching,
- a game,
- work.
Communication as an activity can be considered at two levels - a broad one, within which communication is considered as a process of communication, verbal and non-verbal interaction between two people, with the purpose of transmitting information or exerting influence, and a narrower, specialized one. Communication in the broad sense of the word is the most common and even vital type of human activity, and is included in other types of activities, since learning, play, and work without communication (at least indirectly) are impossible.
Communication in the narrow sense is a specific type of activity, the goals, objectives and means of influence of which lie exclusively within the framework of the communicative process. An example of communication as a professional activity can be the activity of a psychologist who, through specially organized communication techniques, influences the personality of the patient, the activity of a manager who, through communication, guides other people, the activity of an artist who, with the help of speech, facial expressions, gestures, makes people experience those or other psycho-emotional states, etc.
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The teaching also includes two interrelated activities. On the one hand, this is the educational, teaching activity of a teacher, educator, aimed at transferring knowledge, skills, abilities to their own students, and on the other hand, this is the educational activity of the students themselves, aimed at mastering this material. The teaching accompanies a person throughout his life from birth to old age, since a collision with any new manifestation of reality (new job, new skills, new equipment, new product) requires teaching associated with its development.
A specific feature of the game is the fact that the goals of the activity lie not outside its boundaries, but within the framework of the activity process itself. At the same time, children's imitative play is traditionally distinguished, which is traditionally viewed from the perspective of children learning various social roles (teacher, seller, parent, military man, etc.), as well as self-valued play, characteristic of both children and adults. Professional types of games can also be distinguished, such as sports and e-sports activities.
Labor is a transformative activity aimed at obtaining a socially useful result - a material or spiritual product. Labor activity is the most extensive and diverse; it is work that is primarily perceived as the sphere of personal self-realization. At the same time, the monotonous, stereotypical, alienated work of an industrial worker or office clerk is one of the factors of degradation and maladaptation of the individual.
It’s different for everyone, but I don’t have a destiny invented by someone in heaven.
There are only cause-and-effect relationships, actions performed and a little karma from this or past life. Events in my life depend on my choice and I myself am responsible for everything that happens to me. This doesn't mean that I don't believe in God. Of course, I believe in him, I read prayers, meditate and often turn to the higher powers in my heart. Sometimes I visit churches and temples, I believe in the power of saints and the existence of guardian angels, as I have seen them more than once in my dreams and felt their strength and help in real life. My universe always takes care of me, and I love it and trust it completely.
Specifics of professional activity
Professional activity inevitably includes elements of all four main types of activity, but at the same time reveals them at a deeper level, determined by the specifics of the professional environment in which this activity is carried out. The status of a professional presupposes that a person not only performs a certain activity, but consciously chooses it as his area of labor realization, associates certain expectations, values, and beliefs with this activity, strives for development within its framework, increasing his own professionalism and achieves, among other things, personal growth.
So, for example, the activity of digging and burying holes, even highly paid and performed with high quality, cannot be considered professional, since the person performing it is not able to consider this activity as his own calling. It is simply physical labor.
Similarly, a person who performs labor activity as a result of economic coercion, solely for the sake of earning money, for which he experiences predominantly negative emotions, cannot be called a professional. The personal results of such activity are the experience of alienation from the results and process of work, professional deformation and the development of emotional burnout syndrome.
Everything has its time.
I often hear from friends that it’s time for me to get married or have children “at least for myself”…. Oh, in part, I even agree a little with this opinion for one reason or another. At the age of 28, my mother already had two children, but I still can’t “settle” in one place and start a family. Well, everyone has their own deadlines, and the last thing in the world I want to be like someone else. Now I have other life goals and my prioritization is such that my husband and children are not in first place. But, as I already wrote above in the first paragraph, my freedom of choice, and if I want to change something, I can do it at any time.
No taboo topics.
I can talk to any person about anything and honestly answer any question about myself, in a personal conversation, if I consider it necessary. In general, I really love and try to always be open and frank with people, especially when they are sincerely interested in me. With all this, I am the first to very rarely ask my friends about their personal life, income or their opinion of me. If a person wants, he will tell everything himself. I don’t like, as they say, “getting under someone’s skin” or putting the other person in an awkward position.