The Meaning and Purpose of Life (paper 1 - 2.2)

Question 1

For Christians, what is the purpose of life?

Answer 1

• In Genesis it says that God created humans to ‘have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth’ (Genesis 1: 28), meaning that they are to be stewards of the Earth and take care of all living things.
  -The purpose of humans, according to Genesis is to ‘Go forth and multiply’(Genesis 1:28)which suggests that part of the human purpose is to have children.
• Jesus said that the purpose of human life was to go to Heaven and spend eternity with God. He said that to do this we must’Love God and love your neighbour as yourselves’(Luke 10:27).
• Many Christians believe that it is part of their purpose to proselytise (preach the word of God). In Matthew’s Gospel Jesus says’Go therefore and make disciples of all nations’(Matthew 28:19).

Question 2

Salvation and how to achieve it

Answer 2

• Many Christians believe that you have to have faith but also do good deeds in order to achieve salvation: ‘faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead’ James 2.
• Other Christians, however, believe that faith alone is what matters for salvation: ”For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.” Romans 3:28
• Christians believe that in order to achieve salvation for their sins and have eternal life with God in Heaven, they must believe in Jesus: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).
• Christians must also follow the teachings of Jesus to love God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself. Christ taught this through parables like the Good Samaritan and the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats.
• Christians believe that it is only by the grace of God that we can achieve salvation: “For it is by graceyou have been saved” Ephesians 2:8.
• Jesus said to deny yourself and take up your cross in order to follow him. This means that salvation may mean sacrificing other things for faith in Christ.
• Christians believe that in order to achieve salvation for their sins and have eternal life with God in Heaven, they must believe in Jesus: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).
• Christians must also follow the teachings of Jesus to love God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself. Christ taught this through parables like the Good Samaritan and the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats.
• Christians believe that it is only by the grace of God that we can achieve salvation: “For it is by graceyou have been saved” Ephesians 2:8.
• Jesus said to deny yourself and take up your cross in order to follow him. This means that salvation may mean sacrificing other things for faith in Christ

Question 3

Non-religious ideas about the meaning and purpose of life - Jeremy Bentham

Answer 3

• Hedonism: the pursuit of pleasure.
• Jeremy Bentham argued that we should always seek ‘the greatest good for the greatest number’, but he interpreted ‘good’ as pleasure. He thought that human beings are motivated to seek pleasure and avoid pain.
• He devised the hedonic calculus in order to calculate how to maximise pleasure for people

Question 4

Non-religious ideas about the meaning and purpose of life - Aristotle

Answer 4

• Aristotle believed that the purpose of life is to achieve ‘eudaimonia’. This means flourishing or happiness.
• In order to achieve this, Aristotle believed, you have to be virtuous. Happiness is not just about doing what you want, but about being a moral person and working for the good of your community.
• Examples of the virtues he described are courage and modesty

Question 5

Non-religious ideas about the meaning and purpose of life - Satre

Answer 5

• Sartrewas a philosopher who argued that there is no meaning or purpose to human life. Who we are and what we are like comes from the choices we make and how we live our lives. This is calledexistentialism.
• Sartre is famous for saying ‘existence precedes essence’ which means that you are the choices that you make

Question 6

Non-religious ideas about the meaning and purpose of life - Humanism

Answer 6

Humanism is a way of seeing and reacting to the world using science, logic and reason – and rejecting religious beliefs and ideas

Question 7

Q - ‘Questions about the meaning and purpose of life get in the way of living it to the full’

Answer 7

Agree:
- Bentham thinks that the meaning and purpose of life is to maximise pleasure, however, applying the hedonic calculus can get in the way of living life to the full.
- Aristotle idea of the meaning and purpose of life is to be virtuous, however, putting others before your yourself will get in the way of living life to the full.
Disagree:
- Having a goal based on what you think the meaning and purpose of life is, can motivate you to achieve something in life.
- From a Christian point of view, you should follow the teachings of Jesus about the meaning and purpose of life, e.g. to love thy neighbour, in order to live life to the full and to achieve salvation

Question 8

Q - ‘Questions about the meaning and purpose of life get in the way of making the world a better place’

Answer 8

Agree:
- Sartre believes in ultimate freedom on individuals. This might get in the way of making the world a better place because it leads to selfishness.
- For those Christians who believe that you only need faith to achieve salvation, this can lead to them not working to make the world a better place.
Disagree:
- Aristotle argued that in order to achieve eudaimonia and achieve your purpose in life you should be virtuous and work for the good of the community, therefore making the world a better place.
- Bentham said that the purpose of life was to work for ‘the greatest good for the greatest’ therefore making the world a better place

Question 9

Q - Explain how a person can achieve liberation

Answer 9

Liberation: Being set free from the cycle of rebirth.
- Hindus believe that the soul (atman) is reborn many times in a cycle of reincarnation or rebirth (samsara).
- To achieve Moksha and achieve liberation you need to build up good Karma, which are the positive actions in your life.
- You can build up good Karma but showing kindness and compassion. Ghandi said ‘be the change you want to see’.
- You can do this by fulfilling your dharma (duty). This helps you to be reborn into a higher Varna and eventually to achieve liberation from the cycle.