The Purpose of Life

Stewart Goetz’s remarkable book, The Purpose of Life: A Theistic Perspective, provides a rigorous analytic treatment of a theistic theory of the meaning of life that addresses the best arguments of its nontheistic detractors. Beyond that self-described goal, Goetz also mounts a direct assault on naturalism, defends his specific understanding of life’s meaning against the objections of his theistic friends, and presents a kind of free will theodicy. ... [P]acked full of insights and arguments that would benefit a readership that ranges from advanced undergraduates to the most learned theologian or philosopher. -- Jordan Wessling, Fuller Theological Seminary, USA * The Journal of Religion *
The Purpose of Life: A Theistic Perspective makes an important contribution to the growing discussion within analytic philosophy over life’s meaning. Goetz covers a lot of interesting philosophical territory to make his case—value theory, naturalism, reductionism, the problem of evil, even heaven and hell. His choice of interlocutors is equally interesting: St. Augustine, Bertrand Russell, C.S. Lewis, Daniel Dennett, Thomas Nagel and Alvin Plantinga to name a few. Those interested in a monograph-length discussion of life’s meaning from a theistic perspective will want to read this book. I hope that Goetz’s contribution motivates others to work further (or for the first time) in this area. -- Joshua Seachris, University of Notre Dame * Faith and Philosophy, Vol. 31, No. 2, 2014 *
A very stimulating and readable defence of a theistic hedonistic understanding of happiness as the purpose of life; it should be of interest to philosophers of religion and value theorists at every level, from the undergraduate upwards. -- T. J. Mawson, Fellow and Tutor in Philosophy, University of Oxford, UK