“What Might it Mean for a Human Life to Matter? Some Reflections on the Psychological Lives of Young People”

This contribution to the discourse on identity and development seeks to engage emerging bodies of research in philosophy and psychology on the phenomenon of existential mattering (EM). At the heart of this inquiry is the question: What might it mean for a human life to matter and how might one come to believe that they matter? While previous empirical studies of mattering have tended to focus on the role of interpersonal relationships in the development and maintenance of the sense that one’s life matters, the current project, which will be described briefly during this session, seeks to identify a variety of additional factors that might both contribute to, and also corrode, the felt or phenomenological sense, that one’s life matters.

“The Inner Beauty of Human Being”

This presentation focuses on ontology — the philosophy of being — and thus the fundamental nature of the human being. However, it will concentrate on one aspect of human being and that is the beauty of the human soul.

“Purpose in Life During Youth”

Jenni will share from her own research journey about what she’s learned about purpose among youth (what is it, what do they say about it when asked to define it, how does it develop).