DEBATE:DOES LIFE HAVE MEANING?

There are few questions that have been pondered more extensively throughout human history than the question of whether or not our lives have meaning, and if they do, what is it. It's a bit of a vague question- what is "meaning"? what is "life"? What even is a “question”? Nevertheless, great big ASTI minds such as Tim and Mr. Long have chosen to debate this topic, and have done so with all of their might. Here are their arguments: YES: Life has meaning because I say it has meaning, and a conscious mind has the power to determine what’s meaningful and what isn’t. And the examination of the meaning of life, in itself, gives meaning to that person’s life, regardless of the conclusion they reach. This sentiment was famously immortalized by the Greek philosopher Socrates who chose death over apologizing for a life of questioning and in court obstinately remarked, “the unexamined life is not worth living.” Tahitian dancer and author Vicki Corona, once said “Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.” Her invaluable perspective on the measure of life is unique to her lived experience, but the impact it can have on the lives of those lucky enough to hear it, is beyond measure. And the ability of the human mind to even ponder this question is a breathtaking leap in evolution that is both beautiful, heartbreaking, and incredibly meaningful. Mr. Long is ASTI’s resident science teacher, who constantly blesses students with his wisdom and broad knowledge of science and life. Mr. Long started his career as a teacher after he had a revolutionary epiphone on a beach, where he looked at the stars and realized that kids are the future. NO: Man remains in a constant cycle of death and life, happiness and sadness, content and expecting. Time passes us by as if only a speck of dust, feeble enough to blow away in the wind. An object stuck in an endless abyss of time, with the piece of mind to define us as alive. Man walks through life, speaking of a greater purpose, a reason to be alive. Life isn’t what gives us that meaning, purely our own imagination. The deeper we search in the abyss, the more we see a world without us. Us forgotten despite our own believed importance. Theology stands to say we all have our own purpose to fulfill, existing purely as a figment of our conscience. On the day we inevitably die out, the universe will not hold a funeral. We have no purpose in the world, and our life has no meaning. Timothy is a young ASTI freshman who represents the future of our school. Estimates by the Journalism Stats Team have placed his IQ in the range of 125-300. He hopes to one day be an astrophysicist, much like Young Sheldon, so he can help improve our understanding of the universe.