Nagel and Russell on Absurdity - Essay Example

Nagel and Russell on Absurdity Thomas Nagel and Betrand Russell wrote about the absurdity that defines life.Many philosophers have focused on the issue of absurdity as it is one of the surging worries that human beings experience continually. This explains why different philosophers have been trying to highlight the causes of the debilitating feeling that every venture in life is absurd. Realizing the causes of the feeling of absurdity has not been enough. There is the ardent desire of understanding the different ways of dealing with absurdity. This paper will analyze the views of Nagel and BetrandRussell concerning the absurdity. Summary of the ‘Absurd’ by Nagel Nagel begins by highlighting the fact that many people often make known their feeling that life presents a lot of absurdity, sometimes in a continuous manner. However, he asserted that few of the reasons used to explain how the absurdities of life result serve as adequate defense to explain why life is that way. He provides examples of the reasons that people have put forward as potential causes of absurdity. One of these reasons is the opinion that whatever transpires in life at the moment does not present evidence that it will matter in a million years into the future. The feeling that current ventures in life do not present any feasibility of being crucial factors in a progression of a million years. Nagel refutes this claim by highlighting that such thinking invites critical thought of analyzing whether things really matter. If one can doubt whether something happening in the current life will matter in the future, then it is only rational to realize that whether that thing is bringing happiness or misery, it may not even matter (Pojman 555). For other people, the absurdity of life emerges from the realization that human are minute forms in a vast universe. This perception of human life in terms of space and time in comparison with the entire universe does not suffice to explain the cause of absurdity in life. Nagel argues that this reason is insufficient because little would change even if humans occupied a larger proportion of the universe (556). He opined that living a longer life and occupying greater space would imply that absurdity would increase at the same proportion of space and time. Nagel also mentions that some people experience absurdity because they realize that all then justifications used to present life with meaning will eventually diminish. However, Nagel mentions that even if these justifications were reliable enough to define the entire process of life, they would diminish eventually. He further argues that even if a single justification had the potential of defining an individual’s entire life, it would require an additional justification to make it worthwhile (556). According to him, all chains of justifications depend on external factors for their relevance, factor that makes them diminish at some point. With this argument, Nagel highlighted that it was pointless to blame the insufficiency of justifications for the absurdity of life. In the second part, Nagel begins by highlighting the fact that absurdity resulted from the crises and discrepancies between the pretexts and aspirations of an individual in life. However,he highlights that individual often visualize a way of adjusting aspirations. In case such an adjustment is impossibility, the individual tries to avoid the reality of the absurd situation. However, the feeling of absurdity increases when an individual does not find a valid escape from the previously defined aspirations (557). Moreover, Nagel highlighted that a person’s ambitions were possible causes of the feeling of absurdity especially if the person keeps searching changes that present the potential of altering life. This may often result is an individual takes life’s decisions activities too seriously. He highlights that although life needs constant attention, taking it too seriously can be detrimental causing absurdity. Moreover, perceiving others with seriousness implies that a person exhibits a level of commitment to them, and this only serves to increase the chances of increasing absurdity. Nagel does mention that the life of a person comprises of plans, efforts, and dedicated energies that help the person live life. However, according to him, reflection serves as a potential cause of absurdity. Each person devotes level of energy reflecting on what he wants to pursue in life and examining whether the minute and major decisions that we make are relevant. Apparently, it is impossible for a person to avoid reflection because it occurs without self-awareness (558). Although reflection is an inescapable process, it can highlight factors that give rise to absurdity. Reflection can make a person realize that all the systems that of justifications are subject to questioning and doubt, exhibiting a form of skepticism that compels a person to desire something without valid support for the desire. Other people opt to commit their lives in serving a higher purpose like God. For such people, committing oneself to low order purposes serves to make it more absurd. However, Nagel mentions that these purposes are subject to questioning as described above. Nagel highlights that taking a backward step and analyzing life from such a viewpoint can help in the understanding of the things that a person accords serious consideration.He highlights that the adoption of this view should not move an individual to assume the realities surrounding the world. On the contrary, Nagel that a person should still possess the usual responses because abandoning them implied that it would prove impossible to perceive any reality in the world. The philosopher argues that in practical cases, people did not take vantage positions, and assume the world realities. On the contrary, there was need for each person to recognize the realities surrounding decisions while acknowledging the greater number of realities that are beyond ruling out (558). Nagel mentioned that one would arrive at the state of absurdity by embarking on a series of doubts concerning the existing justification chains and evidence levels previously accepted. In order to enhance the understanding of the reader, he poses an example of applying doubt to an accepted fact that the below the person is a floor. Although the person may not get the relevant answers, that does not serve to discredit the question as unreal. Nagel highlights that this view serves as an opportunity to view things differently, discrediting the associated superiority and adopting an inferior view of the issue under question. According to Nagel, the same happens when issues accorded a high level of seriousness are subjected to question. This perspective can help an individual realize that absurdity occurs because of according seriousness to things that are of little significance (559). In the next part, Nagel sought describe what would happen if human beings sought to avoid experiencing any form of absurdity. Through the metaphorical illustration of the mouse, Nagel makes it clear that a mouse’s lacks the awareness that it is a tiny animal whose survival depends on its thriving. He argues that even if the mouse realized its little value in space and time, it lacked the capacity to do anything about it. For humans, it would mean giving up the self-consciousness, which is impossibility. In addition, Nagel highlights the myth of Sisyphus as described by Camus. He expands the thinking of Camus, highlighting that if the world does not seem to satisfy our desires, then absurdity results (559). From Nagel’s view, the world is beyond our conception, and absurdity results from internal collisions. Nagel concludes by highlighting that people cannot ignore self-consciousness, but can focus on action and abandon justification. Moreover, he warns against hasty escapes from absurdity, and highlights that an understanding human incapacities and limits as the best solution. Summary of Reflection on Suffering by Russell Russell highlights what transpired after his encounter with a woman who was undergoing immense pain. He mentions that his married life had presented him with calmness that had not allowed him to develop a disconnection with some intense issues (563). However, the encounter with the woman compelled him to reflect on the immense loneliness that engulfed the human soul, making it require a high level of love for it to overcome. Apparently, such loneliness proved to be beyond a person’s endurance. Anybody willing to make a difference had to exhibit the potential of impacting the inner person who required love. Russell continued to highlight the fact that life was absurd because there was nothing that could enable humans surpass the destruction of the grave. He emphasized the idea by highlighting that all the potentials and the aspirations of man ended up in the grave. Russell then concludes by describing love, knowledge and pity as the ardent passions that had dominated his life (564). Reflection Evidently,Nagel presents intriguing ideas concerning absurdity. The explorations of the reasons that people have put forward in a bid to explain how absurdity results are realistic. The fact that many people view themselves as beings of little value in robust universe is the cause of absurdity for many people (556). They fail to appreciate that value and approach life positively, but choose to contemplate on their insignificance in the vast universe. Such thinking presents the person with multiple feelings of meaninglessness. Moreover, Nagel gets it right when he highlights that some people experience absurdity because of their thinking that their current preoccupation will not translate to anything in the future, although Nagel mentions people’s fears on what will be if substance in a million years, the truth is that many people worry about a few years such as fifty. The fear that engulfs someone after the presumption that only a few things will matter in the future presents a high level of absurdity. As Nagel highlights, the reflection process can plunge a person into absurdity. Although self-reflection is receiving emphasis in different settings urging people to ponder over their goals, one of its outcomes can be absurdity. Nagel’s opinion can receive justification from people’s experiences because the reflective process has the potential of highlighting to a person the level of meaninglessness exhibited by life (558). People’s ambitions can be higher than what the world can offer presently, and this depresses many people, compelling them to experience absurdity.With the emerging emphasis on the formulation of personal mission vision statements, it becomes possible for people to formulate objectives that surpass what the current global conditions can offer, making people experience absurdity. I agree with Nagel that these reasons are inadequate excuses for viewing life as absurd. As he highlights towards the end of the text, it is possible for people to perceive things differently. Perhaps people would benefit from viewing less significant things with minimal seriousness. On the other hand, I agree with Russell that the realization that all human potential, achievement, beauty, aspirations and goals culminate in the grave. The imagination that no matter how high an individual is, the final destination is below the debris can cause immense absurdity. Moreover, Russell is right about the ardent passions that have the potential of dominating humans (564). Among these, the search for love and the success of finding it has been a core issue in determining whether the happiness of people. Conclusion Both Nagel and Russell succeed in providing relevant information concerning the causes of absurdity. The feeling of absurdity can be overly overwhelming and debilitating, explaining why the opinions of both Nagel and Russell are critical. These philosophers offer realistic explanations and solutions of the absurdity inherent in life. From these readings, the perception of a person is important in determining how much meaning that person derives from life. Nagel presents a warning against hasty escapes from absurdity, and highlights that understanding human incapacities and limits as the best solution. Work Cited Pojman, Louis. The Quest for Truth. London: Oxford University Press. 2006. Print. Read More