Toward a Dual-Systems Model of What Makes Life Worth Living

After some preliminaries, we consider the meaning of love and then turn to how love gives meaning: first, the role of love in giving meaning as love of and by close others; next, the role of love in giving meaning as love of and by one’s larger social world (connection and integration in community); then, finally, the role of love in giving meaning as love of and by that which is beyond close others and community. We conclude with some classical views of love to provide continuity with our contemporary science-based thinking.