Abstract

The essay examines the possible meanings of the term "meaning" in the phrase "meaning of life." The authors explain the frequent ambiguities in discussions about the meaning of life by pointing to the ambiguity of the term "meaning of life" itself. Instead of a classical conceptual analysis based on essential characteristics, they propose analyzing the term "meaning of life" as a cluster of intertwined, interdependent concepts. Using a number of examples, they show that in everyday discourse, the concept of the meaning of life is used in at least eight different meanings: purpose, impact, value of life, positive value, sense of fulfillment, comprehensibility, narrative, and personal essence. They argue that satisfying one of these seems not sufficient for having a meaningful life, but satisfying more of them in some combinations may be sufficient.