Does It Matter that Nothing We Do Will Matter in a Million Years?

Dialogue 46 (1):3-25 (2007)
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Abstract

ABSTRACT: People have inferred that our lives are absurd from the supposed fact that nothing we do will matter in a million years. In this article, I critically discuss this argument for absurdity. After explaining how two refutations in the literature fail to undermine the best version of the argument, I produce several considerations that together do take much of the force out of the argument. I conclude by suggesting that these considerations not only refute this argument for absurdity, but also constitute a motivation to be moral.RÉSUMÉ: On a pu déduire que nos vies sont absurdes en supposant que rien de ce que nous faisons n’aura d’importance dans un million d’années. Dans cet article, j’évalue cet argument en faveur de l’absurdité. Après avoir expliqué comment deux réfutations formulées dans la littérature sur le sujet sont impuissants à contrecarrer la meilleure version de cet argument, je formule plusieurs considérations qui concourrent à réduire de beaucoup la force de cet argument. Je conclus en suggérant que ces considérations non seulement réfutent l’argument en faveur de l’absurdité, mais aussi justifient l’agir moral.

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H. Skott Brill
Frostburg State University

Citations of this work

Meaningfulness as Sensefulness.Joshua Lewis Thomas - 2019 - Philosophia 47 (5):1555-1577.
Does Death Render Life Absurd?Joshua Lewis Thomas - 2019 - Southern Journal of Philosophy 57 (3):428-453.

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References found in this work

The view from nowhere.Thomas Nagel - 1986 - Revue Philosophique de la France Et de l'Etranger 178 (2):221-222.
Mortal Questions.[author unknown] - 1979 - Tijdschrift Voor Filosofie 43 (3):578-578.
The Meaning of Life.Richard Taylor - 1999 - Philosophy Now 24:13-14.
Is Life Absurd?Jonathan Westphal & Christopher Cherry - 1990 - Philosophy 65 (252):199 - 203.
Nagel or Camus on the absurd?Jeffrey Gordon - 1984 - Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 45 (1):15-28.

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