The Purpose of Life

What does philosophy have to say on the question of the meaning of life? This is one of the founding questions of philosophy and has remained a central problem for philosophers from antiquity through to the Middle Ages and modern period.

It may surprise some readers that there has, in fact, been a good deal of agreement on the answer to this question: the meaning of life is happiness. The Purpose of Life is a serious but engaging exploration and defense of this answer. The central idea that shapes The Purpose of Life is Augustine's assertion that 'It is the decided opinion of all who use their brains that all men desire to be happy.' In working through the ramifications of this answer, Stewart Goetz provides a survey of the debates surrounding life's meaning, from both theists and atheists alike.