"This book explores the word meaning as it is used in such expressions as "the meaning of life," "the search for meaning," "ultimate meaning.

Philosophers have traditionally approached questions of meaning as part of the philosophy of language. In this book David Cooper broadens the analysis beyond linguistic meaning to offer an account of meaning in general.

Argues that meaning in language is an outcome of the evolutionary development of forms of animal communication, and explains the process by naturalizing the Locke-Grice approach.