INQ-120 | The Meaning of Life

Full Title: The Meaning of Life

Topic Description:

What is the meaning of life? In order to answer this question, one must ask many others; for example, why are we here? Who am I? What is the nature of reality and the universe? How can I find happiness? What is the truth? What is my purpose? In this course, students will read multiple sources on a wide range of topics that attempt to address these “big” questions in life, in a search for meaning and purpose. The course will move from a broad perspective of historical solutions to these problems (e.g., religious, philosophical, social, economical, political) to more contemporary approaches (e.g., physics, psychology, artificial intelligence, neuroscience) in an effort to understand “what is the meaning of life?” Ultimately, the course will focus on how the science of psychology can inform our understanding of how we come to define our own life’s purpose. While there is admittedly no one answer to this question, the goal of this course is to use reading and writing along with open debate and discussions to help students critically assess different value systems as well as to evaluate/reevaluate their own value system.

Counts as Global? No

Topic Approved: November 2009