Abstract
The psychiatrist Viktor Frankl, who authored Man’s Search for Ultimate Meaning, had a difficult life. By the age of 39, he had lost his wife, mother, and brother during the holocaust. He emerged after the war, having languished in a concentration camp, to go on and contribute heavily to the development of existential theory. He claimed that better states of psychological health are obtained by locating meaning in life. A statement by Frankl has resonated with me for some time. He said that “No animal will ever raise the question whether or not its existence has a meaning, but man does…” (Anon, 2007a). An evolutionary theorist might take issue with this statement, but it does not conflict with evolution. Humans have adapted cognitive skills that enable them to define a purpose for themselves.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Similar content being viewed by others
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Copyright information
© 2013 Michael Babula
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Babula, M. (2013). Expanding the Scope of Biological Evolution. In: Motivation, Altruism, Personality, and Social Psychology. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137031297_3
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137031297_3
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-44079-5
Online ISBN: 978-1-137-03129-7
eBook Packages: Palgrave Social Sciences CollectionSocial Sciences (R0)