It may not seem to have a purpose (for some) but it does (for the time being) and that is to go forwards and advance systems from a one state to another. If there were no purpose neither we nor the universe would be here. Evolution tends toward more complexity and often a reduction in size (at least as far as life is concerned).

@JackPedigo Evolution will quite happily settle into stasis and change nothing if the environment remains constant, and there are no internal preasures such as sexual selection. Evolution only moves when pushed by the environment, just as the rock going down the hill only moves because of gravity, or momentum. Indeed in real terms you could say that there is no such thing as evolution, only natural sellection acting on random mutation. Evolution is only a word humans give to the end results of such things, a shorthand abreviated way of summing up, but convenient lazy shorthand should not be confused with real actions.

@Fernapple Evolution has a direction. That direction is 'adaptation' and mostly it's in a more complex state as I said. Seems we differ on some of the minor details but, no big deal.

Of course but the question was the meaning of 'life' not rocks. So why can't a natural process be analogous to meaning?

Again the question does not distinguish between human and non-human. I should have been clearer but knowledge is applicable to individuals. Also, there is such a thing as societal or cultural evolution and knowledge definitely advances (or in some cases like now rescinds) culture.