“The Meaning of Life” Richard Taylor

1. “The Meaning of Life”Richard Taylor Three ways to answer the question “What gives life meaning?”: • Life has meaning because it has a purpose, direction, or results in something that lasts Response: the repetitive nature of life reveals how life does not have a point or result in anything that truly lasts (1919-2003)

2. The Meaninglessness of Life • Life has no meaning because, as in the case of Sisyphus, all our efforts ultimately fail to produce anything permanent Response: Sisyphus’s irrational desire for what cannot be achieved allows him to make sense of his endless striving to act

3. The Meaning of Life:The Nobility of the Struggle Albert Camus (1913-1960) • It is our desire to keep on doing what we do (i.e., simply striving to live) that makes life meaningful. We have no reason to despair, for it is the permanent expectation of there not being a final state that keeps us going Response: this ignores our longing for something that transcends this life