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WhatistheMeaningofLife?
LessonsfromtheLimitsofHumanExistence
AttilaTanyiFellow,Zukunftskolleg
Wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiter, FBPhilosophieUniversityofKonstanz
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Whatisthemeaningoflifeabout?
Themeaningof“meaning”
Morality
Happiness
Worthwhilelife
Whatitisnotabout
Apositivefinalvaluethatanindividual’slifecanexhibit
Itcomes indegrees
Otherwise,thereisnoconsensus
Whatitisabout
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Theoriesofthemeaningoflife
Theconceptuallandscape
Supernaturalism
God-centeredviews
Soul-centeredviews
Naturalism
Subjectivism
Objectivism
Intersubjectivism:meaningis
constitutedbywhatallhumanbeingswouldagreeto
fromacommunalstandpoint.
Non-naturalism
Meaningisafunctionofabstract
propertiesthatareneitherspiritualnorphysical
Nihilism
ThereisnoGodand/orsoul
Thereisnosatisfactioninlifeoritonlyleadsto
boredom
Thereisnomorality
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Supernaturalism
God-centeredviews
FulfillingGod’spurposeinlife
Participatingininfinity
Meaningdependsonperfection
Soul-centeredviews
Makingapermanentdifferencetotheworld
Perfectjustice
Honoringinfinitevalue
Honoringwhatisdivinewithinoneself
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Naturalism
Subjectivism
Gettingwhatonewantsmost;whatonebelievestobemostimportant;achievingone’s
highly-rankedends;whatonelovesorcaresabout.
Authenticity inlife.
Beingabsorbed inone’sendeavors.
ObjectivismMorality,creativity,overcomingchallenges,nonhedonicgoods,transcendingthelimitsoftheself
etc.
Hybridview:subjectivismandobjectivism.
Propositionalattitudesenhancethemeaningoflifebutarenot
necessaryforit.Pluralism:thereisnosingle
objectiveconstituent ofmeaninginlife.
Meaningoflifeasan‘organicwhole’.
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LessonsfromtheLimitsofHumanExistence
CormacMcCarthy’sTheRoad
Thesignificanceofthechild
Thesignificanceofstruggle
Theroleofmorality “Carryingthefire”
TheroleofGod
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TheRoleofGod
TheboyisGod’sword
HisbreathisGod’sbreath
Godappointedthemantobetheboy’sguardian
ThechildisGod
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Quotes
“Whenitwaslightenoughtousethebinocularsheglassedthevalleybelow.Everythingwaspalingawayintothe
murk…Thenhejustsatthereholdingthebinocularsandwatchingtheashendaylight
congealovertheland.Heknewonlythatthechildwashiswarrant.Hesaid:IfheisnotthewordofGodGodnever
spoke.”
“Hedescendedintoagryke inthestoneandtherehe
crouchedcoughingandhecoughedforalongtime.Thenhejustkneltintheashes.Heraisedhisfacetothepalingday.Areyouthere?He
whispered.WillIseeyouatthelast?Haveyouaneckbywhichtothrottleyou?OhGod,he
whispered.OhGod.”
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AParallelinHungarian19thCenturyLiterature
ImreMadach’s TheTragedyofManAd
am
“MyLord,suchfrightful sceneshavetorturedme;andIknownotwhatisreality.Oh!Tellme,tellmewhatismydestiny![…]Enlightenme,andgratefullymyfate,whate’er itbe,Iwillendure, ifonlyImayprogress, forthisuncertaintyishell.”
TheLord “Ask not again, the secret, veiled
beneficently from thy longing eyes, by thewise hand of God. But could’st thou knowthat momentarily on earth, they soul did restwhile waits eternity above, no virtue ‘twereto suffer longer here. If thou did’st know thysoul would be absorbed in dust, for grandideas, what incentive to sacrifice themoment’s fleeting bliss? While now, thefuture gleameth through a mist, so heavyladen with the cares and woes of thistransitory life, the sense of an infinitudedoth wake; if this engender pride, mortalityrestricts; both greatness then and virtue, areassured.”
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(Continued…)Ad
am “butLord,whowilluphold ifontherightpathIremain?”
TheLord “Thine armis
strong,thysoulexalted;infinitethescopewhiche’er toactiondoth invite;andifthouheedestwell,avoicewillcalltotheeunceasingly,toluretheebackandraisetheeup;butfollowe’er thecall.”
ChorusofA
ngels “Whatamighty
thought!We’refree,‘twixtgoodandill tochoose,whileoverus,God’smercywaitethstill.Actboldly,fearingnottheherd’singratitude;forthisisnotthine aimbutaction,greatandgood…Butontheloftywaylettheenotblindthesight,thethought,thatthoucould’st addoneatomtoGod’smight,heonlyspeakstothee,asmeanstowardthyfatefulfilling.Honorcomesfromhim,forhimdothwait.”
TheLord “I’vetoldthee,
man,striveandtrust!”
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Thesignificanceofthechild
Onlytheboystandsbetweenthemanand
death
Thewife’sexplanationwhythemankeepson
living
Themanonsuicideandtheboy
“WhatwouldyoudoifIdied?IfyoudiedIwouldwanttodietoo.Soyoucouldbewithme?Yes.SoIcouldbewithyou.Okay.”
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Aquote:themanandhiswife’sconversationinthepast.
“Wearesurvivorshetoldheracrosstheflameofthelamp.Survivors?shesaid.Yes.WhatinGod’snameareyoutalkingabout?We’renotsurvivors.We’rethewalkingdeadinahorrorfilm.I’mbeggingyou.Idont care.Idont careifyoucry.Itdoesnt meananythingtome.Please.Stopit.Iambeggingyou.I’lldoanything.Suchaswhat?Ishould havedoneitalongtimeago.Whentherewerethreebullets intheguninsteadoftwo. Iwasstupid.We’vebeenoverallthis.Ididnt bringmyselftothis.Iwasbrought.AndnowI’mdone. Ithoughtaboutnoteventellingyou.Thatwouldprobablyhavebeenbest.Youhavetwobulletsandthenwhat?Youcantprotectus.Yousayyouwoulddieforusbutwhatgoodisthat?I’dtakehimwithmeifitwerent foryou.YouknowIwould. It’stherightthingtodo.”
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(Continued…)
“Youaretalkingcrazy.No,I’mspeaking thetruth.Soonerorlaterthey’llcatchusandtheywillkillus.Theywillrapeme.They’llrapehim.Theyaregoing torapeusandkillusandeatusandyouwontfaceit.You’dratherwaitforittohappen.ButIcant.Icant.Shesattheresmokingaslenderlengthofdriedgrapevineasitifweresomerarecheroot.Holding itwithacertainelegance,herotherhandacrossherkneeswhereshe’ddrawnthemup.Shewatchedhimacrossthesmallflame.Weusedtotalkaboutdeath,shesaid.Wedont anymore.Whyisthat?Idon’tknow.It’sbecauseit’shere.There’snothing lefttotalkabout.Iwouldnt leaveyou.Idont care.It’smeaningless.Youcanthinkofmeasafaithlessslutifyoulike.I’vetakenanewlover.Hecangivemewhatyoucannot.Deathisnotalover.Ohyesheis.”
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(continued…)
“Pleasedont dothis.I’msorry.Icantdoitalone.Thendont.Icanthelpyou.Theysaythatwomendreamofdangertothoseintheircareandmenofdangertothemselves.ButIdont dreamatall.Yousayyoucant?Thendontdoit.That’sall.BecauseIamdonewithmyownwhorishheartandIhavebeenforalongtime.Youtalkabouttakingastandbutthereisnostandtotake.Myheartwasrippedoutofmethenighthewasbornsodont askforsorrownow.Thereisnone.Maybeyou’llbegoodatthis.Idoubtit,butwhoknows.TheonethingIcantellyouisthatyouwontsurviveforyourself.IknowbecauseIwouldneverhavecomethisfar.Apersonwhohadnoonewouldbewelladvisedtocobbletogethersomepassableghost.Breathitintobeingandcoaxitalongwithwordsoflove.Offeriteachphantomcrumbandshielditfromharmwithyourbody.AsformemyonlyhopeiseternalnothingnessandIhopeitwithallmyheart.”
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AnotherparallelwithTheTragedyofManAd
am
“Hold!Whatthoughtlikelight’ning,rushesthroughmybraindistraught?E’en thee,OGod,canIdefy,althoughahundredtimesfatesays,“thuslong”,IknowIneednotlive,againstmywill;fordownbelowtheabyss;above,thecliffdothfrown.Onespring– thelastscene– andtheplaydoth end.(Adamrushesupoffthecliff.Eveappearsatthedoor.)
Eve(abitlater) “Thou’lt smile
whenIavowmysecret;this–comenearerAdam– now,intothine earI’llwhisperbutoneword;IfeelIamamother.”
Adam
(Fallingonhisknees)“Oh!myLord,thou’st vanquishedme.HereinthedustIlie;withouttheee,‘gainst thee,vainlystrivemustI,raiseme,orstriketoearth!Ibaremybreasttothee.”
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Thesignificanceofstruggle
“Allthingsofgraceandbeautysuchthatoneholdsthemtoone’shearthaveacommonprovenanceinpain.Theirbirthingriefandashes.So,hewhisperedtothesleepingboy.I
haveyou.”
“Okay.Thisiswhatthegoodguysdo.Theykeeptrying.Theydont give
up.”
“What’sthebravestthingyoueverdid?Hespatintotheroadabloodyphlegm.
Gettingupthismorning, hesaid.Really?
No.Dont listentome.Comeon, let’sgo.”
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Again,parallels(andlessons)fromTheTragedyofManAd
am
“We’veleftthestarsbehindus,thereinspace,Iseenogoal;noobstaclesItrace.Ah!Lucifer,I’mcold.Whatisalllifewithouttheblissoflovingandofstrife?”
Lucifer “Andthou
doststillbelieve.Thatthouatlast,shalt victoryachieve?Andreachthegoal?Thissoulsocreduloustomanaloneishomogeneous.”
Adam
“Nosuchdeceptivedreamallurethme;IknowahundredtimesI’llbaffledbe,Idonotcare.What,afterall’stheend?Theend– whenglory’so’er– Iapprehend,theendisdeath,andlifeisconstantstrife;theaimofman,tostrugglethroughout life.”
Adam
(muchlater) “Let’sflee,Oh!
Lucifer!Myfuturesphereletmenolongerview,mydreadful fate,theuselessstrife,now, Iwouldmeditateonthis,IfIcane’er defyGodmore?”
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Theroleofmorality
Themanandtheboyarethegoodguys;thosewhoeathumansand
torturethemarethebadguys.
Thechildreceiveswhatwemightcallamoraleducation(theman
readshimstoriesaboutcourageandjustice).
Theresceneswhentheboyisexpressingastrongsenseofcompassion.
Thewomaninthelongdialoguesaysthatthe“mantalksabouttakingastand,butthereisno
standtotake.”
TheworldinthebookisreferredtoasaGodless
world,asaworldwithoutgodspoken men.
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Aquote
“Theylaylistening.Canyoudoit?Whenthetimecomes?Whenthetimecomestherewillbenotime.Nowisthetime.CurseGodanddie.Whatifitdoesnt fire?Couldyoucrushthatbelovedskullwitharock?Istheresuchabeingwithinyouofwhichyouknownothing?Cantherebe?Holdhiminyourarms.Justso.Thesoulisquick.Pullhimtowardyou.Kisshim.Quickly.”
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“Carryingthefire”
“Iwanttobewithyou.Youcant.Please.Youcant.Youhavetocarrythefire.Idont knowhowto.Yesyoudo.Isitreal?Thefire?Yesitis.Whereisit?Idont knowwhereitis.Yesyoudo.It’sinsideyou.Itwasalwaysthere.Icanseeit.Justtakemewithyou.Please.Icant.Please,Papa.Icant.Icantholdmysondeadinmyarms.Ithought IcouldbutIcant.”
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Whatisthe‘fire’?
• Hardtoseehow.• Thebadguysalso carrythisfire.Humanity?
• Previouspoints.• “wearethegoodguysandwearecarryingthefire”Morality?
• Nevermentioned.• WhynotGod(whichismentioned)?Soul?
• TheboyisGod’sbreath.• TheTragedyofMan:weallcarrythesparkleofGodinus.
God?