Exploring the Meaning of Life through Existentialism: A Philosophical Argument

Abstract

[Name] [Instructor Name] Philosophy 1301 October 15, 2023 Pick a philosophical argument relevant to the topic you would like to write on. Explain the argument in depth, giving the best possible case you can for it’s reliability. Provide at least 1 possible counter argument Provide an assessment, backed by evidence you have presented, as to whether or not the argument you will focus on is trustworthy A philosophical argument relevant to the topic of the meaning of life and could be brought up would be existentialism. Existentialism is an ideology that determines that individuals are born with a freedom of no initial purpose which as a result allows them to have a free will to make choices in order to determine what their purpose is. This argument claims that we as individuals have the freedom to do whatever our heart desires. Because of this, the value of freedom is elevated but it also comes as a burden to individuals. This is because although individuals have ultimate freedom, they have a responsibility of using that freedom in order to live a happy fulfilling life, which means that no matter what an individual does with themselves, whether they become successful or waste their life, the direction of their life falls completely on them. This argument is reliable as it contains the basic components required to make sense of its theory on the lives of people. Some basic components include authenticity, responsibility towards oneself in a meaningless life, an emphasis on the life experience of an individual, and it addresses the question of purpose within a individual. There are multiple different counter arguments that go against the idea of existentialism such as essentialism. Essentialism is a concept that claims that humans have preset attributes and qualities within themselves that cannot be changed. While...