Identitiy of a biological cell

Why does a cell exist?

See, cell after its division ceases to exist for itself. The two daughter cells are not the cell itself. So what benefit does the division of cells exist.

This is more on a philosophical note than the biological one. Biologically, self-replication is inevitable. But, philosophically, self-replication requires the sacrifice of the parent cell for the sake of proliferation. Why would a cell sacrifice itself just for the sake of its daughter cells? Is this a form of love?

Where does the identity of a cell reside (if it is having one)? I think the cells exist for the sake of whole life. Whole of the life in the universe can be compared to a multicellular organism, where cells replicate (dying themselves) for the sake of existence of life as a whole.

But, on a more general note what purpose does reproduction of cells or even us hold?