of the book consisting of chapter 7, we conclude our discourse with an examination of how major global issues such as climate change, poverty, and material inequalities are not only caused by human occupational performance, but also can be resolved through change in such performance. We argue that occupational scientists and therapists can broaden their scope of influence by finding occupation-based solutions to these issues. This can be achieved by helping people achieve optimum meaning in their lives by changing their occupational behavior in such a way as to contribute to amelioration of these issues, and in the process to experience themselves as contributing to a cause that is larger then them (in the process, helping them achieve a sense of transcendence through occupational performance).
Introductory case
Sarah is 38 years old, married, and she and her husband have 3 children. She is a college professor by profession. Her worker and mother roles take most of her time. For leisure, she likes to exercise, particularly running. She competes annually in the marathon and thinks that running is good for her physical and mental health, enhances her productivity at work, and gives her energy to take care of her children. Her religious faith is also a big part of her life. She says that attending church every week and engaging in activities to foster her faith, and to bring up her children according to church teachings are all very important activities for her. She enjoys watching sports, participating in outdoor activities, and maintaining connections with her extended family.
Sarah states that what gives her life meaning includes: participating in marathon competition; being a good mother and wife; attending church and engaging in other religious activities; watching sports on TV; engaging in outdoor activities; maintaining contact with her extended family; and having a meaningful career that gives her a feeling that she is doing something worthwhile with her life. She feels that because she is able to engage in all the above occupations, she experiences her life as meaningful, and that everything that she is doing has a purpose or a meaning behind it. She sums up her perception of what gives her life meaning as follows:
I think that comes back to whatever I am doing, that I am giving everything that I have to it, that I am putting my best effort into whatever I am doing. It comes back to faith because that’s one of the ways that I demonstrate what my God wants me… that’s how I demonstrate that his love for us is to do everything in our day for him.
Sarah creates meaning in her life by: engaging in leisure occupations that make her feel competent (competing in the marathon); participating in activities that facilitate connection with other people including extended family; loving her family; connecting to a reality that is larger than her (her religious faith), and engaging in a profession in which she feel that whatever she does is worthwhile, that she makes a difference in peoples’ lives. All the above are postulated by Viktor Frankl (1992) as criteria for a meaningful life. In this book, we will use Frankl’s principles as outlined in logotherapy to examine how people can be guided to use their daily occupations to make their lives meaningful just like Sarah’s life as described above.
In addition, because this book is about using occupations in new ways to enhance health and well-being for all people (not just those who have clinical diagnoses), in the final chapter, we offer our thoughts regarding the direction in which occupational science and occupational therapy can go in order to contribute more broadly to addressing broad social concerns. We hope that the ideas presented in this chapter will encourage debate in the profession of occupational therapy and the discipline of occupational science regarding how to join other scientific disciplines in engaging the population to solve major social challenges of our times.
PART I FOUNDATIONAL INFORMATION
In this part of the book, the groundwork is laid for use of daily occupations as a meaning-making tool in life. In chapter 1, Frankl’s (1992) claim that existential vacuum and a sense of meaninglessness are the primary problems of the contemporary society are examined. His assertion that meaning-making is the anti-dote to the problem of meaninglessness irrespective of one’s life circumstances is introduced as the rationale for the book. An attempt is made to define meaning from the philosophical and spiritual perspectives. The objective understanding of meaning is compared and contrasted with the subjective view of the construct. A working definition pertaining to the role of every-day experiences as the material from which meaning is constructed is generated.
In chapter 2, the working definition of meaning is verified through an analysis of the experiences of English worker-writers as expressed in their autobiographies. These experiences are used to ground understanding of the construct of meaning in life. In chapter 3, the human search for meaning is metaphorically compared to a journey or quest. Belief supporting institutions (including cultural and religious beliefs and cultural imagination as expressed in folklore, myths, and legends), and intellectual activities through philosophical discourse and scientific inquiry are examined as vehicles that are used by human beings in their journey in search for meaning.
In chapter 4, the sources of meaning in this human quest are identified as establishment of emotionally intense relationships, engagement in work and leisure activities, and adherence to idea systems. The dimensions of meaning in this journey are identified as establishment of a sense of self-worth, a sense of purpose in life, a sense of control irrespective of one’s circumstances in life, and ability to express personal values. The four chapters in part I of the book are intended to prepare the reader for part II in which the way in which occupations are used in conjunction with each of the three sources and four dimensions of meaning at each developmental stage to facilitate a sense of purpose and meaning in life is discussed.
Chapter 1 Developing a working definition of meaningfulness
Learning objectives
After reading this chapter, the reader will understand:
1. Viktor Frankl’s notion of human search for meaning and the hypothesis that daily occupations can influence one’s sense of meaning in life
2. How meaningfulness can be viewed from a variety of perspectives:
• Philosophical
• Spiritual
• Objective versus subjective
3. Criticisms that can be leveled against each view of meaningfulness
4. A working definition of meaningfulness that will be used throughout this book
Contents of this Chapter
• Meaning and social context: an overview
• Quest for meaning, spirituality, and the influence of changing environmental and social contexts
• Evolution of meaning through human history
• The big questions about meaning: multiple perspectives – philosophical, spiritual, psychological, sociological
• A working definition of meaningfulness/meaninglessness
