What Does It All Mean - 896 Words

The belief in something out of the universe is what helps most people continue on with their day. It may be hard for some to believe that they are only on this planet, living, just to die one day. Therefore, many turn to religion to seek a hope in an afterlife in which they can exist after death. However, believing in most religions means believing in something in charge of the universe. Something, or someone, that is practically supernatural, and supremely powerful. Thomas Nagel, in his text What Does It All Mean?, questions â€Å"Can there really be something which gives point to everything else by encompassing it, but which couldn’t have, or need, any point itself?† (page 100). Nagel is referring to a creator, God, probing whether this all-powerful creator can be an â€Å"ultimate explanation,† but an â€Å"incomprehensible answer† (100). Two Greek philosophers, Descartes and Anselm, try to individually prove the existence of God as the most omnipotent being in the universe, but they differ in explaining their thoughts of reasoning. In understanding their logic, we must also question whether God’s existence is a valid explanation outside of their thoughts. Whereas Anselm bases God as â€Å"something than which nothing greater can be thought,† relying on purely a definition, Descartes uses his theory of innate ideas and principle of definite and clear perception as grounds for the existence of God. To Descartes, God must exist simply because of his idea of a supreme perfect being. ThoughShow MoreRelatedWhat Does It All Mean?2510 Words   |  11 PagesWhat Does It All Mean? Thomas Nagel presents various arguments regarding various philosophical questions namely, free will, how do we know anything, and what is the meaning of life? Nagel pointed out that the inside of your mind is the only place where one can be sure of oneself (Nagel 8). He also purports that anything ranging from the universe, human beings, physical structures like buildings and roads; even our own body is based on our experiences, thoughts and sensations (Nagel 11). WhetherRead MoreSo What Does It All Mean?1378 Words   |  6 PagesVideo #1 – â€Å"So What Does It All Mean?† This video was particularly interesting re; the rapid expansion of technology across the globe. One key fact that stood out was more data was created this year than in the previous 5000 years combined. A main cause of this increased demand for technology is the exponentially growing population. The video points out that if you are â€Å"1 in a million† in China, that there are actually 1,300 people that are exactly the same as you. India has more students with higherRead MoreWhat Does It All Mean? By Thomas Nagel1760 Words   |  8 Pagesbook â€Å"What Does it All Mean?† by Thomas Nagel is about a diverse thoughts that philosophers encounter to give responses. In every chapter, Nagel talks about different consequences to a variety of problems. The chapters expose well-known theories that philosophers tested for flaws, in order to give answers. Instead of giving us definitive answers to a situation, he allows us to analyze and derive our own theories after considering the problem at hand as well as past outcomes. Rethinking what we haveRead Moreâ€Å"All of the Other Ways of Knowing Are Controlled by Language.† What Does This Statement Mean and Do You Think It Is a Fair Representation of the Relationship Between Perception, Emotion, Reason and Language?1449 Words   |  6 Pagesstatement means that perception, emotion and reason cannot function independently from language. Language plays an integral role in their ability to function. The statement suggests that without language, we would not be able to become aware of something using the senses, we would not be able to experience and express emotion, and we would not be able to reason. To investigate the relationship between language and the other ways of knowing, I will explore the following knowledge issues. What is theRead MoreAll of the Other Ways of Knowing Are Controlled by Language. ¡Ã‚ ¨ What Does This Statement Mean and Do You Think It Is a Fair Representation of the Relationship Between Perception, Emotion, Reason and Language?1463 Words   |  6 PagesLanguage is such a universal phenomenon in human society. Whenever we write or speak, we use it; whenever we make a promise or ask a question, we use it. In the statement  ¡Ã‚ §All of the other ways of knowing are controlled by language ¡Ã‚ ¨, language is defined as  ¡Ã‚ §words ¡Ã‚ ¨ and this  ¡Ã‚ §control ¡Ã‚ ¨ can be defined as  ¡Ã‚ §dominate ¡Ã‚ ¨. Then this saying seems not so fair to represent the relationship between the four ways of knowing. It is more sensible to say language gives some support or limit to our reason ¡AperceptionRead MoreGrendel Critical Reading Analysis1144 Wor ds   |  5 Pagesthe Ram.1. What does Grendels relationship with nature -- the ram, the sky, grass, the doe, the baby bird, owls, and wolves -- reveal about his own personality?2. Quote the various phrases Grendel uses to describe himself. What do they reveal about his self-image and how it was developed?3. What is the significance of the scene wherein Grendel challenges the dark chasms?4. What does Grendel mean when he speaks of playing cat and mouse with the universe? What does it mean to see all life withoutRead MoreQuestions On The Nature Of Interpretation850 Words   |  4 Pagesfor allowing misinterpretations to be deemed as valid â€Å"could mean† options. However, one finds when reading â€Å"Two Notions of Interpretation† and â€Å"Intention and Interpretation in Literature† that these criticisms are effectively countered by two arguments that Levinson presents. Firstly, although the exploratory mode of inquiry can have multiple, if not infinite, cou ld mean answers, it also has could not mean answers. These could not mean interpretations provide insight into the work and allow for interpretationsRead MoreThe Doctrine Of The Me Underpin Aristotle s Account Of Citizen Virtue?899 Words   |  4 PagesTo what extent, and how, does ‘the doctrine of the mean’ underpin Aristotle’s account of citizen virtue? In order to answer the question ‘To what extent, and how, does ‘the doctrine of the mean’ underpin Aristotle’s account of citizen virtue?’ it is first important for me to define ‘the doctrine of the mean’ which was developed in Book II of Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics (II.2.1104a12-26) in the form of a medical analogy. ‘the doctrine of the mean’ is very often dismissed as being unhelpful andRead MoreJohn Wesley s Three Christian Prudence908 Words   |  4 PagesTake a moment to look into the sentence â€Å"the use of money† what does that truly mean to someone? Is it how we spend money? How we save money? How we help someone who needs money? What does it mean when asked what does the use of money mean? John Wesley mentions three Christian prudence on the use of money and defines exactly what it means by the use of money. As the social human beings that we all, are we tend to have our eyes on the latest trends and gadgets, and with them having the word â€Å"new†Read MoreHayek -the Use of Knowledge in Society1515 Words   |  7 Pagesexists in concentrated or integrated form, but solely as the dispersed bits of incomplete and frequently contradictory knowledge which all the separate individuals possess (H.3)† i. What does Hayek mean by a â€Å"rational economic order†? a. The economic problem of society is thus not merely a problem of how to allocate given resources—if given is taken to mean given to a single mind which deliberately solves the problem set by these data. It is rather a problem of how to secure the best