what's the purpose of martial arts in your own opinions?

Martial arts were primarily created to teach skills that allowed you to cause bodily harm in other people. As you've noted, you're actually learning things in martial arts classes that are only used to fight other people, kike joint locks, throws, chokes, etc. Now you can receive other benefits, like learning a little of a foreign language or getting into better shape, or you can use martial arts as a spiritual, intellectual, philosophical, or cultural journey, but all those can be found in other endeavors as well. The one thing martial arts teaches you that nothing else will is how to fight, how to break the body of another person. That is why they were created, period.

I tend to think of martial arts and budo separately as I'm rather tired of people who can't separate martial arts and fighting. Our police officer friend may agree with me there!

Budo is a way I try to become the person I want to be. (Limited success but maybe one day I'll get there.) It allows me to relax and de-stress due to the ritual and having to concentrate on what I'm doing. I've found that I've become a physically and mentally stronger person since taking up martial arts. I quite like doing the little I can to preserve a tradition that goes back hundreds of years and was nearly wiped out entirely.

If only it was for philosophical purposes.

32 yrs. as a police officer and almost all bars near a martial arts schools have an extraordinary number of fights when compared to the number of fights in establishments away from martial arts schools.

survival, no matter what situation, they were created as a form of necessity at first, whether for health, the battle field, spiritual cultivation, entertainment, or life in general. all the arts had a catalyst, a situation which the creators had to get by. that is the original purpose

Life Protection.

Discipline, safety, health and mental/spiritual growth. That's how I see the martial arts.

I chose the word safety over self defense do to the fact you can protect others, not just yourself.

Purpose (in my eyes at least): Life Protection (as Daoshi stated) and Life improvement

The purpose of my martial arts training is mental, moral, and spiritual Development.

I also train to learn how to protect myself, and my loved ones.

Discipline and Self defence.

In my case also enjoyment and a healthy focus.

It promotes discipline and self control both mentally and physically.