From: exukjb@exu.ericsson.se (ken bell)
Newsgroups: sci.philosophy.meta
Subject: Re: The search for Truth and the Good
Date: 14 Oct 92 20:33:19 GMT
Organization: Ericsson Network Systems, Inc.
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              The opinions expressed are strictly those of the
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Mark J Stuhlmiller) writes..

What is the purpose of being alive? Is there one at all? If so, whose? Or 
What's? Lets get the basic premises right before we argue over details.

[kenny's stuff deleted]

Kenny, thank you for your response.  I am quite sure that you realized
your argument is circular, and believe me I have taken your argument into 
consideration.  However, the meaning of life being a life with meaning just
doesn't seem to fly until you add profundity to it.  More simply stated, 
just what would make one's life 'significant' and/or 'meaningful?'

Kenny:

1. Circularity does not necessarily defeat a philosophical thesis, only
   a demonstration of vicious circularity can do that.  

2. Are you saying my initial starter [which is all they were meant to be]
   statements fly if I "add profundity to" bare meaning or significance?
   I guess so. I'll expatiate on that point later. What I was aiming at
   was getting the initial premises or line of approach to the question
   down first, as you suggested: we can worry about the details later.

But let me shore it up a bit. The meaning/purpose of life is to attain
the highest good one is capable of.

Mark Continues:
One last question, why does the absence of "God" make this quest any
more advantageous? 

Kenny:
I forgot that I was posting in alt.philosophy.misc instead of alt.
atheism, and I wanted to provide a starting line of approach that
could be developed in a religiously neutral way. This can be changed.

Mark Continues:
I appreciate your help, but I would be much more appreciative if you
were to respond without a 'quip,' because I think you might prove to be an
asset in this insight if you put your mind (and love of wisdom) to it.

Kenny:

This mild flame directed at my qippiness is well taken. It was motivated
by my desire, when I discuss this question with people, to get at a short
but plausible answer, avoiding undue ponderosity. The question has the 
appearance of being a deep and portentous query--and I'm not saying it
isn't important, though I suspect many people, and some of them 
noteworthy philosophers, get started wrong on this question by failing
to ask what the question itself means.

Mark's ending query:
Summary: What would make one's life 'significant' and/or 'meaningful?'
The gadfly of New Haven..

Assuming we're ready to pick up the details of my answer, here we go.

Achievement of a meaningful life=appropriation of the highest human good.

I'm going to assume, without argument, that this is roughly true. I hope
you won't be difficult about this, or pin me down in my use of the "highest 
good" <summon bonum> language of traditional philosophy. What then is our
highest good?

My approach to that question is as to ask: What is permanent or lasting in
our experience? What values or condition could you achieve which would be 
inalienable?  It is often said, "You can't take your money with you when 
you die."  Very well, what *could* you take with you, and why? Answering
this will help us, perhaps, to identify the real values.  I group them
roughly as follows:

	(A) Character - development, or consciousness, of a will
	    which wills only the good.
	(B) Relationships with other persons.
	(C) Unlimited Aims & Purposes -- pursuit of a "cause" extending 
	    beyond some narrow finite interest.

I'll stop there and wait for your assessment of where this might be taking 
us.
//////////////////////////////////////
/* Kenny  *   Welcome to Mind Wars! */
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Newsgroups: sci.philosophy.meta