Thomas Nagel Quotes

The concept of absurdity is something I'm attracted to.

At any street corner the feeling of absurdity can strike any man in the face.

My search not only failed, but I convinced myself that all those who had searched like myself had failed also, and come like me to the despairing conviction that the only absolute knowledge man can possess is this—that life is without a meaning.

The meaningless absurdity of life is the only incontestable knowledge accessible to man.

Life doesn't make any sense, and we all pretend it does. Comedy's job is to point out that it doesn't make sense, and that it doesn't make much difference anyway.

A man who has become conscious of the absurd is for ever bound to it.

L'absurde est la notion essentielle et la premie' re ve? rite? . The absurd is the fundamental idea and the first truth.

HAMM: We're not beginning to... to... mean something? CLOV: Mean something! You and I, mean something! (Brief laugh.) Ah that's a good one!

Life may be not only meaningless but absurd.

In the nineteenth century the problem was that God is dead. In the twentieth century the problem is that man is dead.

Famously, there's not really anywhere to go after nihilism. It's not progressing toward anything, it's a statement of outrage, however brilliant.

It even feels absurd to be writing or singing a song at all - in the context of actual death, being alive feels absurd.

I searched all areas of knowledge, and not only did I fail to find anything, but I was convinced that all those who had explored as I did had also come up with nothing. Not only had they found nothing, but they had clearly acknowledged the same thing that had brought me to despair: the only absolute knowledge attainable by man is that life is meaningless.

The absurd is only too necessary on earth. The world stands on absurdities.

Everything means nothing that is the only truth.

Meaning is man-created. And because you constantly look for meaning, you start to feel meaninglessness.

The great question of philosophy remains: If life is meaningless, what can be done about alphabet soup?

Life might just be an absurd, even crude, chain of events and nothing more.

"Tell me, Tool, what dominates your thoughts?" The Imass shrugged before replying. "I think of futility, Adjunct." "Do all Imass think about futility?" "No. Few think at all." "Why is that?" The Imass leaned his head to one side and regarded her. "Because, Adjunct, it is futile."

Even if things are as bad as they could possible be, and as meaningless, then matters of truth are themselves indifferent; we may as well please our sensibilities and, with as much spirit as we can muster, go out with a buck and a wing.

Things are only mannequins and even the great world-historical events are only costumes beneath which they exchange glances with nothingness.

Everything is absurd.

Everything in the world is gloriously meaningless.

By all evidence we are in the world to do nothing; but instead of nonchalantly promenading our own corruption, we exude our sweat and grow winded upon the fetid air.

The only absolute knowledge attainable by man is that life is meaningless.