ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the recent suggestion concerning the near equivalence of meaning and value to generate a renewed investigation of the concept of meaning and neighbouring concepts, including meaningful action. It considers the Darwinian and deterministic account of the possible evolution of meaning and of related capacities, of which some elements are found to throw light on the nature and development of understanding and meaning, even if gene-machine versions of Darwinism and deterministic accounts of culture should be rejected. John Cottingham adds that the journey of a truly meaningful life, far from being facilitated by just any set of purposes or projects selected by the traveller of that journey, cannot be made without regard for the conditions of our flourishing as human beings. Conservation and preservation can both be subsumed within the possible human role of stewardship of planetary nature, and of the realm of space that human activity can affect.
