Deck 85: Richard Taylor: The Meaning of Life

Question 1

Richard Taylor (1919-2003) was an American philosopher who taught at major universities and wrote several influential books, including Metaphysics (1963), Good and Evil (1970), and Virtue Ethics (1991). In this essay, he rejects the notion that meaning in life is assigned to us from a source outside us. "The meaning of life," he says, "is from within us, it is not bestowed from without, and it far exceeds in both its beauty and permanence any heaven of which men have ever dreamed or yearned for."
-Taylor thinks the question of whether life has any meaning is important and

A) should be given a traditional answer.
B) has no answer.
C) ought to have a significant answer.
D) cannot be given an intelligent answer.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Richard Taylor (1919-2003) was an American philosopher who taught at major universities and wrote several influential books, including Metaphysics (1963), Good and Evil (1970), and Virtue Ethics (1991). In this essay, he rejects the notion that meaning in life is assigned to us from a source outside us. "The meaning of life," he says, "is from within us, it is not bestowed from without, and it far exceeds in both its beauty and permanence any heaven of which men have ever dreamed or yearned for."
-Taylor says that what deprives the labors of Sisyphus of meaning is that they

A) are repetitious.
B) never end.
C) are arduous.
D) come to nothing.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Richard Taylor (1919-2003) was an American philosopher who taught at major universities and wrote several influential books, including Metaphysics (1963), Good and Evil (1970), and Virtue Ethics (1991). In this essay, he rejects the notion that meaning in life is assigned to us from a source outside us. "The meaning of life," he says, "is from within us, it is not bestowed from without, and it far exceeds in both its beauty and permanence any heaven of which men have ever dreamed or yearned for."
-In the ruins of once great civilizations and in the remains of once thriving ordinary lives, Taylor sees

A) nihilism.
B) only pointlessness.
C) only meaninglessness.
D) meaningfulness that once was.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Richard Taylor (1919-2003) was an American philosopher who taught at major universities and wrote several influential books, including Metaphysics (1963), Good and Evil (1970), and Virtue Ethics (1991). In this essay, he rejects the notion that meaning in life is assigned to us from a source outside us. "The meaning of life," he says, "is from within us, it is not bestowed from without, and it far exceeds in both its beauty and permanence any heaven of which men have ever dreamed or yearned for."
-For Taylor, the point of living is

A) to die.
B) simply to be living.
C) to become immortal.
D) to discover life's pointlessness.

Question 5

Richard Taylor (1919-2003) was an American philosopher who taught at major universities and wrote several influential books, including Metaphysics (1963), Good and Evil (1970), and Virtue Ethics (1991). In this essay, he rejects the notion that meaning in life is assigned to us from a source outside us. "The meaning of life," he says, "is from within us, it is not bestowed from without, and it far exceeds in both its beauty and permanence any heaven of which men have ever dreamed or yearned for."
-According to Taylor, the meaning of life is from within us.

Question 6

Richard Taylor (1919-2003) was an American philosopher who taught at major universities and wrote several influential books, including Metaphysics (1963), Good and Evil (1970), and Virtue Ethics (1991). In this essay, he rejects the notion that meaning in life is assigned to us from a source outside us. "The meaning of life," he says, "is from within us, it is not bestowed from without, and it far exceeds in both its beauty and permanence any heaven of which men have ever dreamed or yearned for."
-Taylor says the meaning of life is bestowed from without.

Question 7

Richard Taylor (1919-2003) was an American philosopher who taught at major universities and wrote several influential books, including Metaphysics (1963), Good and Evil (1970), and Virtue Ethics (1991). In this essay, he rejects the notion that meaning in life is assigned to us from a source outside us. "The meaning of life," he says, "is from within us, it is not bestowed from without, and it far exceeds in both its beauty and permanence any heaven of which men have ever dreamed or yearned for."
-A perfect image of meaninglessness is found in the myth of Sisyphus.

Question 8

Richard Taylor (1919-2003) was an American philosopher who taught at major universities and wrote several influential books, including Metaphysics (1963), Good and Evil (1970), and Virtue Ethics (1991). In this essay, he rejects the notion that meaning in life is assigned to us from a source outside us. "The meaning of life," he says, "is from within us, it is not bestowed from without, and it far exceeds in both its beauty and permanence any heaven of which men have ever dreamed or yearned for."
-Taylor contends that meaninglessness is essentially endless pointlessness, and meaningfulness is therefore the opposite.

Question 9

Richard Taylor (1919-2003) was an American philosopher who taught at major universities and wrote several influential books, including Metaphysics (1963), Good and Evil (1970), and Virtue Ethics (1991). In this essay, he rejects the notion that meaning in life is assigned to us from a source outside us. "The meaning of life," he says, "is from within us, it is not bestowed from without, and it far exceeds in both its beauty and permanence any heaven of which men have ever dreamed or yearned for."
-Taylor thinks that because our lives are ultimately tragic, they are a kind of hell.

Question 10

Richard Taylor (1919-2003) was an American philosopher who taught at major universities and wrote several influential books, including Metaphysics (1963), Good and Evil (1970), and Virtue Ethics (1991). In this essay, he rejects the notion that meaning in life is assigned to us from a source outside us. "The meaning of life," he says, "is from within us, it is not bestowed from without, and it far exceeds in both its beauty and permanence any heaven of which men have ever dreamed or yearned for."
-Taylor says that the strange meaningfulness that our lives possess is that of the inner compulsion to be doing just what we were put here to do.

Question 11

Richard Taylor (1919-2003) was an American philosopher who taught at major universities and wrote several influential books, including Metaphysics (1963), Good and Evil (1970), and Virtue Ethics (1991). In this essay, he rejects the notion that meaning in life is assigned to us from a source outside us. "The meaning of life," he says, "is from within us, it is not bestowed from without, and it far exceeds in both its beauty and permanence any heaven of which men have ever dreamed or yearned for."
-Taylor believes that life does not and cannot contain any meaning.

Question 12

Richard Taylor (1919-2003) was an American philosopher who taught at major universities and wrote several influential books, including Metaphysics (1963), Good and Evil (1970), and Virtue Ethics (1991). In this essay, he rejects the notion that meaning in life is assigned to us from a source outside us. "The meaning of life," he says, "is from within us, it is not bestowed from without, and it far exceeds in both its beauty and permanence any heaven of which men have ever dreamed or yearned for."
-For Taylor, real meaningfulness is bestowed from heaven.

Question 13

Richard Taylor (1919-2003) was an American philosopher who taught at major universities and wrote several influential books, including Metaphysics (1963), Good and Evil (1970), and Virtue Ethics (1991). In this essay, he rejects the notion that meaning in life is assigned to us from a source outside us. "The meaning of life," he says, "is from within us, it is not bestowed from without, and it far exceeds in both its beauty and permanence any heaven of which men have ever dreamed or yearned for."
-Taylor says that the point of any living thing's life is nothing but life itself.

Question 14

Richard Taylor (1919-2003) was an American philosopher who taught at major universities and wrote several influential books, including Metaphysics (1963), Good and Evil (1970), and Virtue Ethics (1991). In this essay, he rejects the notion that meaning in life is assigned to us from a source outside us. "The meaning of life," he says, "is from within us, it is not bestowed from without, and it far exceeds in both its beauty and permanence any heaven of which men have ever dreamed or yearned for."
-Taylor thinks that all our labors culminate in something lasting.

Question 15

Richard Taylor (1919-2003) was an American philosopher who taught at major universities and wrote several influential books, including Metaphysics (1963), Good and Evil (1970), and Virtue Ethics (1991). In this essay, he rejects the notion that meaning in life is assigned to us from a source outside us. "The meaning of life," he says, "is from within us, it is not bestowed from without, and it far exceeds in both its beauty and permanence any heaven of which men have ever dreamed or yearned for."
-For Taylor, the picture of Sisyphus is the picture of the existence of individual persons, of nations, and of the human race.