God, Death, and the Meaning of Life (part 3)

IV. What is the meaning of life?

Assuming that God exists and that we will survive our deaths, what then is the meaning of life? Should God’s existence and the possibility of an afterlife affect how we live? The second question can be answered without hesitation: yes. God’s existence and the possibility of an afterlife clearly matters in determining what sort of “world-view” (i.e. perspective on life) we adopt. This, however, brings us to the first question, which is rather more difficult to answer.

To truly answer that question, two things must first be established. The first is that there are two types of meaning: objective meaning and subjective meaning. Objective meaning is meaning that is universal and always true regardless of circumstances. In that sense, it cannot be dependent upon human subjective evaluation, and thus must be either inherent to the universe, or dependent upon some external agency other than human evaluation. Subjective meaning, on the other hand, is totally dependent upon human evaluation. Subjective meaning is meaning that is we determine for ourselves, or in other words, it is we who assign value and meaning to that particular object or action. Secondly, we must also establish the definition of meaning. What does it mean to say that something is meaningful? I believe that something that is meaningful is something that has value and is worthwhile. But more than that, anything meaningful must also fulfill a higher, lasting purpose. It can be a means to an end or an end in itself, but that end must achieve something of significance beyond the present. That is what meaning means to me.

With that it mind, what can be said about the meaning of life? Assuming the existence of God and the afterlife, I believe that meaning in life must be grounded in religion. This is because I believe that it is only in God that something can be objectively meaningful, as it does not seem possible for me that objective meaning can be found inherent in a universe that science has shown to be impersonal and indifferent. Since religion deals with the purposes and “will” of God, I believe that it is only through religion that we can find objective meaning in life. As such, those meaningful things must revolve around things that last beyond the life we live on earth, or in other words, that meaningful things and worthwhile pursuits are those that have or potentially have significance in the existence beyond this one. From my perspective, this involves the development of one’s character. For in a way, the only thing in which we can bring into the life beyond this one is ourselves. Thus, meaningful pursuits are those that develop one’s character in one way or another, such as in establishing relationships that develop kindness, courage, honesty, and love with other people. Also, I believe that the development of one’s character involves the development of one’s talents and gifts, as that would lead to a flourishing of one’s character. As for obedience to an objective moral code (such as those found in religion), I believe that that is also essential for the development of one’s character, for it seems obvious that good acts build one’s character whereas evil acts tear it down. There is thus a clear answer and reason for the question “Why be moral?” In short, I believe that the existence of God and the possibility of an afterlife mean that there is objective meaning in the development of one’s character and adherence to moral law, and thus what separates a meaningful life from one which lacks meaning is the extent to which the individual has developed his or her character.

Furthermore, I also believe that one who disagrees with my positions on God and the afterlife cannot give an adequate account of the meaning of life. Without God, one is condemned to search for meaning within a universe that is utterly impersonal and indifferent to the needs and wants of the individual. Without God, I do not believe that one can give a good reason for morality in the absence of true justice. Also, without the possibility of an afterlife, I believe that one would be forced to accept that life is, in the end, pointless, because everything physical must eventually come to an end. In short, I believe that without God and the possibility of an afterlife, one would be forced to accept cosmological pessimism (which states that nothing is meaningful).

There are, nonetheless, a number of worthwhile objections that can be raised against my argument. The strongest of these, in my opinion, claim that life can be subjectively meaningful. Although supporters of this objection agree that a universe without God is devoid of any objective meaning, they contend that by assigning value to different things, we can forge our own meaning and live meaningful lives. Through subjective evaluation, man can give color and light to an otherwise neutral universe and thus find life worthwhile. In that way, transient things such as knowledge, art, love, and work can greatly enrich one’s life and thus make it meaningful. In short, the objection claims that there is no need for a God or an afterlife to make life meaningful, for little things such as a beautiful song or a loving touch is sufficient to make life worthwhile and joyful.

To its credit, I believe that the objection successfully establishes that one can find subjective meaning in life, and this is not insignificant. Ultimately, however, I believe that subjective meaning cannot give true meaning to life because it will still ultimately fade away. In the physical world, in the future (say one hundred million years from now) it will eventually be as if one had never existed regardless of how significant the things we find subjectively meaningful (such as love) seem to us now. Thus, subjectively meaningful things to me lack the lasting significance for true meaning if God and the afterlife do not exist.

In conclusion, I believe that the true meaning of life is found in the objective meaning that only God can provide. The meaning of life is therefore inextricably linked with the existence of God and the afterlife, and can be found in the development of one’s character in preparation for the afterlife.

V. Conclusion

To sum up, I believe that I have provided a sufficient explanation as to why I believe that God exists, why I believe that it is possible to exist after death, and why the meaning of life can be found in the development of one’s character. I nonetheless have to concede that my arguments fall largely to personal opinion and are thus non-conclusive. As such, I continue to believe that a measure of faith is needed, for if all the mysteries of the universe were revealed, life would be a boring place indeed.

References

1. Craig, William Lane. “The Kalam Cosmological Argument.” Philosophy of Religion: Selected Readings. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007.

2. Edwards, Paul. “Introduction: The Objections to Materialism.” Immortality. New York: Prometheus Books, 1997.

3. Edwards, Paul. “The dependence of consciousness on the brain.” Immortality. New York: Prometheus Books, 1997.

4. Jackson, Frank. “Perception: A Representative Theory.” Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1977.

5. Mackie, J.L. “Critique of the Cosmological Argument.” Philosophy of Religion: Selected Readings. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007.

6. Nagel, Thomas. “The View From Nowhere.” New York: Oxford University Press, 1986.

7. Reichenbach, Bruce. “Cosmological Argument.” September 2004, http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/cosmological-argument/#3.4

8. Reichenbach, Bruce. “The Cosmological Argument.” Philosophy of Religion: Selected Readings. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007.

9. Smith, Quentin. “A Defense of a Principle of Sufficient Reason.” Metaphilosophy. Vol. 26, No. 1 & 2 (1995): 97-106.

10. Klemke, E.D. "Leaving without Appeal: An affirmative philosophy for life." The Meaning of Life. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007.