Pro ~ Round 1

I believe happiness is the meaning of life. life is short. the average person only lives for 75 years. Most of life is wasted on meaningless baubles.
what's the point of living if all we do is force trivial drama and anger upon each other if, as a whole, we tried to make each other happy the life would be more meaningful.

Con ~ Round 1

Life is not the full meaning of life, it is only a part of it. For a start, procreation plays a huge part. All life on the planet is honed so as it can survive long enough to procreate. This need has been programmed into our bodies and our minds. An example of this is that when we see a baby we can't help smiling, as we have evolved to consider babies wonderful, positive things.

Secondly, happiness cannot be fully achieved. There is no such thing as a perfectly happy life, each person encounters some pain and heartbreak along the way. These events are necessary, as they allow contrast and perspective to the happier moments. The matter of getting the balance right between these two things is hugely important in insuring a good quality of life.

In short, happiness is valid, highly important part of life, but is not the meaning of life.

Pro ~ Round 2

although you make a valid argument, I must reply as such:
I never said that people will always be happy, and that we live in a perfect world, the fact is we don't. you say Happiness is not the meaning of life.

meaning: the end, purpose, or significance of something.
life: the animate existence or period of animate existence of an individual.
happiness: good fortune; pleasure; contentment; joy.
(www.dictionary.com)
there is only one reason for existence one meaning one purpose. happiness.
every day many people kill themselves, get divorce, and abuse each other. and these are just a few problems stemming from unhappiness.

you claim the meaning of life is procreation{All life on the planet is honed so as it can survive long enough to procreate.}
it sounds as though you are comparing the human race to animals, beast that don't have such fragile and impressionable minds as our children. If a man and woman have a child and they are unhappy and cruel to each other the child suffers. do we put the future of race before or after our desire to procreate?

Con ~ Round 2

First off, in your definition of the motion, no where do you state that this debate is talking exclusively about humans. Organisms such as plants, fungi, and bacteria show no signs of being able to feel happiness (or infact any other emotion) as they do not have brains.

Secondly, I do not claim that procreation is the meaning of life. I claim that it has an important part to play in the meaning of life. And now for a commonly ignored fact. Human beings ARE animals. We are driven by the same basic erges that animals are, to eat, to reproduce, to survive. Not saying that science, the arts, music, history and culture aren't important, but if all of these things are taken away, infact, if all happiness is taken away, people will still continue to try to survive. Look at concentration camps in Nazi Germany. These people had no hope, no joy in their lifes. But they still clung to life, and many of them survived.

It is true that people frequently do abuse and fight with one another because they are not happy. This is an upsetting fact, but I fail to see how that proves that happiness is the meaning of life, only that it is something desireable. There also is a difference between being unhappy and being cruel to someone.
Dictionary.com defines being cruel as "willfully or knowingly causing pain or distress to others"
It defines being unhappy as being "sad, miserable, wretched".
Just because someone is unhappy, doesn't mean that they are cruel, or that someone is being cruel to them and just because someone is not happy doesn't mean that their life is without meaning.

Pro ~ Round 3

due to unfortunate circumstances i'll be away for awhile and may not be able to finish the debate. very sorry. when I have more time I'll debate you again so congratulations you'll surely win I hope.:)

Con ~ Round 3

This round was forfeited because the debater did not post their argument within the allotted time.

Pro ~ Round 4

This round was forfeited because the debater did not post their argument within the allotted time.

Con ~ Round 4

Sorry to hear you are unable to continue the debate. Looking forward to future debates and in the mean time I'll let my arguments stand

Pro ~ Round 5

This round was forfeited because the debater did not post their argument within the allotted time.

Con ~ Round 5

As the debate can not be continued , I ' d like to let the initial arguments stand . I look forward to arguing this point at a later date