Ethics †Meaning of life Essay

1. The Meaning of Life Connect your ideas on the essential meaning of life to the views of at least one philosopher. This philosopher can be someone whom we studied or can come from an outside source. You might connect your ideas in a harmonious or contradictory way. Utilize the academic resources aligned with this course to find a philosopher that coincides with or contradicts your own ideas. Your initial post should be at least 150 words in length. Support your claims with examples from this week’s required material(s) and/or other scholarly resources, and properly cite any references. Respond to at least two of your classmates’ posts by Day 7. What gives human life meaning? I think Immanuel Kant said it best when he asked the three question that make up what it is to be human. â€Å"What can I know? What ought I to do? What may I hope? † (Ch. 5. 4, Mosser) I think that it is what we do with our lives that make them worth living. The people’s lives that we touch and help are what give our own lives meaning. How should one act in the world once one realizes this meaning? One should follow the consequentialist theory. Meaning that one should make the choices that will bring about the most benefits to everyone not just one’s self. How do you know? I know by the feeling that is left after I help others. This feeling is what drives us to give, to help to reach out and continue helping others. Most of us do not enjoy the thought of others suffering, so it would make sense that they would enjoy seeing others happy. As they say happiness is contagious. References: Mosser, K. (2010). Philosophy: A Concise Intro. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc. After watching Relationship of Philosophy to Other Fields, reflect on the relationship of philosophy to your life in terms of your future education and career What value does philosophy have? I am getting my bachelors in health care administration, in laments terms I will be the lady to hand you forms and answer immediate question when you come into a hospital. Having philosophy in my life will actually help by enabling me to help patients when they come in, by being better able to answer their question. Example: A patients asks: Why is it taking so long? My response: I having taken philosophy can respond by giving them an answer that would eliminate all why questions and would help them feel a little more at ease with their wait. How can people benefit from thinking more philosophically? They can benefit by broadening their way of thinking, which in turns helps understand more and see things from a different point of view. How does philosophy affect ethical issues? Philosophy describes how humans should behave while ethics describes what is right and wrong and how we should respond to the situation. Unfortunately they do not always go hand in hand. What significance does thinking and reasoning critically play in society, and in human flourishing? Thinking’s is what brought about the wheel or electricity. It is those that stop and ask why not, these are the people that flourish in society. It is using your brain to understand things not just what you can see but also what you cannot.