Existentialism: The Philosophical Path to Living a Meaningful Life

Abstract

Paper Two: Philosophers Dialogue. The concept of a good life is centered on what surrounds us. When you ask me about a good life, I am obliged to center it on my hard work, what my teachers and family believe in, the government, and society at large. However, what a good life is is subject to contemplation, dilemma, and the deductive perspective researched by many philosophers relates it to morals and ethics. The question of a good life is imperative to human understanding and most probably attributed to an individual's inner life. Our ethics and morals contribute to the overall human well-being. Many difficulties stand in the way of moral decision-making, especially when justifying what is right or wrong. A good life is a moral issue, and every human strives to live a good life. However, there are different views on what a good life is, especially what is worth pursuing and improving. The philosophical questions on the moral issue of a good life are imperative to this dialogue and discussion. As humans, we seek the meaning of life in various things; some consider religion, politics, and others changing other people's lives. Various philosophers have used theories to ascertain a good life, with various views gracing their sentiments. Sartre, a prolific philosopher, provides a substantial analysis of the existential theory to explain the ethics of living a good life. According to (Sartre 155), Sartre believes that human freedom emanated from human consciousness. Existentialists have an interesting perception of living a good life, and their assertions are convincing. They are obsessed with harnessing how individuals choose how to live their good life. Our life choices are attributed to the power we have and the things we have deliberate control leading to infinite choices. Existentialism revolves around the belief that we create ourselves. We allow the influence of external factors to encroach on our lives. The belief that fighting for life is living a good life drives the existentialists. This philosopher’s dialogue will contrast the existentialist theory and three theories, including the Divine Command Theory, Relativism, and the Natural Law theory. The Existentialist theory is the best theory on ethics because it provides the meaning of life from a personal perspective, alleging that our intuitions and choices define the fate of our lives and that we create happiness in our lives propels us to soldier on and fight for life. As I sit down and think, it’s in my intuition that there is something in me that was put that gives me the power to live a good life created before I was born. I believe in the existentialist theory that life has no meaning beyond what I give it. An interesting story emanates in my mind on the context of living a good life based on the various theories. My friend, Nadia, was in a dilemma of having an abortion. Aborting is against God’s moral authority, the natural law which regards killing as a heinous act, and against the societal culture, norms, and beliefs. Nadia was bold and believed in creating her own life. "You know what, friend," she told me. I am an existentialist; my choice to do an abortion is personal, and I owe no discussion about it. It was a done deal. Then, we decided to tackle the various theories on the morality of living a good life. We both supported existentialism. I was a critic of other theories in contrast while she expounded on existentialism. Existentialist Theory: “As existentialists, we never give up," She shouted. We assert that human freedom arises from self-consciousness. This is what we believe in and has always been a personal choice. On Diven Law Theory: Philosophers have defended ethics grounded on divinity and a theistic framework in the past. The Divine Command Theory bases its assertion that God institutes moral obligation. The meaning of life is justified by what God requires and purports everyone to live for. Existentialist: As an existentialist, ancient religious scriptures cannot solve the complexities that arise in modern society and the ethical dilemmas. Thousands of religions exist worldwide, and each religion has its set of morals. This makes it difficult to make decisions on what a good life entails. As an existentialist, I believe that religion significantly impacts morality, but you don’t have to belong to a religion to have morals. What is right or wrong is present in our consciousness, and as humans, we exist first and create the essence of life. The Fate of what God commands us t do is absurd; we determine ourselves as either sinners or saints. On Divinity Law: I believe The Divine Command Theory is flawed. Based on our assertions on the Christian Bible, we see a lot of controversies regarding morality. The issue of marriage is very controversial. King Solomon had several wives and concubines yet was considered a hero in the church setting. Despite repenting and forgiveness, it doesn't provide specific moral guidance to society today. The morality concerning marriage cannot be fully referenced in the Bible. Existentialist: Very true, existentialists understand themselves; they choose what is right or wrong based on their essence of life. How can...