Schlick's Understanding of Meaning of Life

Running head: SCHLICK'S UNDERSTANDING OF MEANING OF LIFE
SCHLICK'S UNDERSTANDING OF MEANING OF LIFE
Name of the Student
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Author Note

1SCHLICK'S UNDERSTANDING OF MEANING OF LIFE
Introduction
One of the major questions that have been demanding the attention of the philosophers
since time immemorial refers to the question that attempts to address the proper meaning of life
of the human beings. The following essay attempts a discussion on the understanding of the
meaning of life as put forth by the various philosophers. The essay opens with a discussion on
the viewpoints that are presented by the twentieth century philosopher Moritz Schlick and further
proceeds to discuss the view that were proposed by the German pessimist Arthur Schopenhauer.
The essay nears a conclusion with the hypothetical discussion on the Schlick’s response to the
views that are put forth by the German pessimist, Arthur Schopenhauer.
Schlick's understanding of meaning of life
Moritz Schlick is considered to be one of the central figures who had been actively
participating in the logical positivist movement. The major people who were known to have been
following the logical positivist movement are generally observed to be dismissive towards the
various metaphysical thoughts that have been presented on the discussion of the meaning of life.
The philosopher in discussion, Moritz Schlick, however cannot be categorized with the
philosophers that hold the dismissive attitude to the metaphysical ways of seeking the answer to
the meaning of life. Moritz Schlick is known to be one of those philosophers of the nineteenth
century who described themselves as the seeker of the meaning of life. The philosopher seemed
to find an acceptable answer in an interpretation of the famous work by Nietzsche entitled “Thus
Spake Zarathustra”. According to this interpretation, life can only be considered to be
meaningful in case the concerned person is freed from the subjugation that exists towards the
purposes and ends that should be met. In other words, according to Schlick, the meaning of life
exists only if the person does not have to meet any given end or any such purpose that demands

2SCHLICK'S UNDERSTANDING OF MEANING OF LIFE
the subordination of the other factors of life. The philosopher further stated that the actual
meaning of life lies in the play activities and not in those of work. The philosopher defined work
to be the activity that is undertaken by the concerned person in order to serve some purpose. The
activity of work according to the philosophical aspects refer to the various activities that are
accomplished with the purpose of achieving something else and not for the purpose of
completing only the task at hand. The philosopher further states that the meaning of life should
not lie in the mere leading of the life and thereafter progressing to the development of the various
other factors that would eventually lead to the end of life. According to the philosopher, a person
should take part in the activities that would help him to explore the major content that is present
in the existence of life and not in the bare existence of the same. The philosopher further argued
that the actual meaning of life is reflected in the play activities that are merely undertaken for the
sake of the activity itself and not for any other factor.
Schopenhauer's opinion on Schlick's understanding
The yester year philosopher, Schopenhauer is known to have been one of the first
philosophers to question on the actual meaning of life. Schopenhauer is one of those German
philosophers who believed in pessimism. The question had been prompted on the issue had
helped in the prompting of the issues that have led to the other philosophers of the West to
inquire and spend thoughts on the actual meaning of the life that is led by the individuals. The
philosopher had tended to put forth the question on a personal basis rather than seeking the
answer to the question from the academic perspective. The opinion of Schopenhauer is majorly
based on the philosophical thoughts that have been put forth by Kant. The major facts that are
presented by the philosopher in the attempts to discuss the meaning of life include the
metaphysical aspect of life as well as the phenomenal world. The philosopher in discussion,