1. Leo Tolstoy says that when he started to study the meaning of life he found that “force was a force, the matter was matter, will be will, infinity vvas infinity, nothing was nothing, —and nothing else could come from it.’” What did he mean by this? Explain the context and significance of this sentence. 2. Sherry Turkle and Carr analyze and question the different ways in which the personal computer and our mobile computing devices are influencing and changing our behavior. Their critique focuses not only on our relationships but also on our own sense of self. The ideas of these contemporary thinkers can be related to Pascal and Kierkegaard’s ideas. Explain the arguments of these contemporary thinkers and how their ideas overlap with the thoughts of the older thinkers. 3. Nozick defines and describes four dimensions of evaluation: value, meaning, importance and weight. Explain the differences between these four notions using your own examples. 4. Quoting Bertrand Russell’s gloomy depiction of our place in the universe, Pojman reveals what he sees as the main problem with Bertrand Russell’s position. Bertrand Russell does not hide his own gloomy view but he thinks that he has a way to escape this gloominess. Explain his solution. 5. Moritz Schlick develops his theory regarding the meaning of life around the notion of play. Explain this notion, and, using your ovvn examples, explain what Schlick is trying to overcome. 6. Nagel describes the absurd, but he is very critical of traditional notions of the absurd. What thinkers could be the targets of his criticism? Compare their notions of the absurd with Nagel’s. 7. Quinn and Fackenheim both have religious and teleological answers to the question about the meaning of life. Explain what drives their eschatological answers, and emphasize the differences between their answers. 8. Kekes and Susan Wolfs argument share the concern that subjectivity is not enough for the accomplishment of a meaningful life; and that some type of objectivity is required for the achievement of this goal. Explain the similarities and differences in their approaches.

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