Nagel

Why is life absurd?

Nagel tells us that we have all had a feeling that life is absurd, but that we don't really have a clear idea about what this might mean. To find out, he starts by considering various reasons offered to support the idea that life is absurd.

Nothing we do will matter in a million years

Nagel tells us that this begs the question since pinning mattering now on what matters in a million years tentatively supposes that what we do does not matter now. "If their mattering now is not enough to accomplish that, how would it help if they mattered a million years from now?"