Deck 36: Death in Mind

Question 1

According to the whole-life view of meaning in life

A) A life involves separate and discrete segments of meaning
B) Meaningfulness involves relations between life's parts
C) Meaningfulness and activity coincide
D) Meaning is "local"

Answer 1

Meaningfulness involves relations between life's parts

Question 2

Which of the following applies to Additivists

A) Meaningful events/activities are discrete
B) Meaningfulness in life is cumulative
C) both (a) and (b)
D) neither (a) nor (b)

Answer 2

both (a) and (b)

Question 3

The Achievementist can deal with anxiety over the too-soon problem

A) by setting finite goals and accomplishing them
B) by setting infinite goals and accomplishing as many as possible
C) by setting no goals at all
D) by living in the moment

Answer 3

by setting finite goals and accomplishing them

Question 4

Closure and completion of a life is possible for

A) Additivists
B) Achievementists
C) Engagementists
D) Narrativists

Question 5

The Engagementist

A) values involvement in over completion of an activity
B) has a whole-life view of meaning in life
C) treats meaningfulness in life as cumulative
D) cannot overcome the too-soon problem

Question 6

Thinking about one's own mortality is more integral to some views of meaning in life than others. Compare the value of dwelling on death for the Additivist versus the Achievementist. Relate this to their respective ways of dealing with the anxiety caused by the "too-soon" problem.

Question 7

The Engagementist treats meaning in life as non-cumulative. Discuss what this means and whether it could be true. What is problematic about the Engagementist view and what, if anything, is appealing about it, as compared with any of the other views on offer?

Question 8

The Narrativists suggests that death can actually enhance meaningfulness in life by bringing closure and completeness to it. Explain this by extending the comparison with literary narratives. Does the Narrativist view result in the most positive attitude to death on offer, as compared with any of the other views? Is Narrative closure feasible in real life?