What Does It All Mean?

Most people think about philosophical problems without realizing it: What really exists? Can we know anything? Is anything really right or wrong? Does life have any meaning? Is death the end of everything? These problems have been written about for thousands of years, but the philosophical raw material comes directly from the world and our relation to it. In this remarkable book distinguished philosopher Thomas Nagel leads the reader into the heart of nine of these central problems of philosophy. In vivid, accessible prose, he brings the issues to life, demonstrating why they have continued to baffle and fascinate countless thinkers across the centuries. What Does It All Mean? challenges us to think hard and think clearly; to ask questions, to argue, to try out ideas and raise possible objections to them - in a word, to become philosophers ourselves.

Most people think about philosophical problems without realizing it: What really exists? Can we know anything? Is anything really right or wrong? Does life have any meaning? Is death the end of everything? These problems have been written about for thousands of years, but the philosophical raw material comes directly from the world and our relation to it. In this remarkable book distinguished philosopher Thomas Nagel leads the reader into the heart of nine of these central problems of philosophy. In vivid, accessible prose, he brings the issues to life, demonstrating why they have continued to baffle and fascinate countless thinkers across the centuries. What Does It All Mean? challenges us to think hard and think clearly; to ask questions, to argue, to try out ideas and raise possible objections to them - in a word, to become philosophers ourselves.

In this cogent and accessible introduction to philosophy, the distinguished author of Mortal Questions and The View From Nowhere sets forth the central problems of philosophical inquiry for the beginning student. Arguing that the best way to learn about philosophy is to think about its questions directly, Thomas Nagel considers possible solutions to nine problems--knowledge of the world beyond our minds, knowledge of other minds, the mind-body problem, free will, the basis of morality, right and wrong, the nature of death, the meaning of life, and the meaning of words. Although he states his own opinions clearly, Nagel leaves these fundamental questions open, allowing students to entertain other solutions and encouraging them to think for themselves.

In this cogent and accessible introduction to philosophy, the distinguished author of Mortal Questions and The View From Nowhere sets forth the central problems of philosophical inquiry for the beginning student. Arguing that the best way to learn about philosophy is to think about its questions directly, Thomas Nagel considers possible solutions to nine problems--knowledge of the world beyond our minds, knowledge of other minds, the mind-body problem, free will, the basis of morality, right and wrong, the nature of death, the meaning of life, and the meaning of words. Although he states his own opinions clearly, Nagel leaves these fundamental questions open, allowing students to entertain other solutions and encouraging them to think for themselves.