A Sense of Purpose
What does it all mean?
by Claire Law
Suitable for Key Stage 4/5
Aims
To consider the purpose of our life.
Preparation and materials
- You will need the PowerPoint slides that accompany this assembly (A Sense of Purpose) and the means to display them.
Assembly
- Have Slide 1 showing as the students enter.
- Ask the students which gadget they bought most recently, or have on their wish list.
Point out that every year, new gadgets and technology hit the market.
Show Slide 2.
Ask the students whether any of them can identify this gadget, and what it’s used for.
Listen to a range of responses.
This tech product is the Meta Quest 2 virtual reality headset. Later this year, the Meta Quest 3 is due to be released, which will enable users to experience mixed reality. This means that users will be able to use the headset for both augmented reality (which enhances our existing vision) and virtual reality (where our vision is taken over to give the impression that we’re somewhere else). - Explain that technological advances used to be a bit smaller in scale. Tell the students that you are going to show them some gadgets that were considered must-haves at the time, and you want them to identify the purpose of each gadget.
You may wish to give the clue that all of these gadgets were designed for use in the kitchen. - Show Slide 3.
Listen to a range of suggestions as to this item’s purpose.
Explain that this gadget is a meat tenderizer. It is rolled across meat to make it softer and easier to chew and digest. - Show Slide 4.
Listen to a range of suggestions as to this item’s purpose.
Explain that this gadget is a retro cherry pitter. You place a cherry on the circular hole at the bottom, and then screw the top part into position. It pushes the stone down through the cherry so that it pierces the skin and can be removed.
Remind the students that, once upon a time, this was the latest technology! - Show Slide 5.
Listen to a range of suggestions as to this item’s purpose.
Explain that this gadget is a boiled-egg opener. It is designed to remove the top of a boiled egg, without the need to use a spoon.
- Ask the students to switch from thinking about the purpose of these gadgets to something deeper: what is the purpose of life?
Point out that this is a difficult question that can take a whole lifetime to answer. It’s also a question that humans have been reflecting on for centuries.
Philosophy and religious traditions have provided a multitude of answers as to the purpose of life. Almost all responses to this question agree that human life is important, and that life has meaning and purpose. - Explain that this assembly is going to help us consider our answer to the question of the purpose of life.
We’re going to explore two possible approaches. One comes from a modern-day philosopher, and the other comes from ancient scriptures.
First, we’ll hear from a modern-day philosopher. - Show Slide 6.
This is Dr Susan Wolf, Professor of Philosophy at the University of North Carolina. She has undertaken extensive research into what constitutes living a meaningful and purposeful life. Wolf has identified three aspects of a purposeful life. - Show Slide 7.
- The individual must be actively engaged.
- The individual must be engaged in a somewhat successful project.
- The project must have positive value. - To help explain these ideas, Wolf uses three stark images to describe what a meaningful life is not.
The first image is ‘the blob’. The blob represents someone who does very little. They can do things, but they choose not to. We might label them as lazy, or a couch potato. For Wolf, someone who lives this kind of life is not living a meaningful life. They live without a sense of direction or purpose. Wolf argues that being active in our lives helps to give us a sense of purpose.
Ask the students, ‘How do you feel about this idea?’
Point out that this can be a challenging concept. We may disagree, and feel that all life has meaning and value, even when we find ourselves lacking motivation or the ability to act. - The second image that Wolf uses is ‘the bankrupt’. Like a person who has lost all their money after a failed investment, the bankrupt is someone who has failed and, importantly, not picked themselves up again. They’ve learnt nothing from life. They haven’t found a way to be somewhat successful at least some of the time. Wolf argues that being successful - at least some of the time, and at least partially - helps to give us a sense of purpose.
Ask the students, ‘How do you feel about this idea?’
Explain that this is a challenging idea too. We may disagree, and feel that all life has meaning and value, even when we fail. - Finally, Wolf uses the image of ‘the useless’ to represent a life that adds nothing of value to wider society, or to benefit others and our world. Any efforts that are made solely benefit the individual, or lead to harm towards others. Wolf argues that making a difference and contributing to the common good helps to give us a sense of purpose.
Ask the students, ‘How do you feel about this idea?’
Again, this is a thought-provoking view. We may disagree, and feel that all life has meaning and value, even when we can’t contribute in meaningful ways. - Now let’s turn to ancient scripture - the Bible - to hear how the question of the purpose of life is answered there.
Show Slide 8.
In John’s Gospel, we read Jesus’ words, ‘I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.’
This simple phrase helps Christians to answer the question, ‘What is the purpose of life?’
Part of the answer is to live fully. For Christians, knowing that Jesus came to forgive their sins helps them to live a full, active and purposeful life. Christians believe that, as people created and loved by God, they have been designed to live a meaningful life and experience the fullness of life.
Christians also believe that life has meaning, value and purpose when they fail, or are not productive, useful or active. For Christians, purpose and meaning come from being loved and accepted by God, not from what they can do or give.
Time for reflection
Some of the ideas that Susan Wolf presents are challenging and many of us may disagree with them. However, it can be helpful to be challenged in this way so that we can think through issues and arrive at our own conclusions.
So, let’s return to the question, ‘What is the purpose of life?’
We are going to reflect silently on some questions now, and take the time to consider our own responses.
- What matters to you in your life?
Pause to allow time for thought.
- When do you feel most alive and full of purpose?
Pause to allow time for thought.
- What would you say you’ve achieved with your life so far?
Pause to allow time for thought.
- How do you feel about Jesus’ words, ‘I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full’?
Pause to allow time for thought.
- What does living fully look like for you?
Pause to allow time for thought.
- How do you feel about the idea of being loved by God, even when you fail?
Pause to allow time for thought.
We’ve taken time to reflect on one of the most complex questions that we can ask ourselves as humans: what is the purpose of life?
Prayer
Dear Lord,
We bring our thoughts and feelings before you.
We bring our confusion about this question, and also our curiosity.
We ask that you help us to better understand the purpose of life, and to live our life with a sense of purpose.
Please provide us with what we need to live our lives with the fullness that you promise.
Help us to trust in your love for us.
Amen.
