The Paradox of Identity: Humanity as a Moral Condition from Buddhist Philosophy and Existentialist Perspectives
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Abstract
This article aims to 1) analyze the perspectives of non-human realms within Buddhist cosmology expressing an existential desire for human rebirth, and 2) critique the paradox in which human beings despite possessing the highest potential for liberation from the cycle of suffering tend toward paths driven by desire and materialism. This inquiry utilizes Western philosophical frameworks and a descriptive philosophical analysis methodology, integrating existentialist ethics and instrumentalism.
The findings demonstrate that humanity is not merely a static biological category or a sociological construct but a unique ìmoral spaceî situated in the liminality between structural determinism and free will. While other realms remain subjugated to instinctual drives or the extremes of sensory pleasure and pain, the human condition provides a critical equilibrium conducive to transformative reflection and the deconstruction of the illusory self. Through the exercise of reason, contemplation, and mindful ethical action, humanity ceases to be a mere opportunity and is instead recognized as an ìexistential responsibilityî of the highest order.
Ultimately, the central proposition of this article suggests that realizing human potential through the frameworks of freedom and mindful choice is the key to self-elevation within both Buddhist and universal philosophical contexts. This realization serves as an essential pathway for reclaiming true existential meaning in the contemporary world.
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