What is the purpose of life?

0:00 Welcome to Philosophy is not boring by Kidopoly.com. I'm Mira. And I'm Finn. Before we start, we have a huge shout out today for Gia, who listens in the car from Vermont.

0:13 A big belated happy 8th birthday for October 4th, Gia.

0:18 If you haven't already, tap follow wherever you're listening so you never miss an episode.

0:23 Gia asked us maybe the biggest question anyone has ever asked. What is the purpose of life? That is a brilliant question, Gia, and it's exactly what we're exploring today. Okay, but seriously, Mira, have you ever just looked at a tiny ant carrying a crumb across the sidewalk and wondered, what is it actually doing?

0:45 Well, it's carrying a crumb. Yeah, but what is the point of it all? Is it just born to carry crumbs and then that's it? What is the point of being alive?

0:56 That little mental jolt you just felt? That is the question of purpose. Humans have been trying to answer it for thousands of years.

1:04 So, do we have an answer? Did someone finally figure it out?

1:09 Well, instead of one single rule, different cultures and disciplines show that discovering purpose is an adventure. And today we are going to look at the map. Let's dive in! Okay, so if we want to know the purpose of life, the first place we can look is science. Specifically, biology.

1:27 Right, because biology is the study of living things.

1:31 Exactly. When scientists look at life through biology, the main drive of all living things is survival.

1:38 Just surviving, like not getting eaten by a bear and making sure you find enough snacks.

1:45 Pretty much. It's about staying alive long enough to pass down the spark of life to the next generation.

1:52 Oh, I get it. Like a giant relay race. A plant grows, it drops a seed, the seed grows into a new plant, and it passes the baton. It's just trying to keep the race going.

2:03 Yes, exactly. From the tiniest microscopic bacteria swimming in a puddle to the biggest blue whale swimming in the ocean. Biology says the fundamental purpose is just to keep life going against all odds.

2:18 I mean, it is beautiful. But hold on, that can't be the whole story for human beings. Why not? What makes us different? Because we do way more than just try to survive until tomorrow. We paint pictures of the sunset, we tell ridiculous jokes, we build spaceships to look at other planets, we wonder about stuff.

2:38 There has to be more to being a human than just passing a baton and eating snacks.

2:43 And that right there is where philosophers enter the chat. They agree that surviving is the starting line. But what are we surviving for? Yeah, what is the rest of the race actually about? That is the ultimate puzzle. And because human beings live all over the world, different thinkers in different places have come up with totally different maps for how to run the rest of the race.

3:06 Ooh, I love a good map. Where do we go first? Let's travel back in time to ancient Greece, to a very famous philosopher named Aristotle. He lived over 2,000 years ago. Aristotle? What did he think our purpose was back then? He argued that our purpose is to achieve something called eudaimonia.

3:29 Euda what? That sounds like a weird disease.

3:33 Eudaimonia. It is an old Greek word that basically means flourishing or thriving.

3:40 Flourishing. Like how my mum's tomato plants flourish when she actually remembers to water them.

3:45 Exactly like that. Imagine a tiny little acorn resting in the dirt. The ultimate purpose of that acorn isn't just to survive the winter. Its true purpose is to flourish and grow into the biggest, strongest, most magnificent oak tree it can possibly be. So Aristotle thought I am like an acorn. Kind of.

4:08 For humans, Aristotle said we flourish by growing our minds, learning new things, and practicing kindness. It's about working hard to be the absolute best version of a human you can be.

4:20 Okay, I really like that. Growing my mind, being kind. That sounds like a pretty good purpose.

4:27 It is, but there is a catch. What if you are the best, strongest oak tree in the forest, but all the other trees around you are sick and unhappy?

4:36 Oh, that doesn't feel like flourishing at all. That just feels lonely.

4:41 That exact feeling leads us to Southern Africa. There is a beautiful ancient African philosophy from the Bantu languages called Ubuntu. Ooh, Ubuntu! What does that mean? It roughly translates to a person is a person through other people. It teaches that our true purpose is caring for our community. Wait, so I can't be an oak tree all by myself.

5:06 Exactly. Ubuntu says I am because we are. We are deeply connected. Your purpose is completely tied to the well-being of everyone else around you.

5:17 That is kind of amazing, actually. It's like playing on a team. If I score a goal but my team loses, I didn't really win. My purpose is helping the whole team flourish. Okay, wait, I am a bit stuck now. Aristotle says my purpose is to grow my own mind. Ubuntu says my purpose is to care for my community.

5:37 Which one is right?

5:38 That is the beautiful part about philosophy, Finn. What if they both are? Let me take you to Japan to see how another tradition handles it. Oh, Japan! What do they say? There is a concept there called ikigai. It roughly translates to a reason for being, or the thing that gets you out of bed in the morning.

6:00 A reason for being? Like knowing there is a jelly donut waiting for me in the kitchen.

6:06 Sort of. It means discovering joy and value in everyday life. It starts by simply noticing what you love doing.

6:15 Okay, I love building complicated Lego spaceships, like the really huge ones with lasers. Perfect.

6:23 Ikigai is also about finding deep meaning in small details. What part are you really good at?

6:30 Well, I am really good at figuring out the instructions and making the wings snap on perfectly without breaking the whole thing. Awesome!

6:38 Finding deep satisfaction in those small moments and sharing that positive energy with the world. That gives you Ikigai. That is your everyday purpose.

6:49 Huh. I see a problem though. The world probably doesn't need my plastic Lego spaceships. So I guess I have to throw away my Legos and find something else.

6:59 Well, wait a minute. Let's think about this deeper. Maybe the world doesn't need the actual plastic bricks, but does the world need the joy, the patience, and the imagination that you feel when you build them?

7:13 Oh, I guess the world always needs more joy and imagination.

7:17 Exactly! Your Ikigai doesn't have to be a giant, world-changing job. It can be a tiny, beautiful thing you do every day that brings you joy and connects you to your community.

7:29 So purpose isn't just one single strict rule everyone has to follow.

7:33 Not at all. It is an adventure. You get to figure out what you love, how to grow your mind, and how to help your community all at the same time.

7:43 I have to say, that makes me feel a million times better. Like I don't have to have my entire adult life figured out right this second. It's a lot of pressure to find a purpose.

7:54 Exactly. It is way too much pressure. So to Gia in Vermont, or anyone listening, you don't need a grand, world-saving master plan today. Your purpose right now, at your age, might just be learning new things at school, being a really good friend to someone who needs one, or simply exploring what makes you curious.

8:18 And eating a huge piece of birthday cake. Because, you know, it's a celebration, and cake is important.

8:26 Obviously, cake is a highly important part of human flourishing. Now, are you ready for some mind-bending fun facts? Hit me. You know how people have been arguing about this for over 2,000 years? Well, Aristotle used to teach his students while walking the grounds of his school, the Lyceum. They were known as walkers or strollers.

8:51 I love that, just pacing around trying to figure out why we are here. Literally thinking on their feet.

8:58 Exactly. And remember Ubuntu, the famous South African leader, Nelson Mandela, talked a lot about it. He showed the world that caring for your community and forgiving people can actually change history.

9:13 Wow, so finding your purpose isn't just sitting in a room thinking about it. It is actually going out and doing things with other people. Exactly.

9:23 It is living it out loud. Alright, Finn, quiz time. Are you ready?

9:28 Okay, I'm ready.

9:30 First question. What did Aristotle call flourishing or being the best human you can be? Next one. What African philosophy means I am because we are? Question three. What Japanese word describes your reason for being? Here's number four. What does scientists say is the biological drive of all living things?

10:07 Last question. Did Aristotle teach while sitting perfectly still or walking around? Great job! Let's see how you did. The first answer is Eudaimonia. For question two, that philosophy is Ubuntu. Number three, the answer is Ikigai, your reason for being. Question four. Scientists say the drive is survival and passing down the spark of life.

10:38 And the final answer is he taught while walking around.

10:42 That was a really big one today, Mira. I think my purpose for the rest of the day is definitely just being curious.

10:49 And that is a truly excellent purpose to have. I loved exploring this big question with you.

10:56 Hey, if you liked exploring the purpose of life with us today, could you leave a five-star review? Just scroll down and tap the stars.

11:04 And tap follow wherever you are listening, so new episodes turn up on their own. Oh, and we have sister shows too. History and science is not boring, and maths is not boring.

11:15 Go give those a listen and a follow as well. Want your name on the show like Gia? Send us an email at hello at kidopoly.com.

11:25 See you next time on Philosophy is not boring. Bye.