Family Conversation Essay

Elizabeth Jimenez
Professor Jacobs
Philosophy 1305-6001
25 January 2011
Family Conversation Essay
There is no doubt that it is around the family and the home that all the greatest virtues, the most dominating virtues of human society, are created, strengthened and maintained. My family and I are very family oriented. We disagree on some things but on others we agree and our beliefs is one of them. My mother’s name is Maria and my father’s name is Valentin. I asked them both the same questions and both answers where very similar.
The first question I asked both my parents was, Like Aristotle’s teleology, do you each believe that everything that exists is here for a purpose, and that it is the happiest when it fulfills its purpose? What is the purpose of humans, or of you? Why do you each think so? My mother Maria does believe that everything is here for a reason and that everything has a purpose. She said we exist for a reason. We're supposed to be happy. It doesn't matter what religions you belong to, if any. Whether we are here by evolution or by divine power, we are here and we need to make the most of it and try to live a happy life. My mother truly believes that we are happiest when we fulfill our purpose. She also said they purpose of humans is to develop character and virtue. We are here to learn to love even during the times when that love gives us pain. We are here to learn patience and perseverance even during the times when we want our answers now. We are here to learn to forgive when so much of our culture demands vengeance. We are here to learn to seek justice tempered with mercy. We are here to search for peace and bring that peace into the world. The virtues go on and on and there is always another perspective to consider or another bad habit to relinquish.
My father’s response to these questions was very similar as my mothers. He believes that everything that exists is here for a purpose. All of us and everything else in this world for that...