By Emily Anastasio
“What is the meaning of life?” is one of the most asked questions in the world, frequently being framed differently, but always looking for the same answer. It is a thought provoking and deeply personal question for so many people, and makes them wonder if their life has meaning and if so, what is that meaning?
On Monday during the common hour, Professor Bob Gruber, Associate Professor of Philosophy, and the Department of Humanities, Social Sciences, and Criminal Justice held their first of two Philosophy and Religion Forums for the spring 2026 semester titled, “Life Has Meaning: But You Need to Testify,” diving deeper into the big question.
Students, staff, and community members packed the pews in the Harold C. Smith Presentation Room in Judd Gymnasia, engaged in the topics being discussed throughout the hour-long presentation. The event’s speaker, Professor Jason Burke Murphy, Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Elms College and a fellow at the Centre for Global Cooperation Research at the University of Duisberg/Essen, presented some of his own published work, really driving home the point that, “No matter what you find, never give up the search for meaning.”
Professor Murphy based a large portion of his discussion on Pascal’s Wager, which is a philosophical argument created in the 17th century by French mathematician and philosopher, Blaise Pascal, that centered around the belief in God. It was a nonbinary argument, though, and ended up never being officially published with the original material that Pascal wrote, which drove Murphy to restructure it a little bit.
Murphy replaced the main focus on God with the question, “Is life meaningful?” and that a person either searches for meaning or they do not. The four core topics of Murphy’s adjustment to the argument, that he was able to present at a philosophy and religion conference in Oklahoma recently, are wagering on meaning, what’s next and finding meaning no matter what, the challenges that come with seeking the “now what”, and thinking about worldly simulations.
After the presentation portion of the event concluded, attendees had the opportunity to ask Professor Murphy questions. He answered all with honesty and passion, and received questions on topics ranging from simulated realities, living things and their ability to understand meaning, the different sources of meaning, what it means to testify about our personal meaningful connections, and what he personally believed the meaning of life is. One of his most powerful answers came from a question about people that believe their lives have no meaning, to which Professor Murphy stated quite confidently, “There is no viable reason to leave the search for meaning.”
The Philosophy and Religion Forums have been taking place on Springfield College’s campus since 2020 with several guest speakers stepping onto Alden Street to speak on different topics relating to philosophy and religion. Professor Bob Gruber and his colleague, Dr. Kate Dugan, have striven to push the importance of philosophy and religious studies through these forums, hoping to help students to understand that these disciplines are key to understanding important social problems in our world today.
Professor Gruber found Monday’s forum engaging and interesting, not just for himself, but for students, staff, and members of the community as well. Many of Gruber’s own students attended the presentation, and when asked what he hoped they along with the rest of the attendees took from the event, he said, “I feel that the talk today illustrated that just the mere search for meaning has plenty of value in its own right, so I hope people would take that from the talk.”
Philosophy and religion are a huge piece of Springfield College’s history, with the college originally being the International YMCA Training School and their message encouraging students to learn through spirit, mind, and body. Having these forums and presentations continues to further support the school’s philosophy and also allows its students to broaden their learning beyond just the courses that they take.
The second installment of the Philosophy and Religion Forums occurring this semester will take place on Monday, April 13th from 12:00 to 1:00 PM in the Harold C. Smith Presentation Room in Judd Gymnasia. This event will be focusing on Pope Leo XIV, titled, “The Windy City in the Vatican: What Happens When the Holy Father is a White Sox Fan,” and will be presented by Tim Dulle Jr., the Executive Director of the Jesuit Center at the University of Scranton.
Photo courtesy of Springfield College