Start making sense How existential psychology can help us build meaningful lives in absurd times

A sense of purpose is the antidote to today's pervasive state of existential distress, according to this thought-provoking treatise. Heine (DNA Is Not Destiny), a psychology professor at the University of British Columbia, traces how existentialism evolved in the 20th century, as thinkers like Jean-Paul Sartre promoted the value of personal agency and purpose in a world that frequently defied logic.Even Albert Camus, who believed the world was fundamentally meaningless, argued for the merits of "doggedly" seeking meaning nonetheless. The desire for purpose has deep biological roots, according to the author, who describes how the brain evolved a "sense-making system" that's triggered when situations seem illogical, driving a return to order and meaning. Because today's world constantly shatters "our meaning frameworks," humans are frequently caught in a state of existential crisis, Heine suggests. He outlines how readers can right themselves by reflecting on how to live according to their personal values and by connecting to forces that "transcend the physical world," such as religion or spirituality. Heine's research fascinates, and his ability to lucidly blend psychology with philosophy impresses, even if his conclusion--that humans should construct meaning in a fundamentally meaningless world--may be easier said than done. Still, it's an illuminating proposal for how to live today. (Jan.)