Finding Purpose: A Philosophical Journey

The Ultimate Question

Why are we here? What is the point of it all? Humans have asked these questions for millennia — and we're still searching for answers.

This isn't just abstract philosophy. How you answer the meaning question shapes how you live: your goals, your relationships, your response to suffering.

Perspectives on Meaning

Religious Answers

Most of humanity has found meaning through religion: serving God, achieving enlightenment, fulfilling divine purpose. We'll explore how different traditions answer the question.

Philosophical Answers

Existentialism: There is no inherent meaning — we must create our own.

Nihilism: There is no meaning, period. But is this liberating or devastating?

Absurdism: Life is meaningless, but we should embrace it anyway (Camus).

Scientific Perspectives

Evolution explains how we exist, not why. But some find meaning in cosmic significance — or insignificance.

Psychological Approaches

Viktor Frankl survived the Holocaust by finding meaning. Modern positive psychology studies what makes life feel worthwhile.

Your Own Answer

Ultimately, you must answer for yourself. These episodes provide frameworks, not prescriptions. The examined life includes examining this question.