The Inescapability of Intersubjectivity in Meaning

Document Type

Article

Journal/Book Title/Conference

American Psychologist

Volume

70

Issue

6

Publisher

American Psychological Association

Publication Date

9-1-2015

First Page

573

Last Page

574

Abstract

Comments on the original article "Life is pretty meaningful," by S. J. Heintzelman and L. A. King (see record 2014-03265-001). The current authors welcome Heintzelman and King’s discussion of meaning and agree that meaning is necessary for a good human life. The authors endorse a fully subjective understanding of meaning by focusing on personal experiences of purpose, significance, and life making sense. The current authors suggest, however, that (a) a subjective theory of meaning is only one approach to meaning, (b) the subjective theory creates serious difficulties, and (c) intersubjectivity is necessary to adequately understand meaning

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