[MD] The Meanings of Life

[david buchanan]

I want to thank everyone who offered thoughts on "the meaning of life", both here and privately. There were some real interesting and helpful insights. It never would have occurred to me that anyone would respond to the Pirsig passage by saying they want to be dull imitators. I'm still trying to think of a way to handle such a challenge without insulting the would-be dull imitator. See? I did it just then. I mean, how is it anything but insulting to say someone is "dull" or "unoriginal", even if it is a self-description. Anyway,... 

Steve said:
What if instead of asking one another, "what is the meaning of life?" they instead asked, "what are the meanings of life?" Is the first question which presupposes a single meaning in some way more legitimate than the second? I suspect that people wouldn't find the issue at all vexing if they asked the second question since meanings abound. It reminds me of the scene Ron mentioned where Pirsig helps Chris write a letter. The questions, "what do I want to say?," and, "what do I want to say first?," get in one another's way.

dmb says:
The students will be lead through those sorts of distinctions in the readings leading up to the class on Pirsig. Basically, the question of the meaning of life in general is associated with religion and old-style metaphysics whereas the question of the meaning of MY life in particular is associated with non-metaphysical, existential, humanistic worldviews. The first readings will include ancient Plato and postmodern Terry Eagleton, for example. As I mentioned, "the meaning of life" is the theme for the whole course and of course there will be a whole range of ways to ask and answer that question.

Steve said:
I think another worthy consideration regarding ZAMM and the meaning of life is Pirsig's list of questions typifying philosophical inquiry. When it is said that something means something, just what exactly is that supposed to even mean? Before people ask, "what is the meaning of life?" they may do well to consider what they mean by "meaning" in order to pose the question in a way that could ever possibly elicit satisfying answers.


dmb says:
I think you're confusing or conflating two different senses of the term. When we ask what the term "means" we're asking for some precision as to what the content of the idea is supposed to indicate, convey or refer to. When we ask about the "meaning" of life, on the other hand, we're asking about it's significance, import, point and purpose. We are not asking what the content IS but rather asking about what's valuable and worthwhile about it. 
Of course "mean" can also mean "cruel", as in "Those are some mean streets" and what we "mean" can also mean "intentions", as in "He means well". But in the context of the phrase "meaning of life", "meaning" has an evaluative connotation above all.