1.Mr. Kevezai Tureng made a detailed presentation on the topic “The Meaning of Life”.
2. Ms. Tiarenla Aier, HOD, Department of Philosophy, moderated the seminar.
3. Basing on the question of whether life has a meaning, the presenter highlighted to answer from four perspectives:
i. The Ancient Theistic Way
* Albert Camus spoke on suicide. According to him when death enters their lives, people often ask questions about the worth of living.
* Leo Tolstoy did his reflection of life and severe depression affected him. Ultimately he got
the meaning in life.
* Michealangelo says God created Adam and He has a meaning in creating Adam.
* Thomas Aquinas argues that everything has a purpose so the ultimate purpose of man is to know God.
The Theistic has the notion that human being should never be treated as a means but as an end.
ii. The Human Progress in History.
Hegel and Marx proposed that we have to work towards the freedom of people. If we contribute towards freedom of people then we are leaving a meaningful life and serve its purpose.
iii. The Nihilist concept:-
The Nihilist says life has no meaning and intrinsic value.
• Schopenhauer clams life is full of suffering and proves the emptiness of existence.
• Richart Taylor said life is a meaningless repetition of pointless activity.
iv. Subjective aspect (Self chosen commitment)
• R.M. Hare says that life chose that matters to her.
• Soren Kierkeegard says that we need to choose aesthetic, ethical or religious life.
CRITICISMS
How can we distinguish between Artificial Intelligence and a human?
There might be misinterpretation of goals. Human instructions given to super intelligent AI might be misinterpreted.
4. The presenter concluded that we all are Nihilist in a way that life has no meaning because it is just a repetition of daily routine.