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 "e;It is the decided opinion of all who use their brains that all men desire to be happy."e; 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.