Thomas Nagel Quotes
To look for a single general theory of how to decide the right thing to do is like looking for a single theory of how to decide what to believe.
Quotes to Explore
-
With the monstrous weapons man already has, humanity is in danger of being trapped in this world by its moral adolescents.
-
Never jeopardize who you are for a role. Now, I'm not saying you should never change for a role, because the fun of being different characters is adapting different nuances and different parts of the character, but never jeopardize your moral compass or anything like that to have a role.
-
I'm a psychologist. I was a psychology faculty member, and then I became an administrator of the department, then the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. At the time of the presidential search, I was the dean.
-
Many, many, many small moves of many kinds can bring a way to manage change. The theory can come later.
-
It is in their inherent moral components that recent Western strategies may be deficient. What percentage of the populations in countries engaged in the 14-year effort in Afghanistan could even name the three main Taliban groups with whom their soldiers have been engaged?
-
I would say both Western psychology and Eastern paths would recognize that we get caught up in feeling like a separate self and an unworthy self.
-
The relations between rhetoric and ethics are disturbing: the ease with which language can be twisted is worrisome, and the fact that our minds accept these perverse games so docilely is no less cause for concern.
-
Hibernation is a covert preparation for a more overt action.
-
I always thought that if I got no love at all early in my standup career, or I was god awful, I thought I'd get into psychology.
-
We are certainly in a common class with the beasts; every action of animal life is concerned with seeking bodily pleasure and avoiding pain.
-
There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. Books are well written, or badly written.
-
Affirmative action makes employers think, 'Black woman nuclear physicist? Hah! Probably let her into Harvard 'cause they were looking for a twofer. Bet she got C's in high school practical math. Give her a job in personnel.'
-
The moral and intellectual character of the Africans is widely different in different nations.
-
I was pretty lucky to get into Berklee at all. I never really had any theory or music-reading capabilities; I was completely by ear.
-
By sincerity, a man gains physical, mental and linguistic straightforwardness, and harmonious tendency; that is, congruence of speech and action.
-
I support affirmative action. I support special measures when you need it.
-
Design, to me, is part psychology, part sociology, and part magic. A good decorator should know what's going on in someone's marriage and how their kids are doing in school.
-
It is not so much what you believe in that matters, as the way in which you believe it and proceed to translate that belief into action.
-
I mean you can go wherever you want with it really. No matter what story you're telling you're always representing some reality. You are always representing human beings, their fears, their shortcomings, their braveries, their doubts, their loves, their abilities, their brilliance and those things inevitably lead to bigger political systems, foreign policy and crime and religion. It's an action film. We are not taking a stance about big government.
-
The key to digital effects is to do things that are visually accurate but done cheaply and approximated.
-
A lot of fellows nowadays have a B.A., M.D., or Ph.D. Unfortunately, they don't have a J.O.B.
-
Goal achievement is hero's work.
-
What's interesting to me is the distinction between my old life and my present life.
-
To look for a single general theory of how to decide the right thing to do is like looking for a single theory of how to decide what to believe.
