YPHI Culture, Value and the Meaning of Life Lecture #1 Joe Lau 14 th Sept 2005

Course web site Course coordinator – Joe Lau (philosophy) Information and course material Please visit the web site for This PowerPoint file This PowerPoint file Announcements Announcements Course schedule Course schedule Information about film show and yoga session. Link to bulletin board Link to bulletin board

Assessment Portfolio (50%) In-class test on 7 Dec (50%) Short essay questions about the lectures. Short essay questions about the lectures. NO makeup test. DO NOT take this course if you cannot attend the test. NO makeup test. DO NOT take this course if you cannot attend the test. No tutorials Use the course bulletin board for questions. Use the course bulletin board for questions. You can me for appointments. You can me for appointments.

A popular answer “The meaning of life is to search for the meaning of life.” Circular No real explanation of “meaning of life”. No real explanation of “meaning of life”. X = the search for X X = the search for X A more charitable interpretation. The process is important. OK if you do not know the answer. The process is important. OK if you do not know the answer.

Two interpretations Meaning = purpose What is the meaning of life = What is the purpose of life? What is the meaning of life = What is the purpose of life? Meaning = value A meaningful life = A valuable life A meaningful life = A valuable life “Nelson Mandela’s life is very meaningful.” “Nelson Mandela’s life is very meaningful.”

Purpose = Value A valuable life can serve many different purposes. A purposeful life might not be very valuable.

What is “the” meaning of life? Whose purpose? Question #1 - Purpose of the creator? Question #1 - Purpose of the creator? Question #2 - Purpose of the subject? Question #2 - Purpose of the subject? Question #1 : Is life created for a purpose? If no creator, no pre-defined purpose. If no creator, no pre-defined purpose. Doesn’t really matter whether life has a pre-defined purpose, because … Doesn’t really matter whether life has a pre-defined purpose, because …

We should not fulfill “the” purpose of life if it is not a valuable purpose.

The most important question IS NOT What is THE meaning of life? What is THE meaning of life? IT IS How to live a valuable (meaningful) life? How to live a valuable (meaningful) life?

Some typical answers What makes a life meaningful? “Following God.” “Following God.” What makes a life meaningful? “Being happy.”

Happiness Should we be concerned with OUR OWN happiness or should we also care about OTHER PEOPLE's happiness? Justice and fairness should be a constraint on our pursuit of happiness. Justice and fairness should be a constraint on our pursuit of happiness. We should also actively make other people happy. We should also actively make other people happy.

Sense of justice We should not pursue our own happiness without regard to other people.

Making other people happy What people say on their deathbeds: “I should have spent more time with my friends and family.” But not “I should have spent more time in my office.”

Not this either … “ I should have spent more time making rich people richer. ” $$

A typical story - Professor Sydney Chung 鍾尚志說，去年 10 月疫潮過 後，懷着大難不死、有點想 避世的心情，到過裴濟、東 帝汶和巴布亞新畿內亞等仍 有獵頭族居住的落後地區當 義工，令他重新頓悟生命的 意義，「人活着除了金錢之 外，還有其他令人滿足的事 和夢想等着我們去幹」。

Reminder Think very carefully about what a valuable life is for you. Don’t wait until it is too late!