Subjectivism states that meaning in life is determined by what subjects regard as meaningful. Objectivism denies this. The main argument against subjectivism is that it allows for seemingly worthless, or even immoral, sources of meaning. Objectivism, on the other hand, does not do justice to the role of subjective perspectives in the quest for meaning. This paper addresses the shortcomings of both positions by referring to the objective value of ‘meaning autonomy’, defined here as the freedom to determine for oneself (...) what is meaningful in life. While the notion of meaning autonomy is compatible with realist objectivism, objectivity is understood in a non-realist sense in this paper, as being based on cultural standards of meaningfulness. Subjective meaning may be attached to ‘worthless’ activities, but it cannot contradict the moral norms of the society that grants its members meaning autonomy. (shrink)

Masahiro Morioka has introduced the concept of “the joy of life” as an element of his critique of prevailing tendencies toward comfort and the alleviation of suffering, which he calls “painless civilization.” I argue that this concept problematizes Bernard Williams’s idea of the “ground projects” that organize and imbue lives with meaning. In light of Morioka’s analysis, ground projects cannot be the exclusive or even primary carrier of meaning in life. Our various undertakings and pursuits may organize and orient life, (...) but they do not hold a monopoly on meaning. Even in the face of destroyed ground projects, we can find joy in living. The dynamic that emerges from considering Williams’s view through the lens of Morioka’s conception of joy, I argue, points to the possibility of the existential transcendence of our reified selves. (shrink)