What is the object of life

Abstract

Introduction: As looked at by one philosopher, Mr. Allen, life has no object any more than the sun has an object, or the revolution of the planets or the milky-way. That there is no why to it. We exist and naturally have to live our time out. He thinks that the question descended to us from a time when man thought that the world was made expressly for him, and did not realize his utter smallness. He even asks—“Why on earth should life have a purpose to subserve any more than the bubbles that rise and fall aimlessly on the wave, or the terrific commotions that send and revolutionize the sun’s atmosphere?” Evidently to him life means little. “Happiness”—Mr. Mallock’s answer to the problem, has been objected to as being too vague and of a doubtful truth. Since life is held so sacred we naturally suppose it must have some object. What this may be depends in a measure upon the individual, but of lives in general, we will suppose that they have some common aim. Now it is our desire to find out what this object or aim is.