Meaning in life and why it matters
By: Susan Wolf ; introduction by Stephen Macedo ; with commentary by John Koethe ... [et al.].
Contributors: Koethe, John, 1945-
Series: The University Center for Human Values series
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Published: 2010
Place of publication: Princeton, N.J
Language: eng
Number of pages: 143
ISBN-13: 9780691145242
Subjects: Life; Values
Description: "Most people, including philosophers, tend to classify human motives as falling into one of two categories: the egoistic or the altruistic, the self-interested or the moral. According to Susan Wolf, however, much of what motivates us does not comfortably fit into this scheme. Often we act neither for our own sake nor out of duty or an impersonal concern for the world. Rather, we act out of love for objects that we rightly perceive as worthy of love - and it is these actions that give meaning to our lives. Wolf makes a compelling case that, along with happiness and morality, this kind of meaningfulness constitutes a distinctive dimension of a good life. Full of provocative examples, Meaning in Life and Why It Matters is a reflection on a subject of permanent human concern."--Jacket.
Notes: These essays were formerly lectures delivered at Princeton University in Nov. 2007.

Includes bibliographical references and index.
Table of contents: title: Introduction / Stephen Macedo; title: Meaning in life and why it matters; title: Meaning in life; title: Why it matters; title: Comments and response; title: John Koethe; title: Robert M. Adams; title: Nomy Arpaly; title: Jonathan Haidt; title: Response / Susan Wolf.