PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION W E E K 1 0 D A Y 1 : M E A N I N G O F L I F E

PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION W E E K 1 0 D A Y 1 : M E A N I N G O F L I F E

CHARACTERS (REFERENCE) Joe Main DeDe Joe s Coworker Mr. Waturi Joe s Boss Mr. Graynamore Old man that offers Joe new job Marshall Limousine Driver Angelica Mr. Graynamore s daughter that picks Joe up from airport. Patricia Mr. Graynamore s other duaghter. *HINT: Each character is dealing with the problem of the meaning of life in different ways.

FINAL ESSAY ASSIGNMENT 2-4 PGS, 12-PT FONT, DOUBLE SPACED, BY EMAIL 1. What does it mean to feel that life is meaningless? What might make somebody feel this way? Refer to ideas from the philosophers discussed in class, personal experience, or the film Joe vs. The Volcano. (10pts) 2. Explain the solutions to the meaninglessness of life as expressed by Paley, Nietzsche, and Tolstoy (be sure to provide at least one quote per philosopher from the readings in your response). How are each of these perspectives explored in the film Joe vs. The Volcano? (15 pts) 3. Which of the solutions you wrote about in #2 does the film seem to most agree with and why? (5pts) 4. Is religion necessary for living a meaningful life? Be sure to provide reasons for your answer. (10 pts)

MEANINGLESSNESS Stuck in a Meaningless Life : Feeling that your life is insignificant. Have nothing to live for. Nothing seems important. Repetitive behavior with no purpose. Feeling trapped in boredom, sadness, or other. Don t know who you are or who you are supposed to be. World feels bland, dark, colorless. Something feels wrong. What examples of this do you see in the film? What is often the biggest problem in taking a step beyond a meaningless life and into a meaningful one? Fear

SUMMARY OF ANSWERS Paley: The meaning of life is given by God. To do His will. Nietzche: Meaning of life is to realize your full greatness. Break free of fear and group think and become noble.

FILM SCREENING (min 47-54) Two Troubled People > Setting Sail

THE ANSWER? Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) German Philosopher, Poet It s About Living a Noble Life. Solutions to feeling Stuck in a Meaningless Life : Realize you have been conditioned, through fear, to be a good slave. Your purpose is to break free and attain a noble mentality. You are meant for greatness. You are suppose to a fully realized human being who lives up to your potentials. The Problem: Waking up to this idea. Realizing this is our human condition. Overcoming the conditioned fear. How do I go for greatness if I ve never done it before? What s the key idea in Nietzsche s philosophy? Why would this work? Take responsibility for your own sense of purpose and meaning. Don t rely on someone or something else to give it to you. How are these ideas explored in the movie thus far?

THE ANSWER? Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) Russian Writer It s About Making a Leap of Faith Famous Russian Author: War and Peace, Anna Karenina, etc. Had it all: Loved, respected, healthy, very wealthy, famous, influential At the height of his status, he began to question the meaning of life. Tolstoy s Dilemmas: Science can explain how life came to be, but not why. Life s pleasures are trivial. Found they lacked meaning for him. If no God or no afterlife exists, he felt no meaning in his life. Therefore, life is a stupid trick lacking in meaning and purpose.

How did Tolstoy feel? Eastern Fable (pg 65)

THE ANSWER? Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) Russian Writer It s About Making a Leap of Faith Tolstoy s Year Agonizing Over Suicide Four Options: 1. Living in ignorance of the problem. Many people don t see the dragon or the mice, but I have seen them. You can t unsee what you ve seen. 2. Admitting the problem and trying to maximize their pleasure. Some lack imagination and immerse themselves in pleasures, but I can t turn a blind eye to the inevitabilities of sickness and death. 3. Admitting it and committing suicide. The path of the courageous. But I lack this strength. 4. Admitting it and continuing to live aimlessly. Path of the weak. Choosing a life of tortuous clinging.

THE ANSWER? Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) Russian Writer It s About Making a Leap of Faith Tolstoy s Year Agonizing Over Suicide I was asking myself almost every moment whether I should not end matters with a noose or a bullet all that time my heart was oppressed with a painful feeling, which I can only describe as a search for God. (pg 68) Tried to argue for the existence of God, but couldn t convince himself. What he noticed: When I don t believe in God, I am not alive. Life sucks. I live, really live, only when I feel Him and seek Him. (pg 70) What saved him: Leap of Faith - Live seeking God, and then you will not live without God.

FILM SCREENING Min 54 118 What does this last scene mean? How is it related to feeling that your life is meaningful? Can you see Tolstoy s parable in what Joe goes through while on the luggage?

THE ANSWER? Tolstoy s Year Agonizing Over Suicide Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) Russian Writer It s About Making a Leap of Faith I was asking myself almost every moment whether I should not end matters with a noose or a bullet all that time my heart was oppressed with a painful feeling, which I can only describe as a search for God. (pg 68) What he noticed: When I don t believe in God, I am not alive. Life sucks. I live, really live, only when I feel Him and seek Him. (pg 70) What saved him: Leap of faith - Live seeking God, and then you will not live without God.