The phrase meaning of life first appeared in English within Thomas Carlyle's book Sartor Resartus, published between 1833 and 1834. This specific wording emerged from earlier German Romantic writers who had explored similar concepts decades prior.
Arthur Schopenhauer later became the first philosopher to explicitly ask the question What is the meaning of life at all in an essay titled Character. He argued that since a man does not alter his moral character throughout life, the question arises regarding the purpose of playing out one's fixed part.
Biologists George C. Williams, Richard Dawkins, and David Haig concluded by the end of the twentieth century that if life has a primary function it is the replication of DNA and survival of genes. All existing life possesses a self-replicating informational molecule called a genome.
Hindu philosophy recognizes four aims to human life known as purusharthas ordered from least to greatest including Kama representing wish desire love and sensual pleasure followed by Artha denoting wealth prosperity and glory. Dharma encompasses righteousness duty morality virtue ethics while Moksha signifies liberation specifically freedom from Samsara the cycle of reincarnation.
Maimonides viewed ethical ritual commandments necessary insufficient foundation philosophical understanding love awe. Judaism defines meaning as elevating physical world preparing it for Messianic Age and World to Come through engaging in tikkun olam component bringing Jewish eschatology to bear focusing on communal individual spiritualized actions this world.