The Search for the Meaning of Existence :: Philosophy Essays

The Search for the Meaning of Existence Daffodil bulbs instead of balls Stared from the sockets of the eyes! from Whispers of Immortality We live and then we die. Its scary, the death part, and the living part is quite amazing. There is a great dichotomy surrounding our existence. One minute we are here, another we are gone. What is existence? What is the purpose of existence? The big metaphysical question has my interest. We grasp to understand it all but it evades us. This magnificent universe has not answered our questions. Some people believe that our existence is a divine destiny, a creation of God, or of some purposive energy. Others say that the greatest meaning of life is to share love. These people believe that life has meaning! Actually has it! I grew up thinking that both of these meanings of life were true. There was a universal energy of good, always able to overcome bad, and love was the greatest value of all. I believed that my life would have meaning if I contributed to the good and loving energy in the world. Will my life have more meaning if I am a good loving person than an uninterested loner person? Will my life be more valuable to the universe? Everyone would like to have meaning in their life, even those of us who are becoming cynical to meaning as an absolute. We all would be more comfortable if we knew of some transcendent value to our existence that surpasses life itself, into death. We do not know of this transcendence though. Society in the 21st century is on shaky foundations. We have tossed religious proclamations out the window and embraced science as the ultimate authority. Problem is, science is not providing metaphysical answers so we are out there in space floating around aimlessly Currently, through the last decade or so, after seeing the substantial depth of scientific observations supporting Darwinian evolution, I begin to see another possible "meaning of meaning", and hence, a new meaning of life. Beware Darwin's dangerous idea! I now see meaning, as an emergent process of evolved human consciousness that functions as an environment analyst. I see both meaning and consciousness as aftereffects of physical processes in the brain and nervous system. Sounds pretty drab and desolate, huh? Or exciting, depending on who you are, where you are, and what time it is.

Epistemic Dilemma: Hume Versus Descartes Essay

While Descartes believes that knowledge can be gained by reason alone, Hume’s Empiricism suggests that we can only gain knowledge from the experiences of perceptions, which he called â€Å"Impressions.† Rationalists use skepticism to find the most clear and distinct truths and build their foundations from there. Ultimately, Descartes states there are 3 substances that exist- God, mind and body. From doubt and confusion, Descartes finds clarity. Empiricists on the other hand, reject rationalism suggesting knowledge that can not be traced back to an impression from the outside world does not have any meaning. Hume also believes that there is no causality in the world, therefore we can never gain knowledge from events that we have witnessed in the past or the future. Unlike Descartes, how starts in skepticism and ends in clarity, Hume starts with a strong view of how our minds collect raw sense data and ends in skepticism. I argue that Hume’s philosophy is more practical because it relies on the senses. Both philosophies were born from the rise of the Scientific Revolution. According to Descartes, to gain true knowledge, you must first doubt everything. When you reach the point at which you cannot doubt anymore, you achieve the foundation of knowledge. When you doubt everything, you realize that the only thing you cannot doubt is that you are a doubting thing; therefore you must exist in some way. From there, you can reason that there is a more perfect being that exists because you are not perfect if you doubt, and you have an idea what a perfect being is. This perfect being is God. God is also a good being because  Descartes calls these truths, these clear and distinct perceptions. From reason alone, we can affirm the existence of God, Mind and the Body.

Social Anxiety Disorder Symptoms And Treatments Essay

Social Anxiety Disorder: Symptoms and Treatments The feeling of anxiety is familiar to all of us and we all experienced some anxiety and fear at least once in our life. Whether that was the first day in a new workplace, the first day in college, or before an important meeting, we felt that we were really anxious and nervous. From the evolutionary perspective, the conservation of fear and anxiety among some species is a good indication that those emotions are highly important for survival. Some people, however, experience an excessive and unreasonable amount of anxiety, which may be the result of social anxiety disorder. Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is a psychological disorder during which people experience enormous social phobia and are irrationally afraid of being judged by others in social settings (Lima OsoÃŒ rio, 2013).Although it is considered as a common anxiety disorder, I do believe that with appropriate treatments and therapies, individual approach to each patient and willingness to help them, many people can overcome th e social phobia, can make stronger interpersonal relationships with their friends and relatives, and can integrate into their social community with no or at least less fear of communicating with others. A lot of people may not feel comfortable in certain social settings, but where are the boundaries of just feeling uncomfortable and having social phobia? Descriptions of social phobia may be found as early as since Hippocrates (around 400 BC) asShow MoreRelatedSocial Anxiety Disorder : Causes, Symptoms And Treatments Essay1789 Words   |  8 PagesSocial Anxiety Disorder: Causes, Symptoms and Treatments The feeling of anxiety is familiar to all of us and we all experienced some anxiety and fear at least once in our life. Whether that was the first day in a new workplace, the first day in college, or before an important meeting, we felt that we were really anxious and nervous. From the evolutionary perspective, the conservation of fear and anxiety among some species is a good indication that those emotions are highly important for survivalRead MoreEssay on Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD)1308 Words   |  6 PagesSocial anxiety disorder (social phobia) can be described as an extreme, persistent fear of being scrutinized or judged by others in social situations. This fear may lead to feelings of embarrassment, humiliation and self-consciousness. People who suffer from this condition may â€Å"feel powerless against their anxiety† (ADAA). These emotions often interfere with daily activities, such as school, work and personal relationships. The person might begin to withdraw soci ally or avoid situations in whichRead MoreOnline Psychological Intervention: A Feasible Measure to Reduce Treatment Barriers1003 Words   |  5 Pagesbarriers to treatment People with mental disorders often find it hard to access psychological treatment. Common barriers to treatment include limited accessibility, unable to afford treatment, fear of what others might think or say, and not knowing where to go for help (Olfson et. al., 2000). Among these barriers, fear of what others might think or say is particularly prominent for people with social anxiety disorder. People with social anxiety disorder are often ashamed of their symptoms, and thoseRead MoreSymptoms And Symptoms Of Anxiety Disorders1295 Words   |  6 PagesAnxiety Disorder Many people experience anxiety and nervousness from time to time, typically about a near event, something with an uncertain outcome, problem at work, or making an important decision. It is a normal human emotion and a normal part of life, however, anxiety disorders are not and they are very different. Anxiety disorders are psychiatric disorders which are very serious mental illness. People with anxiety disorders experience overwhelming and constant worry and fear. It often don’tRead MoreEssay about Anxiety Disorder1082 Words   |  5 PagesAnxiety Disorder What is Anxiety? As defined by Understanding Psychology by Glencoe, Anxiety is a general state of dread or uneasiness that a person feels in response to a real or imagined danger. Anxiety affects 19 million Americans annually and anxiety disorder happens to be the most common mental illness in America. There are many different types of anxiety disorder such as: Panic Disorder, Obsessive – Compulsion Disorder, Phobias, and a few more. Although there is no cure for anxiety disordersRead MoreEssay On Social Anxiety Disorder1267 Words   |  6 PagesSocial Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is not a disease, nor can an individual contract it. It is a manifestation of one’s own perception of being rejected, humiliated, ignored or scrutinized, an incapacitating fear of social situations. SAD affects both children and adults, all ethnicities, men and women, although studies have shown that more women develop SAD than men and it is a global disorder. When an individual suffers from S AD, the routine life of these individuals can be affected. However, there isRead MoreSocial Anxiety Disorder : Social Phobia Disorder1654 Words   |  7 PagesSocial anxiety is â€Å"a fear of humiliation or of being judged by others, and an avoidance of social situations where attention centers on the individual† (Martis). According to the Social Anxiety Institute, social anxiety has become the third largest psychological disorder, following depression and alcoholism (Richards). Commonly, victims of this social phobia have problems pursuing social environments, interactions, and relationships (â€Å"Social Anxiety Disorder†). The failure to fulfill daily requirementsRead MoreEssay Anxiety Disorders1302 Words   |  6 PagesAnxiety Disorders Anxiety is a normal reaction to stressful situations that helps in the coping process for individuals. On some occasions, anxiety may become so severe that it impairs the ability to cope and can create psychosocial impairment. High levels of anxiety that interfere with daily activities and social interaction are considered a psychiatric disorder. Anxiety disorders are treatable and can have profound effects on the psychosocial aspect of the individuals life. This paper willRead MoreWhat are Anxiety Disorders?1593 Words   |  6 Pages ANXIETY DISORDERS Introduction: Anxiety disorders are a constellation of mental disorders which is marked by extreme feelings of apprehension and trepidation. It is a syndrome which has both physical and psychological modules. Psychological symptoms include anxiety that is beyond the control of the subject, impatience, disturbed sleep patterns, difficulty in staying focused, and hypervigilance. Physical symptoms include sweating, palpitations and dry mouth. Although a bit of apprehension isRead MoreSocial Anxiety Disorder Paper1496 Words   |  6 Pagesbetter way to assist people who suffer from social anxiety disorder. I will propose a better way I will treat those who suffer with social anxiety disorder. I will explain some realistic actions I will take to help move my proposals in a positive direction. Further, I will discuss the steps I will take to avoid being a â€Å"pawn† in the current system. Lastly, I will demonstrate how I am going to really help my clients that are suffering with social anxiety disorder without jeopardizing my career. To better