Essay Sample about Philosophy

📌Category: Philosophy
📌Words: 1027
📌Pages: 4
📌Published: 13 April 2022

What is your life worth? Philosophy, the meaning of life and all that it entails, differentiates between individuals and their personal beliefs. Philosophers, for centuries, have dissected our minds to study how we act with what we know about the way of the world. To sum up and to quote ancient philosopher, Bertrand Russell, “the value of philosophy is, in fact, to be sought largely in its very uncertainty” (Krasemann 88). Because of this uncertainty, when traumatic and painful situations occur in our lives, many of us question why those things happen. Without having a definitive answer to this question, it can be hard to accept that our times of suffering can have any meaning. Although, the argument can be made that during these times we can mature mentally with the way we choose to process our experiences. Learning to take control over our emotions, especially in difficult situations, will allow us to live a happier and more fulfilling life. Although, the choice to do so is completely up to the individual. In agreement with existentialist psychologist, Rollo May (1909-1994), “freedom is man’s capacity to take a hand in his own development. It is our capacity to mold ourselves” (Krasemann 579).

Dealing with emotionally challenging scenarios throughout our lives is not ideal, because never having to deal with sadness or anger, for example, would be preferred. Ancient Greek philosopher, Epicurus (341-270 BC), promoted a hedonistic ideology that focuses on examining the entirety of a life. One is considered to have lived a successful life based solely off the amount of pleasure that person had experienced. In comparison, the amount of pain and harm experienced in life reduces the probability of overall success (Dimmock and Fisher 11). While this philosophy is logical, the way the individual responds to the pain experienced in their life could significantly add to the quality of their life over time. Though difficult life experiences do not bring pleasure at the moment, the opportunity for growth as an individual is presented. We must make the choice to respond according to how we want our life to end. We have the power to develop our life into the one we want to live, but we also have the option to take our lives away. Epicurus does not consider death harmful as he perceives nonexistence after life (Broome 50). Considering death from a hedonistic point of view, the longer one lives, the chances of experiencing pain become greater. John Broome proposes the question, “what is the benefit to you of continuing to live?” (50). In order to make the choice to exist, we must be motivated by an internal force to do so. 

The power is inside each of us through our individual freedom to choose to be authentic and true to who we want to be. “Freedom means the liberty to choose, to design one’s own future, in spite of limitations” (Hersen et al. 197). These limitations are referred to as daimon, which translates to “demon” (Hersen et al. 197). These demons are external forces, such as anger and power, that have the capability to prevent us from achieving our freedom. Being consumed by negativity has the ability to control our life. Existentialist philosopher, Yalom (1980), describes freedom as “having the ability to author ones world, to create a design to the lived experience, and to have the ability to make choices and be held accountable for the choices made” (Irby and Henriksen 475). With the actions we decide to take and the way we choose to mentally process situations that occur in our lives, we can design our own nature of living. There will be negative forces that can prolong this achievement, but with the right mentality and focus on the end goal, it is possible.

Austrian neurologist, psychiatrist and philosopher, Viktor Frankl, was the founder of logotherapy. This therapeutic approach encourages the individual to find meaning in their life. He used the phrase, “existential vacuum,” to describe the twentieth-century phenomenon of people who struggle with emptiness and the inability to find meaning in their life. He describes, “material things, pleasure, sex, power, or busy work” as coping strategies people turn to when they struggle with finding a purpose in their life ((Hersen et al. 196). Although, the existential vacuum is not necessarily as bad as it sounds. Recognizing these feelings can inspire the individual to change their life. A significant change to one’s life is generally triggered by experiencing emotional pain. Frankl states, “if there is a meaning in life at all, then there must be a meaning in suffering. Suffering is an ineradicable part of life, even as fate and death’ (p.88)” (Hersen et al. 196). Suffering is something we all experience and will continue to experience. Although, with looking at every life experience as an opportunity to learn, we will continuously grow with ourselves. 

In Buddhist culture, the embracing of life and all that it entails is referred to as sukha. It is defined as “an exceptionally healthy state of mind that underlies and suffuses all emotional states and embraces all the joys and sorrows that come one’s way” (Ricard 14). Over time and with a lot practice, we can all achieve authentic happiness. In order to do so, we must recognize how we feel when we experience different emotions, especially negative ones. If we do not like how certain emotions make us feel, then we can always look to find a new meaning with that emotion. Individually, we are unique from one another. Based off our different experiences throughout life, we all go through a transformation process. Buddhism refers to enlightenment as “the state of ultimate freedom that comes with a perfect knowledge of the nature of mind and of the world of phenomena” (Ricard 26). Each of us has the power to control our emotional reactions. We can choose to not response negatively to painful situations. We have the capability to examine the emotion and accept it, rather than let it control our lives. 

The way our minds are designed is fascinating. Beginning from birth, all the way to our inevitable death, we are constantly learning. The different events that we experience over the course of our lives change the way we perceive the world. From that perception, we choose our mentality, which results in of the kind of life we live. We have the power to choose how we want to live by making the decision to have control. We have the power to control the way our minds react to certain situations. To make the decision to take hand in your own development, you will have the capacity to mold yourself into whomever you want to be.

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