What is life? Can we define life? I remember what Bro. Yago, in one of our lessons in Zoology, that life cannot be defined because of its complexities. Life as we all know is limited in the perspective of the materiality of a being. Even though life has a limit, I know for sure that it is quite meaningful, good and purposeful; hence, life is a reality
In the motion picture “Bicentennial Man”, I saw how the father of the family gave importance and value to his family by purchasing a robot that would lead to the improvement of their lives. The robot, whose name was Andrew, has an artificial intelligence. He can cook, he can do all the chores in the house and most of all he is obedient. Later in the movie, I saw gradually how he wanted to become a full human being.
We all know that are lives are limited here on this planet, but it does not mean that the life is meaningless. As a human person, we consider ourselves as the highest form of living organism¾being. Meaning we are rational, we are capable of thinking and have the free will whatever we like to do.
For the past centuries, man has become eager to know the importance of his existence, his life. That is why, if we try to observe the natural progression of the civilization of humanity, we can see that man is constantly trying to improve his life through science and technology.
Looking back at the movie, Andrew became more sensitive on the condition of his state. At first, he wanted to have a facial expression so that he can show outwardly, what he feels. Then later on, he became independent. He tried to live as an ordinary man. He journeyed across the country for him to find his match. He wanted to find meaning for his existence. Gradually, he wanted himself to be repaired and augmented to be like a human person. In these circumstances, saw the other way around. As man seeks how to improve his life in his quest for perfection, Andrew on the other hand is trying to become a man for he to experience how to become such.
In this case, I somehow thought that we, as humans, dehumanize our own essence. As human beings, we tend to forget that we are the highest among all forms of life, meaning we must not let ourselves to do the things, which we ought not to do. I think this the effect of too much searching for things that were not totally for us. Being rational and material beings, we must know our limitations. Material beings do exist but also perish. What then is the value our existence as man? The very truth about our existence, I think is enough. We all know that our existence is very meaningful because each of us has a goal to fulfill. To think that we are the highest among all forms of life is quite remarkable because it is uniquely ours. Andrew envied us very much. He wanted to have what we already had. The problem is that we do not see the goodness and purpose of our lives.
Man, as I have said earlier tried to improve his life through modern inventions and innovations. Upon reflecting about this reality, I arrived at this question: Is there a need for man to quest for immortality? Blaise Pascal said that man’s life is miserable because of his own fault. He keeps on diverting the real issue that he must face, the reality of death.
It is very ridiculous to think why man is very skeptical about negating the reality of death. We all know the reality that part of being material is that our lives have an end. As rational beings, we must be happy to think that our lives are not permanent on this material world for us to live our lives to the fullest, meaning; we will live according to our own essence.
We are not simply material beings. We too are spiritual beings. Our lives do not end here. We know that there is another life after death on this world. Man’s quest for immortality negates his very own essence. Suppose that we already achieved a prize for immortality, but the world has an end, what will you think will happen to us if we are immortal? What a life! I think we will become the most miserable of all beings!
Andrew thought us a lesson that hopefully will open our minds. We are but human beings, not perfect but have the capability to think and love, things he wanted to have.Immortality in this world is very impossible because we all know that the world that we are living in is definitely a material entity, which comprises an end and such a situation is not inherent to man. I want to end this reflection paper with a question: Which is better: to exist or not to exist?
By: Romeo Q. Locson Jr. | Barangay Secretary to the Sangguniang Brgy. of Camachile
