Passionate Yearning Theory as a Theory of Meaning in Life

Abstract

In this chapter, I frame what I believe to be a plausible account of meaning in life—the passionate yearning theory. This view loosely draws inspiration from Ada Agada’s metaphysical system, which he calls “consolationism” (specifically the idea of yearning) and draws from my contestation with traditional African conceptions of meaning (especially the communal normative function theory). Within the context of this view, meaning is conceived as the internally derived passionate yearning and striving, for an ideal, or a particular state of affairs that corrals a plausibly objective claim to facticity, that is not immoral and that is worth pursuing for its own sake. To argue for this theory of meaning, I begin by presenting an analysis of what I take to be the foundational criteria for the view. These criteria, I take to be: the lack of immorality, intrinsic subjectivity, passion, yearning and striving. I will then show how these foundational ideas coalesce to form the passionate yearning theory. Finally, I shall defend the view against possible criticisms and distinguish it from other views that appear to bear a similarity to it.

I acknowledge that this chapter is primarily derived from the article “Attoe, A. (2022). The Passionate Yearning Theory as a Theory of Meaning in Life. Philosophia, 50: 1579–1599”.