4 ways people try to make their lives meaningful — and the one that works best for you

The most unique thing about human beings is this: We are creatures who long to matter.

That’s according to Rebecca Newberger Goldstein, the philosopher and author of a new book called The Mattering Instinct. If you’ve ever wondered why we humans are so singularly obsessed with discovering the meaning of life, this book — and her ideas — are for you.  

Goldstein presents an evolutionary explanation that starts off with a law of physics: the law of entropy, which basically says that...