Sledge 1
Wesley Sledge
Professor Hick
PHIL 2300
Philosophy Paper 1
10/9/13
Life
In this paper I will be discussing the views of Thomas Nagel, Richard Taylor, and
Raymond Mar)n on the meaning of life and what gives it meaning. With three di+erent aspects
of the view to the meaning of life, I get a broad idea of how this argument has been evolving
over )me. With many other philosophers agreeing and disagreeing with Nagel’s view, I feel like
there is just one aspect Nagel is missing. Even though it is a valid and sound argument, I can’t
help but argue with Nagel’s a/tude toward the human race.
When reading The Absurd by Thomas Nagel, I no)ced he focuses on one big point he
makes. He repeats about how every form of life, everything that has existed, exists now, and will
exist, will have an ending. It will die. Death is the only certainty to any life on earth. That is a
valid point, it is true, that all living things will soon not exist. One person is no more important
or vital than another to this world’s existence. With Nagel’s focus on death, he forgets a point I
have come across reading his work. Nagel forgets about the human ability to reason and have
emotion. The ability to feel what others are feeling and to have more capacity than just ins)nct
itself and factual evidence as to what happens to humanity. emotion is what drives us. emotion
Sledge 2
controls our lives if you closely look at it. Why do we get up in the morning? I may not have the
daily answer as to why I get up, but as to why I live on is for some reason. Some reason we may
not fully understand, but we can’t let what we don’t know control how we think of things we do
know. Again, Nagel’s argument is sound and credible but I do not agree. People have emotional
a/tudes toward everything they do. That is humanity.
From a brighter p.erspec)ve, Raymond Mar)n’s paper A Fast Car and a Good Woman
shows just how great a life can actually be. He shows how when doing the things you love, a life
can have meaning. When you are so deeply in love or so happy, the factor of death can evade
