For What It's Worth

(9 minute read)¹

Key Takeaways:

• The abundance of philosophies throughout history suggests that a single, final philosophical answer to life does not exist
• The search for meaning is deeply personal with each discovering their own path
• Meaning may not be something to force or conquer—but something to live into naturally, by simply being

The Search for a Unifying Truth

Before his death, Einstein was working on what he called his Unified Field Theory. He hoped to bring together his General Theory of Relativity (which explains gravity) and electromagnetism into one clear, unified mathematical system. In doing so, he believed he might be able to explain, in a single theory, how the universe works.

He never found it.

I’m not a physicist, so I hope I did Einstein and the discipline justice with the opening. I am, however, a student of philosophy and theology and have come to recognize three basic “truths.” They are presented here with two simple aims.

1. To offer a very brief layman’s introduction into the disciplines
2. Anyone who reads this article will gain an appreciation for what they do

First, a simple explanation of what I see as the difference between philosophy and theology.

For the sake of this discussion, let us think of “philosophy” in simple terms as the discipline concerned with describing “the meaning of life.” (This is, of course, an oversimplification, but I am writing with the non-academic reader in mind, and for that purpose it is sufficient.)

If philosophy seeks to explore “the meaning of life,” then theology can be seen as a similar inquiry that also considers the presence of a “higher power” in that understanding.

• Philosophy – a higher power is not implied but can be
• Theology – a higher power is definitely more than implied

Again, this is an oversimplification, but it is sufficient for our purposes here.

For the purposes of this essay, I use the term philosophy in a broad sense to include both philosophy and theology, since both explore the same enduring questions about meaning and purpose.

Truth #1: That There Are So Many

The first truth is that a vast number of theological and philosophical ideas have developed over time. Unless one emerges that fully explains everything, it seems unlikely that there could be a single philosophical path for everyone to adopt and follow.

The fact that there are so many suggests something important: there has never been, and perhaps may never be, a single philosophy that explains everything. If a single, final explanation of life exists, it has not revealed itself in consensus.

And of course the inference is that these are, at their core, ideas—ideas that may or may not have any effect on humanity. They are the writings of individuals of various personalities, some deeply flawed, each trying to make sense of the meaning of life within the world in which they lived.

Over the years, a number of university students I advised would confide their frustration about things their philosophy professors had said about life. In our conversations, I would gently remind them that these philosophies were simply viewpoints—ideas to reflect on, not convictions they needed to embrace right away. More often than not, I would see them gradually relax and sink back into their chairs.

When we encounter new ideas, it can be helpful not to absorb them immediately, but to hold them at a thoughtful distance and consider them carefully. In studying philosophy, we are engaging with the writings of others who were trying to understand their world—so that we might better understand our own.

Truth #2: The Meaning Of Life

The second truth I’ve come to see is that each discipline, in its own way, tries to respond to a simple and enduring question: What is the meaning of life?

To study philosophy and theology is to reflect on the ideas of men and women who have tried to understand existence and explore the meaning or purpose of life. Some of their insights resonate deeply; others may feel less compelling to us today. 

Still, their efforts to find those answers should not be dismissed. Even when flawed, each perspective often contains some measure of truth—and with it, something of value.

At one time I considered teaching theology or philosophy. But during my graduate studies I began to reconsider. Seeing how deeply many great thinkers had wrestled with life was one cautionary sign. The wide range of competing “schools of thought” was another. At times, I was also discouraged by the competitive atmosphere among my peers, as we often tried to outdo one another with newly acquired knowledge.

Despite these disappointments, I kept searching for what I thought might be the “right” answer to the age-old question: What is the meaning of life?

A Cautionary Tale

In 2022, Elmer Stewart Rhodes was convicted for his role in the January 6 attack.² In a BBC interview, his ex‑wife described how completely he had come to inhabit his ideology.

“He kept saying the reason why he loses his temper, the reason why he’s violent is because he hadn’t found his path in life. So part of me thought, well, maybe this will help fix whatever it is that’s wrong with him.”

Whatever one’s political perspective, the story illustrates a broader truth: when meaning becomes something fixed and unquestionable—something we cling to rather than live into—it can imprison rather than liberate. The search for purpose turns destructive when it becomes possession instead of participation.

All of us, in one way or another, wrestle with meaning. For some, that weight feels especially heavy. Seeking is a shared and deeply common experience; to understand what gives our life meaning. Those who came before us wrestled with these same questions, and others will continue to wrestle with them long after we are gone.

Truth #3: It’s About The Journey

Philosophy is not about holding onto something concrete and final. It is about searching—about living with the enduring questions that have followed humanity from the beginning. At its core, that search is for personal truth.

It may sound cliché, but there is a shared insight across many schools of philosophy: in our search for these answers, there is no final destination to reach. There is only the searching itself—the journey.

In reading the works of great philosophers, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed, as though they have discovered all the answers. Through intellect, careful reasoning, and at times mysticism, they seem to offer a kind of key to the deepest questions of the universe. It is easy to reach that conclusion—at least until we begin to understand the world they lived in and the journeys they experienced.

I would gently suggest that we cannot fully appreciate their writings without also understanding the times in which they lived and how that influenced their worldview. Insight into their sometimes complicated lives often helps us make better sense of their often challenging prose.

While these brilliant minds put pen to paper and developed some of the most profound ideas, few of them lived what could be called an Edenic life. In many cases, the circumstances of their lives shaped their work. When a person experiences suffering, they may feel compelled to reflect on it—and to write about it—in order to make sense of it.

And this is why I think the third truth is that philosophy is less about reaching a final destination and more about the journey itself. Why? Because if even the greatest minds never fully “arrived,” it seems unlikely that we will either.

But we continue to try. We do so not because we believe we will be the ones to crack the code, but because, like those who came before us, we feel compelled to understand the world we live in and our place within it.

The Point

Breathing is a natural process. I can influence it, but I do not fully control it. In many ways, this mirrors the shared journey we are all on.

Admittedly, this is one of the more difficult truths to explain, because it is not a simple ten-step program. There are no manuals and no clear directives spelling out what one must do before taking the next step.

The journey may be understood simply as “just being,” much like “breathing,” and that can take different forms at different moments.

It might mean being more present in the moment, or more flexible in the circumstances around us. It could also mean allowing ourselves to be carried by life at times—to feel immersed in it, even when we do not fully know where we are going, and when everything feels both overwhelming and uncertain.

It may be as simple as the distinction Morpheus offers Neo in the Matrix: “Stop trying to hit me and just hit me.” In other words, stop striving to be—and simply be.

The philosopher, theologian, guru, priest, rabbi, shaman—or whomever you might name—is not the source of enlightenment. Nor are they the one who provide us with the definitive definition on the purpose or meaning of life.

In the end, there may not be a single answer that resolves every question. Until then, we are invited to be comfortable with uncertainty and cultivate a way of living—one that is more awake, attentive, and open to participating in the mystery before us.

What I have come to believe is this: meaning is not something waiting at the end of the road; it unfolds as we walk it. Nor is it a key hidden under a rock, waiting to be discovered. Meaning is shaped slowly in the living—formed through the choices we make, the relationships we nurture, and the attention we give to the ordinary moments before us.

¹ On January 20, 2025, Rhodes’ 18‑year sentence was reduced to time served, leading to his release from prison. The commutation did not overturn or erase his conviction. Currently he is seeking the dismissal of his indictment and convictions.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published on Dec. 12, 2022. It has been condensed and edited for clarity and continuity.