Thomas Nagel

{{philosophy|1}}
'''Thomas Nagel''' {{lived|1937|}} is an [[United States|American]] [[philosopher]].
==Overview==
Nagel  received a BA in philosophy from Cornell University in 1958, a BPhil from the University of Oxford in 1960, and a PhD from Harvard University in 1963. 
===Philosophy of mind===
Nagel is most well known for his interest and publications in [[philosophy of mind]]. He is a critic of [[reductionist]] accounts of the mind and he also opposes [[dualism]] and [[materialism]]. His best-known paper is "What is it Like to be a Bat?" which argues for an anti-reductionist theory of mind.<ref>Thomas Nagel. [http://organizations.utep.edu/portals/1475/nagel_bat.pdf What is it like to be a bat?] ''The Philosophical Review LXXXIII'', 4 (October 1974): 435-50.</ref> He is also known for reviving interest in [[panpsychism]], although he never fully endorsed the position.<ref>Nagel, Thomas (1979). Panpsychism. In Thomas Nagel (ed.), Mortal Questions. Cambridge University Press.</ref>
===Ethics and political philosophy===
Nagel has written on ethical issues concerning a wide variety of topics, including [[death]], [[war]], luck, and [[sex]].<ref>Thomas Nagel. (1979) ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=fBGPBRX3JsQC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false Mortal Questions]''</ref> He associates subjectivity with [[deontology|deontological ethics]] and objectivity with [[consequentialism]], asserting that neither is more fundamental than the other.<ref>Thomas Nagel. [http://tannerlectures.utah.edu/lectures/documents/nagel80.pdf The Limits of Objectivity.] The Tanner Lecture on Human Values, Brasenose College, Oxford University May 4, 11, and 18, 1979</ref> In political philosophy, he is known as a defender of John Rawls' theory of justice.<ref>[http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2006/oct/05/the-case-for-liberalism-an-exchange/?pagination=false The Case for Liberalism: An Exchange], Michael J. Sandel, ''New York Review of Books''</ref>

==Intelligent design==

In 2009, Thomas Nagel recommended Stephen Meyer's book ''Signature in the Cell'' as one of his "Best Books of the Year" in The Times Literary Supplement.<ref>[http://www.the-tls.co.uk/tls/public/article706905.ece Thomas Nagel and Stephen C. Meyer’s Signature in the Cell]</ref><ref>[http://leiterreports.typepad.com/blog/2009/12/thomas-nagel-jumps-the-shark.html Thomas Nagel Jumps the Shark], Leiter Reports</ref> He is also the author of the book ''[[Mind and Cosmos: Why the Materialist Neo-Darwinian Conception of Nature Is Almost Certainly False]]'' which was released in September, 2012.<ref>[http://www.oup.com/us/catalog/general/subject/Philosophy/Science/?ci=9780199919758&view=usa Mind and Cosmos by Thomas Nagel]</ref> His [[creationist]] fanbase is large enough for the ''New York Times'' to note.<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/07/books/thomas-nagel-is-praised-by-creationists.html</ref> However, Thomas Nagel is an atheist himself and never explicitly supported creationism.

==External links==
*[http://philosophy.fas.nyu.edu/object/thomasnagel Nagel's faculty page]
*[http://www.nybooks.com/contributors/thomas-nagel/ Articles at ''The New York Review of Books'']

==References==
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[[Category:Authors]]
[[Category:Intelligent design creationism]]
[[Category:Philosophers]]
[[Category:Living people]]

Categories: Authors, Intelligent design creationism, Philosophers, Living people