Question 1

Some people feel that as long as we have to die we cannot live a meaningful life. Would radical life extension solve this problem?&#10;A) Yes, because with radical life extension we would no longer have to die.&#10;B) Yes, because with radical life extension it would no longer be possible for us to die.&#10;C) No, because even a radically extended life would have to end sometime.&#10;D) No, because we know that radical life extension is impossible.

Accepted Answer

Even with radical life extension, it is still likely that our extended lives would have to end at some point. Therefore, the problem of having to eventually face death would still remain, even if it were delayed for an extended period of time.

Question 2

If the fact that we have to die makes it impossible for us to live a meaningful life, then&#10;A) Death is the greatest evil.&#10;B) Only the best people can ever hope to live a meaningful life&#10;C) Very few people have ever lived a meaningful life.&#10;D) All lives are equally meaningless.

Accepted Answer

If death makes it impossible for any life to be meaningful, then all lives, regardless of their actions or achievements, would be equally devoid of meaning.

Question 3

Why is Sisyphus often thought to be the &#34;perfect image of meaninglessness&#34;?&#10;A) Because his situation is marked by repetitiveness, futility, and mortality.&#10;B) Because his situation is marked by repetitiveness, utility, and endlessness.&#10;C) Because his situation is marked by repetitiveness, futility, and endlessness.&#10;D) Because his situation is marked by repetitiveness, utility, and mortality.

Accepted Answer

Sisyphus's punishment involves an endless cycle of pushing a boulder up a hill, only to have it roll back down and repeat the task again. This repetitive task is marked by its futility, as Sisyphus never achieves the goal of reaching the top of the hill. Additionally, because he is immortal, his punishment is endless and he will be stuck in this meaningless cycle forever.

Question 4

Hauskeller argues that&#10;A) Repetition can itself be a source of meaning.&#10;B) A repetitive life can never be meaningful.&#10;C) Variation is always better than repetition.&#10;D) What makes life meaningful is repeated variation.

Accepted Answer

Hauskeller's argument is that repetition can itself be a source of meaning, meaning that choice A is the best option. He does not argue that a repetitive life can never be meaningful, that variation is always better than repetition or that what makes life meaningful is repeated variation.

Question 5

The staying-power intuition is the idea that&#10;A) Only what is meaningful lasts.&#10;B) Only what lasts is meaningful.&#10;C) Only what has power stays meaningful.&#10;D) Only what is meaningful stays in power.

Accepted Answer

The staying-power intuition suggests that the significance or value of something is determined by its endurance over time, hence the idea that "Only what lasts is meaningful."

Question 6

Hauskeller argues that&#10;A) No mortal life can have ultimate significance.&#10;B) Because we end in nothing we are nothing.&#10;C) Because we are nothing we end in nothing.&#10;D) What ends in nothing can still be something.

Accepted Answer

Hauskeller argues that just because something ends in nothing, it doesn't necessarily mean that it had no value or significance during its existence. Therefore, what ends in nothing can still be something.

Question 7

What makes the myth of Sisyphus supposedly such a &#34;perfect image of meaninglessness&#34; (Taylor)? How does the life of Sisyphus compare to ours? Do you agree that the life of Sisyphus is meaningless? Why or why not? Do you agree that our life is meaningless? Why or why not?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What makes the myth of Sisyphus supposedly...

Question 8

How can our mortality be thought to impede our ability to live a meaningful life? What can an immortal life give us that a mortal life cannot give us? Is what it can give us necessary for a meaningful life? Is it sufficient for a meaningful life?

Accepted Answer

The answer of How can our mortality be thought to...

Deck 38: Out of the Blue Into the Black