Philosophy is defined as the use of intelligence and argument in looking for truth and knowledge of reality, especially of the causes and character of things and of the values governing life, the material world, perception of physical phenomena and human behaviour. Also, search of comprehension for its own sake, love of wisdom, an integrated view of existence.

In researching significant philosophers during 2,600 years of history, many patterns can be observed, particularly one of astounding physical advancement of the natural sciences, but an offsetting decay of the human spirit, or psychological “misfitting” with the world around us.

In the 20th century, the foremost philosophy has been existentialism, in which the fearful, death and time-haunted individual is cajoled to have belief in himself, take on the world, and become a genuine human being, despite his belief that the universe and human existence is meaningless.

Are these philosophers confused! Talk about opposing opinions!

Exceptional, reflective minds have grappled all sorts of strange questions such as, why are we here, what’s it all about and what is reality. Can we know that anything exists beyond the human brain? Here are several further philosophers’ views on why we are here and what to do concerning it.

Socrates said that we all have understanding of utter truth within. Plato encouraged us to abstain from physical pleasures. Aristotle stated that we could be deeply happy in this life. Epicurus held garden parties and advised us to go after the maximum quantity of worldly enjoyment, whilst avoiding heartache. Zeno preached a life of wisdom, and to stay away from material pleasures. The sceptics were sceptical regarding everything, including whether contentment was achievable.

St. Augustine went still further, and preached that happiness was unattainable in this world, as we were conscious of forthcoming death – better to wait for the next one. Galileo affirmed that the universe is an open book, but that it is written in confusing mathematical code. Descartes doubted his own body, the outside world, and even his own intelligence, until he ultimately recognized that something was going on. Hobbes thought that we should be self-interested, if only to stay alive. Spinoza was extremely into religion and science and argued that if we loved both we would lead a pleasing life.

Hume gave in to the appetites, and said we are slaves of experience. Rousseau yearned to become a primitive again, and his ideas stimulated the bloody French Revolution. Kant stated we were developing satisfactorily towards becoming a rational society. Hegel held up the idealistic wisdom and the State as excellent examples of sensible, intelligent mind. Shopenhauer blamed the irrational will for our troubles, and somehow thought we could use reason to overcome this problem, though he was cynical about our chances.

Comte averred God was dead long before Nietzsche, and formed sociology to save civilization from itself. Mill supported freedom and happiness for the utmost quantity of people, without defining what happiness meant. Kierkegaard made a leap of faith away from oblivion and into a pious life, to evade the misery that comes with human existence. Marx jumped on the Hegel bandwagon, and stirred up the working class to react to their overlords with revolution, although there would be an interim period of dictatorship to be navigated before Utopia arrived.

Nietzsche encouraged us to become combatants and fume against the universe, until we died, then pick ourselves up and rage some more. Husserl observed something remarkable about his consciousness – it actually homed in on things in the external world. Rand had the nerve to say that man is a rational animal!

If the greatest philosophers who have ever lived can’t agree on what truth is, or answer the main question of existence – why are we here? – then what are we being taught in school? Who is learned enough or shrewd enough to teach everybody else how to live? Reflecting on this, why would anyone follow anyone else, or be in wonder of anybody else?

Be bold and challenge yourself to change your life and create your own unique life of marvelous adventure and achievements without following anyone else – particularly not the philosophers!

Gary Hipworth is a life planning consultant who believes that all people are capable of being their own life coach. For this purpose he created Superlife Life Planning Software to help you discover how to change your life

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