The Meaning of Life from Sacred and Secular Perspectives

Author:   Charles Taliaferro ,  Paul Reasoner
Publisher:   Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
ISBN:  

9781666966084


Pages:   152
Publication Date:   19 February 2026
Format:   Hardback
Availability:   Manufactured on demand   Availability explained
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The Meaning of Life from Sacred and Secular Perspectives


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Full Product Details

Author:   Charles Taliaferro ,  Paul Reasoner
Publisher:   Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Imprint:   Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN:  

9781666966084


ISBN 10:   1666966088
Pages:   152
Publication Date:   19 February 2026
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Manufactured on demand   Availability explained
We will order this item for you from a manufactured on demand supplier.

Table of Contents

Introduction Chapter One: What is meaning? Chapter Two: Why should anyone care about the meaning of life? And by the way, isn’t there something preposterous about seeking the meaning of life? Chapter Three: No need to search very far: We should conclude that the meaning of life for humans is perfect happiness. Or should we? Chapter Four: Can we discover the meaning of life through science, especially evolutionary biology? Maybe the key to life is to hatch (be born), match (reproduce), and then dispatch (be done). Chapter Five: How might the major theistic traditions obscure or contribute to discovering the meaning of life? Chapter Six: Why bother with religion when there are great, satisfying secular visions of the meaning of life? Chapter Seven: What do Hinduism, Buddhism, and Confucianism say about the meaning of life? Chapter Eight: Is there a compelling Christian meaning of life? Chapter Nine: Radical psychological challenge: Could the religious perspectives on the meaning of life be make-believe? Chapter Ten: Does belief in the meaning of life require certainty? Is belief compatible with doubt? Acknowledgments References

Reviews

The meaning of life is the question which should underlie any philosophy, but it is also the topic which nearly all academic philosophers studiously avoid. Taliaferro and Reasoner step into the breach admirably. Their treatment, while eminently readable, is seriously philosophical. It combines judicious analyses of the most significant accounts of the meaning of life, religious and non-religious, western and non-western, with well-judged reflection on how each of us, as reflective individuals, might best approach this most important question of all. * Anthony O'Hear, Professor of Philosophy, University of Buckingham, UK * In this engaging and expansive work, Charles Taliaferro and Paul Reasoner return philosophy to its roots: a love of wisdom that embraces reason, imagination, and the full depth of human experience. With clarity and generosity, they explore a wide range of sources—from the world’s major religious traditions to evolutionary biology and contemporary philosophy. The Meaning of Life from Sacred and Secular Perspectives is a wise and inviting companion for anyone drawn to life’s deepest questions. Rare in its depth and openness, this book challenges readers without prescribing answers—and offers encouragement along the way. * Victoria Harrison, Professor of Philosophy, University of Macau, SAR * Among non-philosophers it is commonly thought that the defining philosophical issue must be the question of the meaning of life. This lively and creative discussion introduces the reader to the recent revival of philosophical interest in these matters, and offers a rich account of the potential contribution of religious traditions to our assessment of the meaning of human endeavours. This is an accessible, probing and thought-provoking engagement with fundamental questions of life. * Mark Wynn, Oriel College, University of Oxford, UK *


The meaning of life is the question which should underlie any philosophy, but it is also the topic which nearly all academic philosophers studiously avoid. Taliaferro and Reasoner step into the breach admirably. Their treatment, while eminently readable, is seriously philosophical. It combines judicious analyses of the most significant accounts of the meaning of life, religious and non-religious, western and non-western, with well-judged reflection on how each of us, as reflective individuals, might best approach this most important question of all. * Anthony O'Hear, Professor of Philosophy, University of Buckingham, UK *


The meaning of life is the question which should underlie any philosophy, but it is also the topic which nearly all academic philosophers studiously avoid. Taliaferro and Reasoner step into the breach admirably. Their treatment, while eminently readable, is seriously philosophical. It combines judicious analyses of the most significant accounts of the meaning of life, religious and non-religious, western and non-western, with well-judged reflection on how each of us, as reflective individuals, might best approach this most important question of all. * Anthony O'Hear, Professor of Philosophy, University of Buckingham, UK * In this engaging and expansive work, Charles Taliaferro and Paul Reasoner return philosophy to its roots: a love of wisdom that embraces reason, imagination, and the full depth of human experience. With clarity and generosity, they explore a wide range of sources—from the world’s major religious traditions to evolutionary biology and contemporary philosophy. The Meaning of Life from Sacred and Secular Perspectives is a wise and inviting companion for anyone drawn to life’s deepest questions. Rare in its depth and openness, this book challenges readers without prescribing answers—and offers encouragement along the way. * Victoria Harrison, Professor of Philosophy, University of Macau, SAR *


Author Information

Charles Taliaferro is Professor Emeritus of Philosophy and Emeritus Overby Distinguished Professor at St. Olaf College. Paul Reasoner is Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Bethel University.

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