Meaning of Life: Philosophy & Lit

FALL 2025

What’s the meaning of life? A big question indeed, one that has been asked since the dawn of time. From the ancient Hindus and Greeks to the present, this class will explore how different cultures have tried to answer, or at least grapple with, this question. Along the way, we’ll consider, among other things, potential, self-knowledge, transcendence, absurdity, and much more. Ultimately, what makes our lives meaningful may be up to each of us, but this class will provide valuable context, so we can formulate our own answers, whatever they may be. Some or all of the following will be included: The Bhagavad-Gita, Siddhartha, the Tao de Ching, Aristotle, Leo Tolstoy, Martin Luther King Jr., Emily Dickinson, and at least one film. 

Synchronous meeting requirements: 

• Weekly virtual classes: to be scheduled on a weekday evening 7-8 pm (likely on Mondays). 
• In-person/F2Fs: there will be 3-5 in-person meetings likely scheduled for 11am-1pm on Saturdays either at UHS or out in the world somewhere, weather permitting. 

  UC Approved: Interdisciplinary / English  

About the Instructor

Scott Lauglin – SF University High School
Scott Laughlin has been teaching English at San Francisco University High School for over twenty years. He’s served as Department Chair (twice), Class Dean, and Mentor, among many other roles. He’s also the Co-Founder and Director of the DISQUIET Literary Program in Lisbon, Portugal and is an advocate for Gap Years through his program Open Road. Scott is also a parent of two teenage girls and loves the NBA.