What is this thing called The Meaning of Life? What is this thing called? Series

What are we asking when we ask, "What is the meaning of life?"? Can there be meaning without God? Is a happy life a meaningful life? Can an immoral life be meaningful? Does our suffering have meaning? Does death threaten meaning?

What is this thing called The Meaning of Life? provides an engaging and stimulating introduction to philosophical thinking about life?s meaning. Goetz and Seachris provide the reader with accessible examples, before looking at the main theoretical approaches to meaning and key philosophers associated with them. Topics covered include:

• What does the question, "What is the meaning of life?", even mean?
• Does life have a purpose?
• What is valuable?
• Do we matter?
• Does life (or my life) make any sense?
• Is there any meaning in suffering?
• Does death threaten meaning?
• Would immortality be good or bad news for us?

With boxed summaries of key concepts and noteworthy examples, discussion questions, and suggestions for further reading included within each chapter, this book is the ideal introduction to life?s meaning for philosophy students coming to the subject for the first time.

Preface 1. The meaning of life’s meaning 2. Meaning and purpose 3. Meaning and significance I: Value 4. Meaning and significance II: Mattering 5. Meaning and sense-making 6. Meaning and evil 7. Meaning, death, and immortality. Appendix I: (One type of) mid- or quarter-life crisis Appendix II: Buddhism and the Meaning of Life Glossary of Terms Bibliography Index

Stewart Goetz is Professor of Philosophy in the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies at Ursinus College, USA.

Joshua W. Seachris is Assistant Teaching Professor of Philosophy and Program Director at the Center for Philosophy of Religion, University of Notre Dame, USA.