The View from Nowhere

Thomas Nagel refers to (scientific) objectivity as 'the view from nowhere', a claim for knowledge which is somehow 'detached' from the subjectivity of individual perspective and situation. Throughout the book Nagel makes extensive, and largely unacknowledged use of visual metaphors, articulating both objectivity and subjectivity as existing within a space through which knowledge might appear, just as physical objects appear within lived experience of seeing. In order to function within this visual metaphor or schema, the objectivity that Nagel talks about seems to rely on the suppression of those entailments of seeing which ally it to an individual person located at a specific point in space.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• seeing
• Thomas
• Nagel
• Viewpoint
• objectivity
• knowledge
• epistemology
• philosophy

[secretadmirer8769]

The View From Nowhere was one of the most important books for me in college. I'm very glad someone else has decided to comment on it.

[2bsirius]

Thomas Nagel described in paper "What's It Like to Be a Bat" he made the point that if you told a cave man that matter is energy [as in relativity] He wouldn't have the cultural acuity to understand you. Likewise, we may not have the concepts we need to understand the mind-body dilemma yet. We might be able to develop a conceptual framework in the future. Maybe Nagel's view from nowhere? Great video, as usual!