What Is the Meaning of Life?

The meaning of life can be loosely described as a non-judgmental answer to a question often asked: What is the meaning of life? The answers to such queries are never given without being analyzed and examined along with other questions that have been asked before. The meaning of life, as it is often called, is to become an instrument of self-awareness. It is to assist one in finding one’s own sense of worth. The quest for meaning, whether it is through religion, literature, poetry, etc., is itself a quest for self-realization.

The quest for the meaning of life can be compared, in some ways, with the journey to the bottom of the sea in order to find out what is the bottom of the sea. We often come to the realization that the meaning of life is not something outside of us but rather deep within us. In philosophy, the quest for the meaning of life can also be seen as a quest for eternal life. A number of philosophers, starting with Avicenna, have claimed that the understanding of reality is incomplete without the concept of God.

For some philosophers the meaning of life can be found in philosophy classes. Others prefer to study religion or philosophy courses in college and while others read religious books, play philosophical games, meditate or use other forms of spirituality. Regardless of how people approach the quest for meaning in their lives, there are some common elements among people who seek the meaning of life.