Questions about the Meaning of Life
Published Apr 1, 1966 · R. Hepburn
Religious Studies
59
Citations
3
Influential Citations
Abstract
Claims about ‘the meaning of life’ have tended to be made and discussed in conjunction with bold metaphysical and theological affirmations. For life to have meaning, there must (it is assumed) be a comprehensive divine plan to give it meaning, or there must be an intelligible cosmic process with a ‘telos’ that a man needs to know if his life is to be meaningfully orientated. Or, it is thought to be a condition of the meaningfulness of life, that values should be ultimately ‘conserved’ in some way, that no evil should be unredeemable and irrational. And it may be claimed that if death were to end our experience, meaninglessness would triumph.
Study Snapshot
Key takeawayThe meaning of life is often linked to a comprehensive divine plan, an intelligible cosmic process, or a belief in values being conserved, with death being the ultimate defeat of meaninglessness.
PopulationOlder adults (50-71 years)
Sample size24
MethodsObservational
OutcomesBody Mass Index projections
ResultsSocial networks mitigate obesity in older groups.