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Question Hi I'm just a 15 year-old kid in PA and I was wondering if you could verify what I believe to be the meaning of life. I believe that the meaning of life is to search for the meaning of life, because doesn't that give us a meaning to our lives? And if we finally find a meaning to life, what else do we have to live for? But as long as we keep searching for the meaning of life, we have a meaning of life. Do you agree or disagree?

Accepted:
November 10, 2005

Comments

Hey, don't call yourself JUST a 15 year old kid from PA. You are asking a very deep question, and proposing a very thoughtful answer. I would agree that thinking reflectively about the meaning of life is ONE of the things that makes life meaningful. But I wouldn't agree that it is the whole picture. For instance, it might be that making a contribution to the welfare of others, or furthering knowledge, or developing one'w own talents and virtues would make life even more meaningful. Asking what THE meaning of life is might be a misleading way to put the question that really bothers us when we are tempted to ask that very question. It might make more sense to ask, "what kinds of things make life meaningful?" That suggests a broader menu.

Nontetheless, your insight that caring about that issue in the first place is an important first step is on target. You might enjoy reading Aristotle's NICOMACHEAN ETHICS, or Marcus Aurelius' MEDITATIONS. I'd also suggest Tolstoy's THE DEATH OF IVAN ILLYCH and HH the Dalai Lama's ETHICS FOR A NEW MILLENIUM as a way of looking at how some other philosophers, writers and religious figures have approached this question in a thoughtful way.