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The title of my presidential speech may be unusual, perhaps even presumptuous, but undeniably it is intriguing. After all, the question of the meaning of life is one that has been debated and studied over the centuries and by some of the most respected and finest minds that ever lived. Socrates pondered the meaning of life and concluded that it is the "considered life" or the "chosen life" that brings meaning. All of the major religions of the world contemplate life's meaning (Paloutzian & Park, 2005), and it has been highlighted as the central topic of psychology (Baumeister, 1991; Wong & Fry, 1998). It has been shown to have discriminate ability to predict psychological distress (Debats, 1999) as well as happiness, purpose, and overall well-being.
Albert Camus (1981), the 20th century Nobel Prize philosopher, stated: "I have seen many people die because life for them was not worth living. . . . I therefore conclude that the meaning of life is the most urgent of questions" (p. 70). Leo Tolstoy (1980), the famous Russian author, and Victor Frankl (1992), neurologist and psychiatrist, have also identified the meaning of life as the most important question ever pondered.
Psychologists have identified important outcomes related to the meaning of life; Frankl (1978) and Jung (1933) identified the lack of meaning and purpose to life as the root cause of all neuroses. Other psychologists have linked depression, substance abuse, and suicide to the inability to find meaning, comfort, and joy in life (Beck, 1967; Harlow, Newcomb, & Bentler, 1986; Seligman, 1990). Studying the related concept of purpose in life, Viktor Frankl reported that 55% of neuroses were largely due to a response to emptiness and a lack of purpose in life (1963; see also Crumbaugh & Maholick, 1964). Others have confirmed that living without meaning, goals, or values induces stress and unhappiness (Debats, 1999; Yalom, 1980).
In seeking truth in this area, eminent psychologists have explored the topic through interviews with those who have been assumed to possess the answers. For example, Will Durant (1932) sent an invitation to more than 100 respected individuals of his time to describe how they found meaning in their lives. Included in the published responses were those provided by Mohandas Gandhi, Bertrand Russell,...