What is "meaning of life"

n. (context religion philosophy English) A hypothetical answer to all of life's ultimate questions; the purpose or raison d'être of human life.

The meaning of life, or the answer to the question "What is the meaning of life?", pertains to the significance of living or existence in general. Many other questions also seek the meaning of life, including "What should I do?", "Why are we here?", "What is life all about?", and "What is the purpose of existence?" or even "Does life exist at all?" There have been a large number of proposed answers to these questions from many different cultural and ideological backgrounds. The search for life's meaning has produced much philosophical, scientific, theological, and metaphysical speculation throughout history.

The meaning of life as we perceive it is derived from our philosophical and religious contemplation of, and scientific inquiries about existence, social ties, consciousness, and happiness. Many other issues are also involved, such as symbolic meaning, ontology, value, purpose, ethics, good and evil, free will, the existence of one or multiple gods, conceptions of God, the soul, and the afterlife. Scientific contributions focus primarily on describing related empirical facts about the universe, exploring the context and parameters concerning the 'how' of life. Science also studies and can provide recommendations for the pursuit of well-being and a related conception of morality. An alternative, humanistic approach poses the question, "What is the meaning of my life?"

Meaning of life generally refers to the possible purpose and significance that may be attributed to human existence and one's personal life.

(The) Meaning of Life may also refer to:

• Monty Python's The Meaning of Life, a 1983 film by Monty Python
  • Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (album), album by Monty Python in conjunction with film of same name, also contains a song titled "The Meaning of Life"
• The Meaning of Life (TV series), Irish television series presented by Gay Byrne
• The Meaning of Life (animated film), animated short film written and directed by Don Hertzfeldt
• The Meaning of Life (Tankard album), album by Tankard, also contains a song by the same name
• "The Meaning of Life" (The Offspring song), song by The Offspring from the 1997 album Ixnay on the Hombre
• M.O.L., acronym for "Meaning of Life", a DVD by Disturbed
• "Meaning of Life", a song by Disturbed from The Sickness

Authors of books titled The Meaning of Life or similar include:

• Alfred Ayer (The Meaning of Life and Other Essays)
• Bradley Trevor Greive (The Meaning of Life)
• C.E.M. Joad (The Meaning of Life: As Shown in the Process of Evolution)
• Irving Singer (Meaning in Life: The Creation of Value)
• Roy Baumeister (Meanings of Life)
• Rudolf Steiner (On the Meaning of Life)
• Ronnie Lee (The Meaning of Life: Existentialism, The Universe and Social Problems)
• Tenzin Gyatso (The Meaning of Life: Buddhist Perspectives on Cause and Effect)
• Terry Eagleton (The Meaning of Life)
• Tom Gregory (The Meaning of Life: Spiritual Insights and Practical Advice on the Big Questions We All Ask)
• Will Durant (On the Meaning of Life)

Other:

• 42, the Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
• A Hostage and the Meaning of Life, album by Brazil
• Dawkins' God: Genes, Memes, and the Meaning of Life, book by Alister McGrath
• Darwin's Dangerous Idea: Evolution and the Meanings of Life, book by Daniel Dennett
• Larry and the Meaning of Life, novel by Janet Tashjian
• Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life, novel by Wendy Mass
• The Meaning of Liff and The Deeper Meaning of Liff, books by Douglas Adams and John Lloyd
• Man's Search for Meaning, 1946 book by Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl