Why has the Question of the Meaning of Life Arisen in the Last Two and a Half Centuries?

Questions about the meaning of life have come up over the last 250 years because of social, cultural and economic factors that tend to promote feelings of insignificance or lack of understanding. The sense that life lacks meaning is related to feelings of unimportance and incomprehension that can be traced to developments in science, technological changes, capitalism, and a focus on fun and comfort as sources of happiness. The current situation may be a transitional period before expectations become adjusted to reality, or it may signal a need to find new ways to connect to sources of meaning.