Seizing the Day (2)

 AGENDA

1. Presentation
2. Kauppinen

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Antti Kauppinen-- "Against Seizing the Day"

 Kauppinen's interpretation of Setiya based on two of Setiya's writings

1. He draws on Setiya's book Midlife (2017) -- the chapter we read
2. he also draws on an earlier article -- "The Midlife Crisis" (2014)

2017 book: to get over your midlife crisis ...

1. Do ontinue some telic activities
2. But enjoy the process (Atelic1)
3. Also enjoy the counterparts of your telic activities (Atelic2)
4. Also enjoy other atelic activities (Atelic3)
5. Be present during these atelic activities; learn to be present by meditating

2014 article (see p. 16-17)... talks more about meaning and makes stronger claims

1. Telic activities do have value, but....
2. The ideal life would be completely focused on atelic activities
• do some writing instead of writing a book (it may turn into a book)
• do some hiking instead of hiking the Appalachian Trail (you may hike the whole trail)
• do some dating instead of looking for someone to marry (you may get married)
3. The ideal life is just an ideal, not something to strive fo

Kauppinen interprets Setiya as saying...

1. atelic activities are meaningful! 
2. only atelic activities are meaningful 

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Kauppinen argues for the opposite

what gives your life meaning is your "ground projects," such as "parenting, running, a business, or governing a country" (p. 2) 

"On this picture, meaning isn’t to be found in the here and now, in seizing the day. It is instead a deserved reward of bending the arc of one’s life in the direction of the good by building on past efforts or by keeping a good thing going even when the going gets tough." (p. 3) 

"if someone’s life is meaningful, then attitudes like sense of purpose, agential pride, fulfilment, agential admiration, and elevation are merited by it (see Metz 2001, Wolf 2010, Kauppinen 2013). The problem with throwing projects to the wind and focusing one’s life on strongly atelic activities, then, is that they don’t warrant such attitudes. "(p. 7)

"To be sure, we sometimes use the language of meaning in other ways as well. For example, we may describe certain experiences, events, people, places, or objects as meaningful for us. What this kind of talk says is that these things resonate with us – they give rise to some deep feelings, not just pleasure, for example. There is some temptation to think that a life is meaningful to the extent that it contains such meaningful encounters. But I want to keep this sense of meaningfulness separate from having the kind of sense of purpose or point to our lives that wards off existential concerns (Why am I here? What does it matter if I die tomorrow? What’s the point of all this toil? So what if I’d never existed?)." (p. 7)

"If the angel in It’s a Wonderful Life had reminded George Bailey that he will have a deep experience if he goes to see the Sistine Chapel or dances with his wife, it would have done nothing to stop him from jumping off the bridge – his concern wasn’t that nothing resonated with him, but that he had failed those who depended on him. Focusing on the aptness of meaning-relevant attitudes should help make clear we’re addressing the right question." (p. 7)

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It's a Wonderful Life -- George Bailey is on the verge of suicide but an angel shows him how much of a difference he's made to his community and he realizes life is worth living.

Manhattan -- Isaac is thinking about what makes life worth living and lists a bunch of things that simply resonate with him!