Susan Wolf: A Meaningful Life Analysis

Susan Wolf’s argument that a meaningful life is one that is actively and at least somewhat successfully engaged in a project (or projects) of positive value is developed through a philosophical distinction between the perception of what is meaning of life and what constitutes as a meaningful life (797). Wolf classifies a meaningful life as one of positive value and active engagement, not to be confused with subjective criteria like personal happiness or contentment. The author distinguishes a meaningful life by elaborating on what she qualifies as a meaningless life. Wolf first characterizes a meaningless life as a life of “hazy passivity” (796). Individuals who are categorized into this bracket often indulged themselves in deeds that contribute …show more content…
Take the career of a doctor for example. The doctor in reference has an impressive track record and is renowned for their patient care and recovery techniques. This doctor was trained at the top medical school in the country and is widely accepted in the surrounding community for their efforts in providing optimal care to all patients that seek their services. In this specific situation, the doctor is assigned a patient with a severe chronic illness, in which they have no practical experience with this condition. But, because of their track record and popular public persona, they refuse to turn down a patient in critical need. Although the doctor engages in strenuous amounts of research, a project, in hopes of learning more about this condition to aid their patient, they only contribute to the worsening of the patient’s condition and it ultimately leads to the demise of said patient. If this doctor’s career goal was to never lose the life of a patient, should their career be rendered meaningless due to their failure in securing the life of this particular patient? Wolf may then argue that the doctor’s career in its entirety could be considered a meaningful project, since the doctor was successful in obtaining their undergraduate degree, which allotted them the opportunity to go to medical school, and then by continuing their strive for excellence in the medical field through building a good track record and rapport with the community, all with the original intent of helping people; however, by definition of Wolf’s argument, this one failed attempt at a “sub-project” stemming from duty as a doctor, constitutes an unsuccessful project, which in turn debases any further