Philosophy of the Mind - Essay Example

Thomas Nagel presents a seemingly complicated formulation in understanding our point of view as a general concept in relation to the more personal and the subjective point of view. There are primarily three kinds of reason according to Nagel which is the subjective and then the two kinds of objective reasons where one is agent-relative and the other is agent-neutral. The universality of reason in the foundation that what is believed to be true in one place is also true anywhere as expressed in what he calls ‘view from nowhere’ is the basis of his proposition.

There are always reasons which are universal and explain why we do the things that we do and there are varied aspects to this reason which ranges from the concept of view to the subjective and to the objective. For example there is a reason why I go to school and this is because of a career in the future. The fact that a college graduate would have a better opportunity to have a career is the objective reason that is a universal truth in its most appropriate sense. The subjective is the more agent-relative reason wherein the reason why I want to finish college is to have a higher salary in the future career I hope to be able to get hold, or, it could just simply be for reason of the future career.

This is relative and may be different according to each person but the more universal equation of a college degree as equivalent to a career is the more universal objective reason. In the case I will finish college and achieve a career is only incidental to the objective. Had any other person finished college, the principle would still apply. Nagel suggests that people perform actions according to what effects they would bring. The right circumstances compel people to be moved according to such reasons.

This highlights the outcome as the ultimate reason in the performance of actions. This promotion is necessary as a consequence of universal objectives. “So actions which are necessary but not sufficient for a given outcome thereby count as promoting that outcome” (Ridge, n.p.). Bibliography Ridge, Michael. "Reasons for Action: Agent-Neutral vs. Agent-Relative." 11 August 2005. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 20 July 2011 .