The purpose of a life is to realize itself, and its connection to the whole/universe. This is both empirical/pragmatic (in the William James, and Charles Sanders Peirce sense of the words), and intuitive. Realization begins with an experience and ends with intuit conception. Birth, in the humanistic sense of the word begins at conception (when sperm and egg unite). I submit that in the Spinoza sense of the word (which I concur with), you are born/conceived when you cease to be acted upon externally. This can only occur when your actions are guided from within. This is an application of reason apart from previous perceptions. You are then 'born again'. Everything is now new, and possible.