The search for meaning

What is the meaning of life? 

Since the dawn of time, humans have pondered this question of what it means to add meaning to their lives. Perhaps it is to give them some divine purpose to an indifferent life. And ultimately, this brings about the question: “What makes life meaningful?” 

For Aristotle, the meaning of life was embedded in a concept called “eudaimonia.” Eudaimonia is a Greek word that loosely translates to “living well,” with eu meaning “good” or “fortunate” and daimon meaning “spirit” or “inner self.” Aristotle suggested that everything has a purpose, like how a knife’s purpose is to cut, and for humans, it is our “rational soul”—our ability to think, reason, and make choices. As a result, our purpose isn’t solely based on survival and reproduction like animals, but also to act consciously and make deliberate decisions through contemplation. Aristotle’s definition of the meaning of life is particularly objective; it provides a framework with structure and clarity, but it assumes that life is simple and everyone knows what their purpose is. When life gets harder and more complex, this idea becomes harder to apply. 

On the other hand, Frankl argued that meaning is not something innate or objective; rather, it is something personal. For example, meaning can be found in work, love, and even suffering—if the suffering is given significance. Unlike Aristotle, Frankl suggested that meaning doesn’t come from fulfilling a universal human function, but instead from individual responsibility and choices. For example, one person may lose hope when faced with struggles, while another finds meaning by choosing to survive for loved ones or to help others. Frankl’s definition of the meaning of life is very subjective and is not the same for everyone; rather, it is something that each person experiences differently.  

Albert Camus furthered these philosophies, believing that the universe is absurd: humans want life to have meaning, but the world gives no actual answers. He specified this absurdity in one of his books, A Happy Death, where he says, “Should I kill myself, or have a cup of coffee?” This sentence depicts the absurdity of life, how a single cup of coffee can add  meaning to one’s life when they are ready to end it. He argued that people can create their own meaning, even while knowing that life has no objective purpose. In another book, The Myth of Sisyphus, he describes a man who is forced to push a boulder up a hill forever as punishment. This task has no actual meaning, but when the man accepts it and continues anyway regardless of the absurdity, Camus says, “One must imagine Sisyphus happy.” This suggests that Sisyphus finds meaning despite the futility and absurdity of his life. 

We see how ideas change what makes life meaningful over time, from Aristotle’s objective framework to Frankl’s personal purpose to Camus’ complete rejection of built-in meaning and his acceptance of people creating their own meaning. Throughout these varying views on life, however, there is one thing in common: life isn’t meaningless. 

Kaitlyn Pereira is an aspiring writer who began her journey when she was eleven years old under the guidance of a kind teacher. She has a deep fondness for books and writing and often finds herself buried in some form of art.