Thomas Nagel Professions : Philosopher Born : July 4, 1937 Browse All Authors Top 50 quotes by Thomas Nagel If we tried to rely entirely on reason, and pressed it hard, our lives and beliefs would collapse - a form of madness that may actually occur if the inertial force of taking the world and life for granted is somehow lost. If we lose our grip on that, reason will not give it back to us. Thomas Nagel may giving world every subjective phenomenon is essentially connected with a single point of view, and it seems inevitable that an objective, physical theory will abandon that point of view. Thomas Nagel subjectivity consciousness views The universe has become not only conscious and aware of itself but capable in some respects of choosing its path into the future--though all three, the consciousness, the knowledge, and the choice, are dispersed over a vast crowd of beings, acting both individually and collectively. Thomas Nagel three acting choices There is a tendency to seek an objective account of everything before admitting its reality. Thomas Nagel admitting objectivity reality Once we see an aspect of what we or someone else does as something that happens, we lose our grip on the idea that it has been done and that we can judge the doer and not just the happening. Thomas Nagel psychology judging ideas The problem is one of opposition between subjective and objective points of view. There is a tendency to seek an objective account of everything before admitting its reality. But often what appears to a more subjective point of view cannot be accounted for in this way. So either the objective conception of the world is incomplete, or the subjective involves illusions that should be rejected. Thomas Nagel admitting views reality What we take ourselves to be doing when we think about what is the case or how we should act is something that cannot be reconciled with a reductive naturalism, for reasons distinct from those that entail the irreducibility of consciousness. It is not merely the subjectivity of thought but its capacity to transcend subjectivity and to discover what is objectively the case that presents a problem....Thought and reasoning are correct or incorrect in virtue of something independent of the thinker's beliefs, and even independent of the community of thinkers to which he belongs. (p. 71) Thomas Nagel independent community thinking I should not really object to dying were it not followed by death. Thomas Nagel objects dying should Once we have taken the backward step to an abstract view of our whole system of beliefs, evidence, and justification, and seen that it works only, despite its pretensions, by taking the world largely for granted, we are not in a position to contrast all these appearances with an alternative reality. We cannot shed our ordinary responses, and if we could it would leave us with no means of conceiving a reality of any kind. Thomas Nagel taken mean reality If I thought that everything I did was determined by my circumstancse and my psychological condition, I woudl feel trapped. Thomas Nagel determined psychological feels The inclusion of consequences in the conception of what we have done is an acknowledgement that we are parts of the world, but the paradoxical character of moral luck which emerges from this acknowledgement shows that we are unable to operate with such a view, for it leaves us with no one to be. Thomas Nagel psychology views character I'm not sure I understand how responsibility for our choices makes sense if they are not determined. Thomas Nagel determined choices responsibility If life is not real, life is not earnest, and the grave is its goal, perhaps it's ridiculous t otake ourselves so seriously. Thomas Nagel ridiculous real goal Reason is universal because no attempted challenge to its results can avoid appealing to reason in the end-by claiming, for example, that what was presented as an argument is really a rationalization. This can undermine our confidence in the original method or practice only by giving us reasons to believe something else, so that finally we have to think about the arguments to make up our minds. Thomas Nagel philosophical believe thinking Common sense doesn't have the last word in ethics or anywhere else, but it has, as J. L. Austin said about ordinary language, the first word: it should be examined before it is discarded. Thomas Nagel common-sense psychology ordinary Eventually, I believe, current attempts to understand the mind by analogy with man-made computers that can perform superbly some of the same external tasks as conscious beings will be recognized as a gigantic waste of time. Thomas Nagel mind men believe Without consciousness the mind-body problem would be much less interesting. With consciousness it seems hopeless. Thomas Nagel mind science interesting It isn't just that I don't believe in God, and naturally, hope there is no God. I don't want there to be a God; I don't want the universe to be like that. Thomas Nagel there-is-no-god want believe Any reductionist program has to be based on an analysis of what is to be reduced. If the analysis leaves something out, the problem will be falsely posed. Thomas Nagel analysis consciousness problem equally real at all stages of his life; specifically, the fact that a particular stage is present cannot be regarded as conferring on it any special status. Thomas Nagel psychology real special Similar Authors F. H. Bradley philosopher Irving Copi philosopher Ivan Ilyin philosopher Ivan Illich philosopher Bion of Borysthenes philosopher Bonaventure philosopher All Authors