Essay/Term paper: Question of being

Essay, term paper, research paper:  College Papers

Many events were unexplainable and maybe even seemed to be magical before
science evolved to what it is today. All questions relating to the origin
of life can be answered scientifically. The creation of the universe and
all events since can be explained. One may question their beliefs based
on scientific theory. Human life can even be broken down to fundamental
theory. Not only geological or biological, but all events can be answered
scientifically.
One^Òs belief in a god or a higher being may help in dealing with the rigors
of life and create a sense of security. All base their lives on some sort
of belief. This belief however is different for everyone. The actions of a
religious person stem from their belief in a god. A person may act morally
and responsibly in hopes that they will receive good judgement upon
departure from this earth. No one can say for certain if there is a heaven
or a hell, but obviously a religious person would rather not go to the later
of the two. This is not to say, that one whom does not believe in a god
does not act morally or responsibly. An atheist^Òs actions do not stem from
the fear of judgement from god but rather from the judgement of society.
Religious and non-religious people alike will most likely base their actions
on their conception of the highest ethical good.
I consider myself to be sort of an existentialist. This encompasses the
scope of individual existence and individual freedom. Life, I believe is
based in its entirety on one goal that is different for everyone. Two
things are ultimately correct, the certainty of death and the
meaninglessness of one^Òs life. Once a person determines his goal, he must
pursue it with a white-hot passion in order for happiness to be obtained.
Camus^Ò theory of the ^Óabsurd^Ô is a belief, which I hold very
highly. This theory explains that one will spend every moment of his life
chasing the same goal, which he has set for himself, and that life is in
fact monotonous. In this monotony happiness is reached but can also be
questioned upon the realization of life^Òs meaningless pursuit of one goal.
At moments in everyone^Òs life, they will suddenly become aware of life^Òs
absurdity. To one, life may seem meaningless, but looking at the ^Óbig
picture^Ô life is insignificant. While suffering the knowledge that one^Òs
life is meaningless and entirely monotonous, one must find happiness in
life. This quote from The Myth of Sisyphus by Camus may help to explain how
happiness and the absurd must go hand in hand. ^ÓHappiness and the absurd
are two children of the same earth, they are inseparable.^Ô If happiness can
not be found in one^Òs life then it is not worth living.
If one feels they are not subject to the judgement of god, I can only hope
that in their pursuit of happiness they feel the judgement of society.
Sadly but truly, there are those among us who feel no moral responsibility.
I am uncertain, as is everyone, to what the afterlife will hold. There may
be a heaven and a hell, but there is no concrete evidence supporting this.
As is there no evidence supporting the belief that there is no afterlife.
Quite a few people wish to live forever and in doing this adopt the idea of
the afterlife. Camus believed that, ^ÓMen are never really willing to die
except for the sake of freedom: therefore they do not believe in dying
completely.^Ô I believe many people live with the hope that they will die
physically, they will spiritually live forever in the kingdom of heaven.
Many live their lives in anticipation of an afterlife, which after all may
not exist. The goal, which these people have set for themselves, includes
spending an eternity in heaven. Some may ask if in fact, these lives were
wasted in pursuit of an afterlife, which may only be fictional. I believe
that one^Òs life is not wasted if he has found happiness. John Paul Sartre
once said, ^ÓOne is still what one is going to cease to be and already what
one is going to become. One lives one^Òs death, one dies one^Òs life.^Ô I don
^Òt think it is very intelligent to live your life in anticipation of your
death.
I live my life trying to obtain a goal. Day in and day out I chase after
this same goal. realizing my life is globally meaningless and monotonous, I
find happiness in the hope that one day my goal will be reached.
Personally, I do not believe in the afterlife, but I do not deny that it
could exist. My actions are made with the judgement of society in mind and,
therefore, are moral and responsible according to the expectations of modern
society. I have found happiness in my life and I feel complete. I do not
wish to live forever, but rather I accept that one day I must die, both
physically and spiritually. My life is not based on the prerequisites set
forth by any religion, but rather in obtaining my own personal goal. I will
be able to leave this world happily knowing that I struggled for the same
goal endlessly.