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The Absurd
Philosophical Essay
- GenresPhilosophyNonfiction
12 pages, ebook
Published October 21, 1971
4 people are currently reading
241 people want to read
About the author
Thomas Nagel
81 books531 followersThomas Nagel is an American philosopher, currently University Professor and Professor of Philosophy and Law at New York University, where he has taught since 1980. His main areas of philosophical interest are philosophy of mind, political philosophy and ethics. He is well-known for his critique of reductionist accounts of the mind in his essay "What Is it Like to Be a Bat?" (1974), and for his contributions to deontological and liberal moral and political theory in The Possibility of Altruism (1970) and subsequent writings.
Thomas Nagel was born to a Jewish family in Belgrade, Yugoslavia (now Serbia). He received a BA from Cornell University in 1958, a BPhil from Oxford University in 1960, and a PhD from Harvard University in 1963 under the supervision of John Rawls. Before settling in New York, Nagel taught briefly at the University of California, Berkeley (from 1963 to 1966) and at Princeton University (from 1966 to 1980), where he trained many well-known philosophers including Susan Wolf, Shelly Kagan, and Samuel Scheffler, who is now his colleague at NYU. In 2006, he was made a member of the American Philosophical Society.
Nagel is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a Corresponding Fellow of the British Academy, and has held fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the National Science Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. In 2008, he was awarded a Rolf Schock Prize for his work in philosophy, the Balzan prize, and the honorary degree of Doctor of Letters from Oxford University.
Thomas Nagel was born to a Jewish family in Belgrade, Yugoslavia (now Serbia). He received a BA from Cornell University in 1958, a BPhil from Oxford University in 1960, and a PhD from Harvard University in 1963 under the supervision of John Rawls. Before settling in New York, Nagel taught briefly at the University of California, Berkeley (from 1963 to 1966) and at Princeton University (from 1966 to 1980), where he trained many well-known philosophers including Susan Wolf, Shelly Kagan, and Samuel Scheffler, who is now his colleague at NYU. In 2006, he was made a member of the American Philosophical Society.
Nagel is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a Corresponding Fellow of the British Academy, and has held fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the National Science Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. In 2008, he was awarded a Rolf Schock Prize for his work in philosophy, the Balzan prize, and the honorary degree of Doctor of Letters from Oxford University.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
October 18, 2025
tbh i'm in love with thomas nagel and his silly little essays about how the world has no meaning through the meaning we cannot escape and also his bats
December 11, 2020
In the grand scheme of things, on a cosmic scale, human life is truly insignificant but why suffer because of this? Why the existential dread?.
Life IS insignificant in the grand scheme.
but you are here, NOW, enjoy it live it, while it last.
Life IS insignificant in the grand scheme.
but you are here, NOW, enjoy it live it, while it last.
August 19, 2025
Another philosophical essay: The Absurd by Thomas Nagel, on absurdity and the role of human self-reflection in its realisation. A fitting point to continue after Last week's The Last Messiah.
Nagel criticises Camus for an unnessecarily romantic/dramatized conclusion in The Myth of Sisyphus (To raise a noble fist to absurdity and live in spite of it). Instead, Nagel turns Absurdity into more of a psychological phenomenon, resulting from our ability to reflect on our lives in 3rd person perspective. What follows is a lightly ironic, down to earth philosophy. For the short length and light nature of essay, his argument is wonderfully dense.
Note. On the one to last page of the essay, Nagel perhaps accidentally mentions a well known ego trap in, for example, Dharmic traditions. "However, insofar as this self-etiolation is the result of effort, will-power, asceticism, and so forth, it requires that one take oneself seriously as an individual- that one be willing to take considerable trouble to avoid being creaturely and absurd. Thus one may undermine the aim of unworldliness by pursuing it too vigorously." TLDR: When one tries so hard to reach a certain form of enlightenment, you reinforce the worldy processes of desire and attachment, and so on and so on
Nagel criticises Camus for an unnessecarily romantic/dramatized conclusion in The Myth of Sisyphus (To raise a noble fist to absurdity and live in spite of it). Instead, Nagel turns Absurdity into more of a psychological phenomenon, resulting from our ability to reflect on our lives in 3rd person perspective. What follows is a lightly ironic, down to earth philosophy. For the short length and light nature of essay, his argument is wonderfully dense.
Note. On the one to last page of the essay, Nagel perhaps accidentally mentions a well known ego trap in, for example, Dharmic traditions. "However, insofar as this self-etiolation is the result of effort, will-power, asceticism, and so forth, it requires that one take oneself seriously as an individual- that one be willing to take considerable trouble to avoid being creaturely and absurd. Thus one may undermine the aim of unworldliness by pursuing it too vigorously." TLDR: When one tries so hard to reach a certain form of enlightenment, you reinforce the worldy processes of desire and attachment, and so on and so on
February 22, 2025
Thomas Nagel’s The Absurd (1971) is a seminal philosophical essay that critically examines the concept of absurdity in human life. Challenging existentialist thinkers such as Albert Camus, Nagel argues that the absurd does not arise from a clash between our desire for meaning and the apparent meaninglessness of the universe, as Camus suggests, but rather from the fundamental structure of human self-consciousness. By offering a distinctive perspective on the nature of absurdity, Nagel’s work has become a cornerstone in contemporary debates on existential philosophy, skepticism, and the search for meaning.
Nagel begins his essay by rejecting the existentialist claim that absurdity stems from external conditions, such as the universe’s indifference or human mortality. Instead, he contends that absurdity is an inherent feature of human existence due to our unique ability to adopt a “view from nowhere”—an objective, detached standpoint from which we can question and critique our own commitments, beliefs, and pursuits. This self-reflective capacity leads to an inevitable recognition that our most serious endeavors, when viewed from an impersonal standpoint, appear arbitrary and contingent.
A key strength of Nagel’s argument lies in his illustration of how absurdity emerges even in everyday life. He gives the example of someone devoted to a cause or career who, upon stepping back, realizes that their efforts are ultimately insignificant in a broader, cosmic sense. This realization does not undermine the pursuit itself but reveals a persistent tension between subjective engagement and objective detachment. Nagel maintains that this tension is inescapable—unlike existentialist solutions that propose rebellion (Camus) or faith (Kierkegaard), Nagel suggests that absurdity is a fundamental aspect of human consciousness rather than a problem to be solved.
Nagel’s analysis of absurdity has been widely influential, particularly in contemporary discussions of existential philosophy and the philosophy of mind. His approach is often praised for its clarity, analytic rigor, and ability to challenge established existentialist narratives. By shifting the focus from the external conditions of human life to the internal mechanisms of human thought, he provides a fresh perspective on why absurdity arises.
However, some critics argue that Nagel’s account underestimates the existential weight of human suffering and the emotional depth of absurdity. While he frames absurdity as an intellectual realization, existentialist thinkers such as Camus and Jean-Paul Sartre emphasize its visceral, lived experience. Furthermore, some scholars question whether Nagel’s “view from nowhere” is as universally accessible as he assumes—psychological and cultural factors may shape how individuals experience absurdity, suggesting that it is not merely a product of abstract rational reflection.
Despite these critiques, Nagel’s essay remains a foundational text in contemporary philosophy. It provides an alternative to existentialist despair by proposing that absurdity should not be met with defiance or resignation but rather with irony and lightheartedness. In his view, recognizing the absurd should not lead to existential crisis but instead to a detached amusement at the contradictions of human life.
The Absurd by Thomas Nagel is a thought-provoking and analytically precise exploration of one of philosophy’s most enduring questions: the meaning of human existence. By shifting the focus from external existential conditions to the internal structure of human thought, Nagel offers a compelling and novel account of why absurdity is inescapable. While some may find his treatment overly intellectualized, his insights continue to shape debates in existential philosophy, ethics, and the philosophy of mind. Ultimately, Nagel’s work invites readers to embrace the absurd with humor and humility rather than despair.
GPT
Nagel begins his essay by rejecting the existentialist claim that absurdity stems from external conditions, such as the universe’s indifference or human mortality. Instead, he contends that absurdity is an inherent feature of human existence due to our unique ability to adopt a “view from nowhere”—an objective, detached standpoint from which we can question and critique our own commitments, beliefs, and pursuits. This self-reflective capacity leads to an inevitable recognition that our most serious endeavors, when viewed from an impersonal standpoint, appear arbitrary and contingent.
A key strength of Nagel’s argument lies in his illustration of how absurdity emerges even in everyday life. He gives the example of someone devoted to a cause or career who, upon stepping back, realizes that their efforts are ultimately insignificant in a broader, cosmic sense. This realization does not undermine the pursuit itself but reveals a persistent tension between subjective engagement and objective detachment. Nagel maintains that this tension is inescapable—unlike existentialist solutions that propose rebellion (Camus) or faith (Kierkegaard), Nagel suggests that absurdity is a fundamental aspect of human consciousness rather than a problem to be solved.
Nagel’s analysis of absurdity has been widely influential, particularly in contemporary discussions of existential philosophy and the philosophy of mind. His approach is often praised for its clarity, analytic rigor, and ability to challenge established existentialist narratives. By shifting the focus from the external conditions of human life to the internal mechanisms of human thought, he provides a fresh perspective on why absurdity arises.
However, some critics argue that Nagel’s account underestimates the existential weight of human suffering and the emotional depth of absurdity. While he frames absurdity as an intellectual realization, existentialist thinkers such as Camus and Jean-Paul Sartre emphasize its visceral, lived experience. Furthermore, some scholars question whether Nagel’s “view from nowhere” is as universally accessible as he assumes—psychological and cultural factors may shape how individuals experience absurdity, suggesting that it is not merely a product of abstract rational reflection.
Despite these critiques, Nagel’s essay remains a foundational text in contemporary philosophy. It provides an alternative to existentialist despair by proposing that absurdity should not be met with defiance or resignation but rather with irony and lightheartedness. In his view, recognizing the absurd should not lead to existential crisis but instead to a detached amusement at the contradictions of human life.
The Absurd by Thomas Nagel is a thought-provoking and analytically precise exploration of one of philosophy’s most enduring questions: the meaning of human existence. By shifting the focus from external existential conditions to the internal structure of human thought, Nagel offers a compelling and novel account of why absurdity is inescapable. While some may find his treatment overly intellectualized, his insights continue to shape debates in existential philosophy, ethics, and the philosophy of mind. Ultimately, Nagel’s work invites readers to embrace the absurd with humor and humility rather than despair.
GPT
February 11, 2022
“If a sense of the absurd is a way of perceiving our true situation (even though the situation is not absurd until the perception arises), then what reason we have to resent or escape it? Like the capacity for epistemological skepticism, it results from the ability to understand our human limitations. It need not be a matter for agony unless we make it so. Nor need it evoke a defiant contempt of fate that allows us to feel brave or proud. Such dramatics, even if carried on in private, betray a failure to appreciate the cosmic unimportance of the situation. If sub specie aeternitatis there is no reason to believe that anything matters, then that doesn't matter either, and we can approach our absurd lives with irony instead of heroism or despair” Nagel, Thomas, VI, pag. 12
The absurd is a topic of highly interest to me ever since I've read Camus and because of that I have come across this paper. I would say that Nagel has some good points about the Absurd, he seems to be more of an internalist and somewhat opposes it with the Camus view that the Absurd arises when man tries to give meaning to “things” in the world but fails, the world don't answer to his hopes. I don't think that his view of the absurd is in any way contradictory with the Camusian view.
The parallel that Nagel claims about Absurd and Epistemological Skepticism is indeed intriguing and worth of a more in-depth philosophical investigation, but I'll leave it at that for now. So far a good paper.
The absurd is a topic of highly interest to me ever since I've read Camus and because of that I have come across this paper. I would say that Nagel has some good points about the Absurd, he seems to be more of an internalist and somewhat opposes it with the Camus view that the Absurd arises when man tries to give meaning to “things” in the world but fails, the world don't answer to his hopes. I don't think that his view of the absurd is in any way contradictory with the Camusian view.
The parallel that Nagel claims about Absurd and Epistemological Skepticism is indeed intriguing and worth of a more in-depth philosophical investigation, but I'll leave it at that for now. So far a good paper.
August 4, 2024
I loved this, it’s very dense yet easy to read.
This essay is simultaneously an elucidation and a generalization of Camus’s absurd. An elucidation in the sense that what is truly universal about the absurd can be distilled down to a skepticism concerning justification; a generalization in the sense that a world outside of this skepticism is inconceivable, therefore absurdism does not rest in the divide between us and the world, but within us.
At the end of the essay Nagel leaves us with an optimistic view, whereby absurdism is not a problem in any grounded sense, and that we only arrived here by means of a certain insight we possess - the capacity to transcend ourselves in thought. The same issues that troubled the underground man in Dostoevsky’s Notes from Underground are front and center, but they are taken on with a refreshing epistemological clarity.
“Justification [and explanation] come to an end only when we are content to have them end”
This essay is simultaneously an elucidation and a generalization of Camus’s absurd. An elucidation in the sense that what is truly universal about the absurd can be distilled down to a skepticism concerning justification; a generalization in the sense that a world outside of this skepticism is inconceivable, therefore absurdism does not rest in the divide between us and the world, but within us.
At the end of the essay Nagel leaves us with an optimistic view, whereby absurdism is not a problem in any grounded sense, and that we only arrived here by means of a certain insight we possess - the capacity to transcend ourselves in thought. The same issues that troubled the underground man in Dostoevsky’s Notes from Underground are front and center, but they are taken on with a refreshing epistemological clarity.
“Justification [and explanation] come to an end only when we are content to have them end”
May 7, 2024
Existe un eterno debate sobre la importancia de nuestras acciones y trascendencia, algunos sostienen que de aquí a un millón de años no importa y nuestra existencia es apenas un pestañeo para el universo. Asimismo, no podemos saber que tendrá importancia en un millón de años o si existirá alguna trascendencia porque solo disponemos del presente.
Las cosas son importantes en un rango en el que nosotros le otorgamos dicha importancia, por lo que no se trata de qué es o no importante, sino como dialogamos con las demandas de satisfacer un propósito, que deriva en un círculo vicioso sobre encontrar un sentido mientras nos preocupamos por cuestiones triviales para otras personas durante décadas.
Paráfrasis: El mito de sisifo problematiza la insatisfacción de un sentido el cuál satisfaría las demandas del mundo si fueran diferentes, lo cuál no es el caso. No parece existir un mundo concebible (con nosotros dentro) con dudas respondibles, por lo cuál el problema no sería una colisión entre nuestras expectativas y el mundo sino entre nosotros.
El absurdismo no existe sin una previa certeza que extrapole elementos que damos por sentado.
En la percepción filosófica del absurdo, se parece más al escepticismo epistemológico. Si apelamos enteramente a la razón, no podremos solventar todas las preguntas, es por eso que Selby-Bigge menciona que la cura a la melancolía filosófica es la naturaleza misma, dado a que la razón no puede explicar a la naturaleza o dispersar las nubes, pero regresa tan pronto volvemos a la ciudad.
El absurdo le es inherente a la luna o a la rata, por dos sencillos conceptos: la consciencia y el sentido de trascendencia. La rata vive para sobrevivir al día y la luna (de acuerdo con nuestra percepción) no tiene objetivos trascendentes más allá de seguir una trayectoria orbitante, por lo cuál es un sentido (hasta donde sabemos) meramente humano, cuya solución para algunos es adoptar el sentido de arbitrariedad y trivialidad que compete naturalmente al humano (conocido en la filosofía oriental) o quitarse el sentido de intrascendencia.
El objetivismo de este concepto al final se vuelve meramente personal y es inherente para otros, así como todas las ideas en las que no nos ponemos de acuerdo ni existe una realidad absoluta.
El autor menciona que la postura de Camus apela a la resistencia/desobediencia y desdén. En cambio, sugiere un acercamiento irónico a una realidad que simplemente no podemos dar por sentada.
Las cosas son importantes en un rango en el que nosotros le otorgamos dicha importancia, por lo que no se trata de qué es o no importante, sino como dialogamos con las demandas de satisfacer un propósito, que deriva en un círculo vicioso sobre encontrar un sentido mientras nos preocupamos por cuestiones triviales para otras personas durante décadas.
Paráfrasis: El mito de sisifo problematiza la insatisfacción de un sentido el cuál satisfaría las demandas del mundo si fueran diferentes, lo cuál no es el caso. No parece existir un mundo concebible (con nosotros dentro) con dudas respondibles, por lo cuál el problema no sería una colisión entre nuestras expectativas y el mundo sino entre nosotros.
El absurdismo no existe sin una previa certeza que extrapole elementos que damos por sentado.
En la percepción filosófica del absurdo, se parece más al escepticismo epistemológico. Si apelamos enteramente a la razón, no podremos solventar todas las preguntas, es por eso que Selby-Bigge menciona que la cura a la melancolía filosófica es la naturaleza misma, dado a que la razón no puede explicar a la naturaleza o dispersar las nubes, pero regresa tan pronto volvemos a la ciudad.
El absurdo le es inherente a la luna o a la rata, por dos sencillos conceptos: la consciencia y el sentido de trascendencia. La rata vive para sobrevivir al día y la luna (de acuerdo con nuestra percepción) no tiene objetivos trascendentes más allá de seguir una trayectoria orbitante, por lo cuál es un sentido (hasta donde sabemos) meramente humano, cuya solución para algunos es adoptar el sentido de arbitrariedad y trivialidad que compete naturalmente al humano (conocido en la filosofía oriental) o quitarse el sentido de intrascendencia.
El objetivismo de este concepto al final se vuelve meramente personal y es inherente para otros, así como todas las ideas en las que no nos ponemos de acuerdo ni existe una realidad absoluta.
El autor menciona que la postura de Camus apela a la resistencia/desobediencia y desdén. En cambio, sugiere un acercamiento irónico a una realidad que simplemente no podemos dar por sentada.
November 12, 2024
The standard arguments for absurdity appear therefore to fail as arguments. Yet I believe they attempt to express something that is difficult to state, but fundamentally correct. Thomas Nagel
"Most fortunately it happens, that since reason is incapable of dispelling these clouds, nature herself suffices to that purpose, and cures me of this philosophical melancholy and
delirium, either by relaxing this bent of mind, or by some avocation, and lively impression of my senses, which obliterate all these chimeras. I dine, I play a game of backgammon, I converse, and am merry with my friends; and when after three or four hours' amusement, I would return to these speculations, they appear so cold, and strained, and ridiculous, that I cannot find in my heart to enter into them any farther" (Book 1, Part 4, Section 7; Selby-Bigge, p. 269). David Hume
And that is the main condition of absurdity-the dragooning of an unconvinced transcendent consciousness into the service of an immanent, limited enterprise like a human life. Thomas Nagel
Sisyphus, proletarian of the gods, powerless and rebellious, knows the whole extent of his wretched condition: it is what he thinks of during his descent. The lucidity that was to constitute his torture at the same time crowns his victory. There is no fate that cannot be surmounted by scorn. Albert Camus (Nagel thinks this is overly dramatic it made me lol)
"Most fortunately it happens, that since reason is incapable of dispelling these clouds, nature herself suffices to that purpose, and cures me of this philosophical melancholy and
delirium, either by relaxing this bent of mind, or by some avocation, and lively impression of my senses, which obliterate all these chimeras. I dine, I play a game of backgammon, I converse, and am merry with my friends; and when after three or four hours' amusement, I would return to these speculations, they appear so cold, and strained, and ridiculous, that I cannot find in my heart to enter into them any farther" (Book 1, Part 4, Section 7; Selby-Bigge, p. 269). David Hume
And that is the main condition of absurdity-the dragooning of an unconvinced transcendent consciousness into the service of an immanent, limited enterprise like a human life. Thomas Nagel
Sisyphus, proletarian of the gods, powerless and rebellious, knows the whole extent of his wretched condition: it is what he thinks of during his descent. The lucidity that was to constitute his torture at the same time crowns his victory. There is no fate that cannot be surmounted by scorn. Albert Camus (Nagel thinks this is overly dramatic it made me lol)
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August 23, 2021for own closure: partly alluring yet come to an end somewhat partial on the issue and argument that if, nothing matters, it does or should not matter that nothing matters. the proposed stance of ironic detachment is argumentative and enticing from its particular viewpoint, yet this, seems not to be enclosing the absurd, or enveloping its scope. camus argues, we should from our confrontation with the absurd, rather not add unto the indifference on the universe but resist it. as well, it seems that the question about suicide isn't irrelevant but viewed differently or partially understood. for that reason I cannot conclude if my own understanding reaches far enough nor find the proposed 'position' on the issue to be persuasive
June 22, 2022
Nagel believes that the Absurd is created by the human consciousness when humans reflect on our lives and realize the arbitrary nature of our decisions, while Camus believed that the Absurd is the conflict between the human mind’s search for meaning in a universe that lacks one. Nagel’s view on Absurdism is interesting and refreshing, but his conclusion about treating the Absurd with irony rather than defiance isn’t properly elaborated enough to convince me. Still, it’s a good, eye-opening paper which is definitely worth a read.
June 16, 2024
We cannot live human lives without energy and attention, nor without making choices which show that we take some things more seriously than others. Yet we have always available a point of view outside the particular form of our lives, from which the seriousness appears gratuitous.
These two inescapable viewpoints collide in us, and that is what makes life absurd.
It is absurd because we ignore the doubts that we know cannot be settled, continuing to live with nearly undiminished seriousness in spite of them.
These two inescapable viewpoints collide in us, and that is what makes life absurd.
It is absurd because we ignore the doubts that we know cannot be settled, continuing to live with nearly undiminished seriousness in spite of them.
May 12, 2025
My heads spinning, this was a fascinating take on absurdism and nihilism. He brings the counter idea against the line of thinking: If life is meaningless, then that line of thinking is also meaningless, its logic is a counter-logic! He also builds separation from Camus's take on absurdism by taking an ironical approach to the absurd world-taking it less serious rather than revolting against the absurd and making a big fuss about it, in which Camus elegantly states in myth of sisyphus.
December 31, 2025
Probably one of the best essays on absurdism that I've read. He creates such a thorough argument and I really enjoy the counterarguments that he addresses. Not sure if it's particularly compelling, I don't think I agree with Nagel's idea that life is inherently absurd, but it was a really interesting read and I enjoyed his take on absurdism far more than Camus.
September 10, 2023
~3.5
Absurd is defined as the tension between the idea of taking our lives seriously and the doubt that it's all arbitrary. Argues against Camus by stating that one should approach life with irony rather than defiance.
Absurd is defined as the tension between the idea of taking our lives seriously and the doubt that it's all arbitrary. Argues against Camus by stating that one should approach life with irony rather than defiance.
October 11, 2024
Nagel phân tích về sự phi lý và cách đối mặt với nó... khá thú vị, nhưng rồi khi đọc câu kết thì cảm giác hụt hẫng lại trồi lên.
Đặt vào bối cảnh của Việt Nam lúc bấy giờ thì nó lại càng tồi hơn nữa.
Đặt vào bối cảnh của Việt Nam lúc bấy giờ thì nó lại càng tồi hơn nữa.
April 6, 2022
Paper on the absurdity of life as a predominantly epistemological problem. A compelling idea and clearly written primer on absurdism, without having read Camus.
November 5, 2023
honestly yeah
disagreeing for the sake of the paper but hes right
nagel fanpage
disagreeing for the sake of the paper but hes right
nagel fanpage
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April 2, 2024Fantastic arguments for an inconclusive conclusion
February 6, 2025
he said the thing!!! (albert camus mentioned)
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November 27, 2025Yeah I’m logging this…he made some points!
January 3, 2026
Fantastic read. Quick too
April 20, 2024
sick essay, interesting applications to college life.
-Chains of justification lead to an infinite regress wherein 'nothing can justify unless it is justified in terms of something outside itself'... this logic dismantles the 'prestige treadmill' (version of the hedonic treadmill—where prestige replaces pleasure, eg prep school->nice school->prestigious pre-professional and social clubs->glamorous wall street lifestyle->ascending the corporate ladder and social ladder->??). Entering the prestige treadmill invokes an infinite regress.
-The absurdity lies in our decision to expend time and energy despite the existence of an external point of view in which the seriousness appears gratuitous. Human life necessitates effort—we pursue our lives with varying degrees of sloth and energy.
-"Think of how an ordinary individual sweats over his appearance, his health, his sex life, his emotional honesty, his social utility, his self-knowledge, the quality of his ties with family, colleagues, and friends, how well he does his job, whether he understands the world and what is going on in it. Leading a human life is a full-time occupation..." yet as humans we can, without escaping our current position, view our lives "sub species aeternitatis," (under the aspect of eternity) a view at once "sobering and comical."
-Nagel assumes a somewhat humian stance, in which epistemological skepticism/the absurd does not impede our practical lives.
-Interesting final conversation with Camus. Camus rejects suicide as escapist. He recommends defiance, salvaging dignity through proud resistance. Nagel finds this self-pitying and self-aggrandizing—pretty much, "it's not that deep." We possess transcendental insight (that allows for epistemological skepticism and absurd). We should proceed with irony and just chill and live our normal lives. I don't know, a little bit of a cop-out solution but a great setup.
-Chains of justification lead to an infinite regress wherein 'nothing can justify unless it is justified in terms of something outside itself'... this logic dismantles the 'prestige treadmill' (version of the hedonic treadmill—where prestige replaces pleasure, eg prep school->nice school->prestigious pre-professional and social clubs->glamorous wall street lifestyle->ascending the corporate ladder and social ladder->??). Entering the prestige treadmill invokes an infinite regress.
-The absurdity lies in our decision to expend time and energy despite the existence of an external point of view in which the seriousness appears gratuitous. Human life necessitates effort—we pursue our lives with varying degrees of sloth and energy.
-"Think of how an ordinary individual sweats over his appearance, his health, his sex life, his emotional honesty, his social utility, his self-knowledge, the quality of his ties with family, colleagues, and friends, how well he does his job, whether he understands the world and what is going on in it. Leading a human life is a full-time occupation..." yet as humans we can, without escaping our current position, view our lives "sub species aeternitatis," (under the aspect of eternity) a view at once "sobering and comical."
-Nagel assumes a somewhat humian stance, in which epistemological skepticism/the absurd does not impede our practical lives.
-Interesting final conversation with Camus. Camus rejects suicide as escapist. He recommends defiance, salvaging dignity through proud resistance. Nagel finds this self-pitying and self-aggrandizing—pretty much, "it's not that deep." We possess transcendental insight (that allows for epistemological skepticism and absurd). We should proceed with irony and just chill and live our normal lives. I don't know, a little bit of a cop-out solution but a great setup.
February 19, 2022
I don't know why The Absurd by Thomas Nagel isn't more popular. If like me you've been drawn to existentialism or nihilism, you might also enjoy the more lighthearted absurdism even more.
July 27, 2025
🧍🏻🧍🏻🧍🏻
28/07/25 - Reread. Makes for great sunday night reading. The absurdist theme would not make much psychological sense during the week. One is still bound to participate.
28/07/25 - Reread. Makes for great sunday night reading. The absurdist theme would not make much psychological sense during the week. One is still bound to participate.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews