Humanities Written Assignment 1

Written Assignment 1

Written Assignment 1 – Professor Ambrosio’s approach to the issue of a meaningful life

Professor Ambrosio’s first two lectures on the meaning of life have left me eagerly awaiting further explanation. I do not feel that the divisions of “hero” and “saint” are all that exist in the search for a meaningful life. To say that one must choose to live a life of either hero or saint, and then to take it further and quantify those existences as Professor Ambrosio has seems quite honestly, irresponsible. I do not believe that one must choose between these two options and further believe that these two terms are properly described.

Professor Ambrosio's two approaches to the meaning of life are in my opinion incomplete. To say that there are heroes and saints and that the hero believes/acts/lives "x" while the saint follows path "y" seems quite definitive and absolute for a Professor of philosophy. The beginning of the two lectures seemed to implore students to further question the existing question and not to hurriedly arrive at any conclusion. To narrow human existence to a separation of merely heroes and saints seems almost absurd.

With that said, I don't feel that anyone including myself can be placed wholly in either division. I certainly do not meet the requirements of the saint, however to say that I am the hero because I am self-serving is not accurate either. I believe everyone to be ultimately self-serving, however when able we have the capacity to assist others giving a saint-like appearance. I do not believe these two metaphors to be the “ideal” types as a world of heroes and saints could not possibly support global needs. In a world of saints nothing would get done and in a world of heroes, as described by Professor Ambrosio, everyone would be undercutting the other.

I believe we do not need to choose between the options of hero and saint. We are capable of determining our own path and with that, we are able to exhibit any of the...