happiness Posted August 16, 2012 Report Share Posted August 16, 2012 Have you explicitly identified your purpose or purposes? If so, would you mind sharing it or them, just to provide examples? I don't know what mine is except to say that my purpose is to find a purpose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uriah Posted August 16, 2012 Report Share Posted August 16, 2012 What do you mean by purpose? It sounds too schematic. My main purpose in life is to be happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tito Posted August 16, 2012 Report Share Posted August 16, 2012 I assume the questioner refers to the CPL. Burgess Laughlin has a summary: http://aristotleadventure.blogspot.co.uk/2008/05/what-is-central-purpose-in-life.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ppw Posted August 16, 2012 Report Share Posted August 16, 2012 Have you explicitly identified your purpose or purposes? If so, would you mind sharing it or them, just to provide examples? I don't know what mine is except to say that my purpose is to find a purpose. Is purpose something to be identified (i.e. it pre-exists) or something to be constructed (i.e. it does not pre-exist)? Maybe it needs to be both? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devil's Advocate Posted August 16, 2012 Report Share Posted August 16, 2012 Have you explicitly identified your purpose or purposes? If so, would you mind sharing it or them, just to provide examples? I don't know what mine is except to say that my purpose is to find a purpose. To learn everything I can about life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JASKN Posted August 17, 2012 Report Share Posted August 17, 2012 A lot has been written by Objectivists about purpose, including Rand. I do think purpose is essential to human flourishing, but I do not think a lifelong "central purpose" which is not subject to change once set is ideal or even realistic for all people. For reference, I have changed purpose many times, and expect to continue doing so for the rest of my life. One experience leads to the next, which is both limiting and freeing, including for choosing a purpose. Uriah 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uriah Posted August 17, 2012 Report Share Posted August 17, 2012 (edited) I don't like the term "central purpose in life", it sounds like some outsider entity (God? State? Philosopher?) is asking for tags. To learn everything I can about life. Nice! What do you mean by "Life"? Philosophy? Natural sciences? Edited August 17, 2012 by Uriah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devil's Advocate Posted August 17, 2012 Report Share Posted August 17, 2012 I don't like the term "central purpose in life", it sounds like some outsider entity (God? State? Philosopher?) is asking for tags. Much depends on whether this term is preceded by the word "our" or "my"... What do you mean by "Life"? Philosophy? Natural sciences? All of the above; if I were a cat, I'd be dead by now... actually, death by curiosity wouldn't be that bad, compared to being bored to death. Acquiring knowledge is my pursuit of happiness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrorville1 Posted September 1, 2012 Report Share Posted September 1, 2012 My purpose in life is to do something significant enough to end up in the history books or at least to gain notoriety. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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