The Absurd by Thomas Nagel - Essay Example

The Absurd Thomas Nagel is a well-known philosopher and extremely popular for their exceptional evaluation of the reductionist description of the mind. One of the most famous essays named‘’ The Absurd’’ argues the fact that earnestness and genuineness which people usually adopt in their lives are willingly distinguished with a specific viewpoint accessible to individuals (Feinberg, 299). Nagel attempts to compare existential suspicion to epistemological skepticism. In addition, he says that the seriousness of people towards their life is very indispensable to human nature.

But there always exists a complete doubt that there is a summit. This doubt is the ultimate outcome of the unusual and atypical knack to examine ourselves from the exterior. Hence he concluded a viewpoint that no matter how much a person tries to escape from this doubt thing on the lookout for decisive concerns but doubt can never ever be stamped out. It can be summed up by stating that the absurdity of the soul stipulation grades from our ability to dwell in dual diverse perspectives. One is the subjective point of view within which we live our lives and from which our day-to-day choices seem to have significance (Furrow, 285).

On the other hand, there is one more contrasting standpoint known as the objective viewpoint which is also called the standpoint of sub-specie aeternitatis. Nagel in his essay on the absurd criticized Camus’s perspective of the absurd. Camus is basically a philosopher who portrays the theory of existentialism (Dombrowski, 178). Similarly, like all his other contemporary work he saw a potentially deadly imperfection in existentialism. He quoted that in an overall philosophical interest group that exhibits the decisive self-determination of a person, one looks for some disconcerting lack of direction.

Conversely, Thomas Nagel here criticized the actual absurd roots of the two martial propensities. One is that we consider our lives and project that we undertake all things our lives very seriously and lack the avoiding factor. Moreover, he says that human beings are even capable of reflecting on and deteriorating the rationale for any of our plans and projects. He states one more point on Camus’s idea that there does not come into sight to be in the least plausible human race through which the unsuitable uncertainties could not come to pass.

As a result, the entire irrationality of our consequences originates from the conflicts linking our overall prospects and humankind but from the inborn collision existing with ourselves. In addition, Nagel wiles that Camus’s theory is wrong to think that meaning in life is possible. Camus says that absurdity in life only exists because the reason that the world is itself is unreasonable (Bames, 167). Nagel here says that Camus himself proved this argument. Hence Nagel’s argument was totally justified.

He provides complete reasoning for his objections. He says that if God existed and he is the one who created this world this mankind and everything else then our overall challenge is to look for the meaning that would not unavoidably be in vain.