Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the meaning of humankind in relation to the rest of creation, while drawing from a variety of perspectives. There are a myriad of differing theories about the place and purpose of human beings, however there are two major approaches which are at the forefront of this discussion. The first is that the human being is merely created in this world, subjugated to the laws of the universe, and is open to development but they are mortal and limited with a determined life span. The alternative approach is that, as well as being a physical being, humans are spiritual beings with a unique capacity to connect them with the Divine-Eternal Being – a unique quality beyond the scope of nature, life, and intellect. The premise of this paper concludes that humanity’s ability to attain an exalted status over the entirety of creation is not merely a result of their physical capacity, but their metaphysical faculties has given them the potential to connect with the Divine-Eternal Being.