The Meaning of Life

Thank you for your opening statement. I will then begin by arguing the existence of any meaning of life. Before I do, I would like to point out that I do not profess to know everything regarding this topic (hence the reason for why I want to learn from this debate), nor will I play the "Bible-thumper" to prove the existence of any meaning of life. I will also say that I will adhere to the formatting established before and refrain from offering a rebuttal to my opponent's claim in this round. Now, my opening statement:The Existence of a meanig for lifeOne cannot doubt that people seek and have sought meanings for their existences. Consider the famous question posed by Shakespeare through Hamlet's' soliloquy in his work, "The Tragety of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark:" "to be or not to be? [1]" Hamlet questioned whether it is worthwhile "to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune" or "to take arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing end them? To die: to sleep." Such is the question many people ask about their lives because pain and suffering is a reality. Elizabeth Bishop wrote of the fact that humans lose things and turned it into an art in her poem "One Art. [2]" World War 1, World War 2, the Inquisition, human and property damage from natural disaters and even the everyday lives of people and animals are all examples of pain and suffering. To name a few demographics of people that question the point of living on this planet, religious people ask "why," secular people ask "why," even the average joe asks "why."Many people attempt to provide a reason for and give a meaning to living, though as I have said before, the answer may be unique to each person. Consider a child (I'll call the child Timmy) who perhaps stated that he wanted to be a fireman. Later on in his junior year in high school, Timmy decides to formulate a pragmatic plan with which he could use to pursue a living in the medical field. At both instances, Timmy sets a goal with which he can use to make something out of his life; goals, by default, make the processes of one's own life meaningful in climbing the ladder of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs [3]. After all, Maslow argues in his paper, "A Theory of Human Modivation," that humans must satisfy one's own basic needs before pursuing the next need. [4]Lastly, I want you to consider the lasting impact one's own life has on the course of events and on the lives of others. Many people spoke of the power of what a person does with his or her life:"Who doth right deeds is twice born, and who doeth ill deeds vile.” -Edwin Arnold “To be nameless in worthy deeds, exceeds an infamous history.” -Sir Thomas Browne“'Tis not what man Does which exalts him, but what man Would do.” -Robert Browning“Little deeds of kindness, little words of love, Make our earth an Eden like the heaven above.” -Julia A. Fletcher Carney“Men pass away, but their deeds abide.” -Augustin-Louis CauchyThis alone proves my point that life has meaning. A meaning for life as a psychologically beneficial mechanismProviding a meaning for life provides a sense of direction and comfort knowing that life is not just the state of existing. Since a meaning to one's own life is generated in the process of setting goals, setting goals provides a motivation for improvement, a system with which one can measure progress and even a way to make decision-making easier. [5] After all, a pet cat (I'll use mine as an example) within the care of a good owner is content with its place as a pet and can thus easily conduct its daily life; it only has to concern itself with eating, sleeping and receiving attention.I will refrain from elaborating on how having a meaning for life is not distructive in the process of making decisions until my opponent offers a rebuttal.Sources1: http://www.nosweatshakespeare.com... (the soliloquy itself)2: http://www.poets.org...3: http://www.simplypsychology.org... 4: http://www.altruists.org... 5: http://www.livestrong.com...