Constituents of Meaningful Life According to J.Cottingham

Subject Areas : Philosophy

امیرعباس  علیزمانی ¹ (ندارد)
مهدی  غفوریان ² (ندارد)

Received: 2010-06-01 Accepted : 2010-12-05 Published : 2010-03-21

Keywords: Cottingham, religion, Spirituality, Practice, morality, success, meaning of life, conclusive reason, human nature,

Abstract :

The meaning of life is one of the most important subjects in philosophythat John Cottingham in “on the meaning of life” discusses this. Thequestion of the meaning of life is important in his view because justhuman being asks “what is the meaning of life” because of his certainexistential situation. In Cottingham’s view, the characteristics of themeaning of life are profundity or seriousness, achievement, selfawarenessand autonomy, moral life i.e. moral objective values, successand theism or religious life. Cottingham holds that moral life cansatisfy human needs and flourish his talents. But our human nature ispurely result of genetic mutation in simply human view. Thereforemoral judgments do not have objective value because they depend onthis nature. Moreover, human being would not be successful in hisprojects and activities because of his vulnerable and fragile nature. Wecan reach conclusive reason for objective moral judgments and valuesand being hopeful for successful and meaningful life only if we rely onreligious and spiritual worldview which that benevolent god desires usto be moral. In Cottingham’s view, Understanding and acceptingreligious and spiritual worldview depends on exercising religiouspractices. in my humble opinion, Cottingham cannot explain howtheism support successful life because he does not use the concept oflife after death.