Estrangement and Loss of Meaning

Abstract

The article discusses the correlation between the concepts of 'loss of meaning' (V. Frankl) and of 'estrangement' that describe similar phenomenology and reviews the theory of estrangement as of 'existential neurosis' (S. Maddi). The multidimensional concept of 'meaning reality' ontology makes it possible to regard meaningfulness of life and loss of meaning as phenomena of one's relationship with the world (A.N. Leontiev, S. Maddi, J. Nakamura and M. Csikszentmihalyi), whereas estrangement can be regarded as a category describing ontological foundations of subjective phenomenon of loss of meaning.