The Existential Question Of The Meaning Of Life
This essay will discuss and evaluate the questions raised by the quote, “Perhaps you have had the thought that nothing really matters, because in two hundred years we’ll all be dead”, written by Thomas Nagel in Oxford University Press, 1987. This quote suggests that every individual’s life is meaningless, in a sense that nothing matters and that we will all die eventually, leaving us with nothing of value. Furthermore, this essay will discuss the various existential questions raised by Thomas Nagel’s quote.
The existential question, “Is there a meaning with life?” is questioned in the quote. The quotes argues that there is no meaning with life, and justifies this argument by explaining that the human race will be eliminated within 200 years. Nobody will ever know we existed. Nobody will ever care about what YOU did. With this quote, Thomas Nagel indirectly presents one of the most widely used argument, that there is no higher power other than ourselves, there is not an all mighty god. Therefore, the content creates vast disagreements among the society due to different religious aspects and culturally raised beliefs. An atheist, for instance, may not act in relation to an all mighty God, as this person does not believe in a life after death. However, from a Christian view, there is belief in a spiritual journey beyond death. This may justify the counter thought, “that everything matters, life matters, because in two hundred years there will be decided whether one should be sent to heaven. ” It is now possible to break down the wide question of whether there is a meaning with our lives, into a microscopic point of view. There is indirectly questioned, “Does God exist, how did he create the world?”
This question is relevant in the understanding of the meaning of life. If there is a god, then there has to be a reason behind his creation? If there is no God, why were the human race then created? These questions are related to the world around us, but also the creation of the universe. By analyzing the universe that has been created beyond this small planet, there is created two opposing justified claims. The first claim is brought by the scientific world, which with increasing ability to show evidence, argue that the universe was created by the Big Bang. These evidences, including background noises and waves from the Big Bang for instance, are valuable points to mention when arguing that there is no god, as he did not create the universe. However, the universe created itself due to laws regarding physics of motion and forces.
On the other hand, when some people consider the world, and more specifically the universe outside own planet, the only reliable explanation for the mind-blowing scenery is that an intelligent force carefully has designed said scenery. This opinion is considered a cultural or religious perspective, and is not backed by proved evidence but justified reasoning. The reasoning brought by this perspective, that there is a god, is the one of the most widely used reason to back up the claim that our lives has a meaning beyond death. Nagel seems very certain in his claim due to the tone of the quote. It does not question the reader as it does not include a question mark, therefore, the claim can be reflected upon as a certain opinion, brought by Thomas Nagel. He supports that there is no meaning with life as he says in two hundred years we’ll all be dead. It can be interpreted that he means that there is nothing after death, except for death, which indirectly says that there is no god.
Furthermore, he indirectly says that our world could not have been raised by anything but a massive coincidence. However, how certain is this idea? What supports this claim ? It is with careful consideration important to include one opposing claim brought by Thomas Aquinas, that nothing could have appeared randomly. How were our perfectly intellectual bodies created without a single mistake? It is said that this is due to time, evolution. However, the thought of an intellectual being beyond this world, created the earth is not considered justified. It is interesting to consider the scientific point of view, that there is not a meaning of life. So, how did every little piece fall into place, every coincidence match with the next one, to create us? Me and you. Sitting in this extraordinary world. How is that possible? If we were created due to an infinite order of coincident, there must be a meaning with our lives, right? However, we have never questioned how many times the creation of human lives have not worked out. There is a concept that will never be understood by humans intellectual brain, infinity.
The universe is infinite, and so is time. There could be a case that the creation of the universe has taken place infinite times, before we ‘showed up’. If we imagine Tellus, the earth we are standing at, at the exact moment. If we create a ratio between the universe, including a numerous of other universes, the earth is so small it is practically considered nothing. So how can everyone’s life be considered anything of value when we in practically only exist for ourselves?
