Title: Timing is Everything: Time and the Meaning of Life

Abstract:

Human lives play out in time, and time presents us with some meaning problems.  I argue that time is necessary for meaning yet time also erodes meaning.  Time allows for the dynamism central to meaningful lives.  The arrow of time allows us to use our memory and our current state to project ourselves into the future, and engage meaningfully with our environment.  But time also erodes meaning by eroding the impact, significance, and thereby the value of our meaningful engagements, efforts, and pursuits.  We want the meaning but we don't want it to crumble.  Yet it seems that time gives us both.  A conundrum.  I analyze several recommendations in the philosophical and psychological literature about how to deal with the tragic meaning losses time imposes on and us and argue that none can work.  In fact, they will reduce meaning.  I further argue that we have too little time in our short, precarious lives for our meaningful aspirations.   Finally, I offer suggestions for how we can tease out some insights from failed attempts to escape time's wounds and restrictions with our meaning intact, and thereby make progress toward coping with things as they are.

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