The role of absurdity in life from the perspective of Thomas Nigel

Subject Areas : Intellectual explorations

Parastoo Hatami Shafagh ¹ , Mahdi Akhavan ²

1 - دانشجوی دکتری رشته فلسفه تطبیقی، دانشکده حقوق، الهیات و علوم سیاسی، واحد علوم و تحقیقات، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی، تهران، ایران.
2 - Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy, Allameh Tabatabai University, Tehran, Iran

Received: 2024-04-12 Accepted : 2024-06-12 Published : 2024-10-15

Keywords: Absurdity, life, philosophy, ethics,

Abstract :

Absurdity is a subject that has long attracted the attention of philosophers and theorists, with Thomas Nagel being one of the prominent figures in this discourse. Nagel presents two main arguments in defense of life's absurdity. His first argument suggests that absurdity arises from the unbridgeable gap between human desires (the ideal world) and external reality (the external world). In this, he follows the path of thinkers like Albert Camus, and before him, Schopenhauer and others. However, what makes Nagel's view particularly significant is his second argument, which centers on the nature of human rationality. He questions whether humans can possess a stable rationality that remains defensible across various circumstances. Nagel answers this question negatively, arguing that human rationality is defensible only from a human perspective. If humans can detach from themselves and view their lives from an external perspective (a transcendent vantage point), they will realize that their rationality is not as solid or reliable as it first appears. What initially seems rational, valuable, and serious becomes less certain and trustworthy when seen from above. The lack of solid rationality leads to a lack of stable values, as values are based on a rational foundation. Without such a foundation, values cannot remain constant, leading to a state of absurdity. However, from Nagel's viewpoint, absurdity is not inherently negative; rather, it reflects the way humans live, and we must learn to accept it. Understanding life's absurdity simply reduces the seriousness with which we approach life, suggesting that we should engage with existence in a more tolerant and humorous way. This study uses a descriptive-analytical method, relying on library research to explore Nagel's views.

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