Confidence Quote by Thomas Nagel
““...I believe there is a legitimate aim of transcendence that is more modest and perhaps more realistic. We may not be able to rule out the skeptical possibility, and we may not be able to ground our normal capacity for understanding on something in which we can have even greater confidence; but it may still be possible to show how we can reasonably retain our natural confidence in the exercise of understanding, in spite of the apparent contingencies of our nature and formation. The hope is not to discover a foundation that makes our knowledge unassailably secure but to find a way of understanding ourselves that is not radically self-undermining, and that does not require us to deny the obvious. The aim would be to offer a plausible picture of how we fit into the world. Even in this more modest enterprise both theism and naturalistic reductionism fall short. Theism does not offer a sufficiently substantial explanation of our capacities, and naturalism does not offer a sufficiently reassuring one.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Lecture on Philosophy of Understanding, 2005
The passage argues for a modest, realistic goal of transcendence that avoids absolute certainty, seeking a self-consistent understanding without denying obvious truths.
In simple terms: Seek reasonable confidence without needing absolute foundations.
Key Takeaway
Aim for a balanced, plausible self‑understanding.
Themes
philosophy
epistemology
modesty
transcendence
Mood
introspective
analytical
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- academic debates
- personal belief formation
- ethical decision‑making
Key Concepts
self‑knowledge
skepticism
naturalism
theism
Questions to Reflect On
- How can modest transcendence guide daily choices?
- What limits does skepticism impose?
A Different Perspective
It may be too abstract for practical application.
