Purpose In Life As Ancient but Nascent Perspectives from Psychology, Philosophy, and Human Development
Book contents
- Purpose in Life as Ancient but Nascent
- Purpose in Life as Ancient but Nascent
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Contributors
- Chapter 1 Purpose as an Ancient yet Nascent Construct
- Chapter 2 The Moral Purpose of Wisdom
- Chapter 3 Is Purpose Findable?
- Chapter 4 The Affluence–Purpose Paradox
- Chapter 5 Positive Transitions to Adulthood
- Chapter 6 Undergraduate Students’ Purpose and Persistence in Higher Education
- Chapter 7 How Institutions of Higher Education Support and Thwart Students’ Negotiations of Identity and Self-Direction
- Chapter 8 How to Cultivate Sense of Purpose and Life Engagement
- Chapter 9 You Live, You Learn
- Chapter 10 Seizing the Power of Religion to Shape Purpose
- Chapter 11 Religious Faith and Life Purpose
- Chapter 12 Where Does Purpose Belong in Well-Being Theory?
- Chapter 13 Self-Compassion and Ikigai
- Chapter 14 Purpose as a Timeless Pursuit
- Index
- References
Chapter 1 - Purpose as an Ancient yet Nascent Construct
An Introduction
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 31 October 2025
Book contents
- Purpose in Life as Ancient but Nascent
- Purpose in Life as Ancient but Nascent
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Contributors
- Chapter 1 Purpose as an Ancient yet Nascent Construct
- Chapter 2 The Moral Purpose of Wisdom
- Chapter 3 Is Purpose Findable?
- Chapter 4 The Affluence–Purpose Paradox
- Chapter 5 Positive Transitions to Adulthood
- Chapter 6 Undergraduate Students’ Purpose and Persistence in Higher Education
- Chapter 7 How Institutions of Higher Education Support and Thwart Students’ Negotiations of Identity and Self-Direction
- Chapter 8 How to Cultivate Sense of Purpose and Life Engagement
- Chapter 9 You Live, You Learn
- Chapter 10 Seizing the Power of Religion to Shape Purpose
- Chapter 11 Religious Faith and Life Purpose
- Chapter 12 Where Does Purpose Belong in Well-Being Theory?
- Chapter 13 Self-Compassion and Ikigai
- Chapter 14 Purpose as a Timeless Pursuit
- Index
- References
Summary
Inquiry into purpose spans multiple disciplines, perspectives, and centuries. Seemingly inherent in the process of human development is the desire for humans to find a direction for their lives. This chapter provides an introduction to purpose inquiry, underscoring how purpose research shows that the construct can permeate multiple domains of life. We outline some of the frameworks and theoretical traditions that the reader will encounter throughout this volume. Following this section, we discuss three central questions regarding the nature of purpose that have yielded nascent reflections and research directions to this day. We conclude by providing the outline for the upcoming chapters, noting how each provides a valuable and unique piece to the puzzle of purpose.
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- Purpose In Life As Ancient but NascentPerspectives from Psychology, Philosophy, and Human Development, pp. 1 - 12Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2025
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