Abstract
Meaning in life is an important aspect of human well-being and motivation. But as the notion of ‘meaning in life’ is not easily
assimilated to that of semantic meaning, it is difficult to define. While meaning in life is standardly discussed in terms
of meaningful ways of living, I here take the alternative approach of discussing the meaningfulness of things for agents.
I claim that such meaningfulness, or significance, consists in the ways in which things invite agent-relevant responses. Meaningfulness
in that sense is important for understanding, not just meaning in life for mature human beings, but also meaning for children,
meaning in the arts, the continuity between ‘mere’ living and living meaningfully, and the connection between meaning in life
and semantic meaning.
assimilated to that of semantic meaning, it is difficult to define. While meaning in life is standardly discussed in terms
of meaningful ways of living, I here take the alternative approach of discussing the meaningfulness of things for agents.
I claim that such meaningfulness, or significance, consists in the ways in which things invite agent-relevant responses. Meaningfulness
in that sense is important for understanding, not just meaning in life for mature human beings, but also meaning for children,
meaning in the arts, the continuity between ‘mere’ living and living meaningfully, and the connection between meaning in life
and semantic meaning.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Research Paper
- Pages 1-17
- DOI 10.1007/s10902-012-9382-y
- Authors
- Wim de Muijnck, Faculty of Social Sciences, Radboud University Nijmegen, Thomas van Aquinostraat 8, 6525 GD Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Journal Journal of Happiness Studies
- Online ISSN 1573-7780
- Print ISSN 1389-4978