Does it constitute the creation of art of universal value? Or does it constitute spiritual revelation? Or is it an intellectual act with an intellectual rather than an artistic product? Does it constitute a message to humanity? Does it constitute a manifestation of human civilization, of human culture?
More negatively perhaps, do composers via their compositions seek their own glory, attention, and praise? Does composition at some level constitute an instance of the vain human motivation of seeking recognition and praise?
On the other hand, what is the contribution of composition - that a composer makes via composition - to life, to society, and to human history?