Question

According to author of “The Meaning of Life,” Terry Eagleton, how does the universe have meaning?

Answer 1

Eagleton sets off at a cracking pace. God is passed at the first bend. Offering Him up as the meaning of life is either tautological  God is the meaning of life because the meaning of life is God - or it suggests an antiquated architect "widely considered to have a somewhat twisted sense of humour". With that out of the way by page four, we can link hands with Wittgenstein and approach life as "wonderment". Modern science can tell us, or hope to tell us, how things work. Meaning’ is a word referring to what we have in mind as ‘signification’, and it relates to intention and purpose. ‘Life’ is applied to the state of being alive; conscious existence. Mind, consciousness, words and what they signify, are thus the focus for the answer to the question. What seems inescapable is that there is no meaning associated with life other than that acquired by our consciousness, inherited via genes, developed and given content through memes (units of culture). The meanings we believe life to have are then culturally and individually diverse. It is clearly internet shopping, franchised fast food and surgically-enhanced boobs. No, this is not true. I think the only answer is to strip back every layer of the physical world, every learnt piece of knowledge, almost everything that seems important in our modern lives. All that’s left is simply existence. Life is existence: it seems ‘good’ to be part of life. But really that’s your lot! We should just be thankful that our lifespan is longer than, say, a spider, or your household mog.