NAGEL’S PERSPECTIVE 2
Nagel’s Perspective
Question one
Nagel outlines ethics as generally objective as is mostly influenced by the
expectation. All acts carried out by an individual, who can be referred to as a subject, are
aimed to help one achieve a particular goal or achievement, which can be said to be objective.
One is primarily bound to change how they carry out tasks depending on the nature and
magnitude of the expected results (Nagel & Williams, 1986). In arguably all endeavours that
involve living things, the final achievement is what matters and not the route followed to
achieve it. Nagel believes that individual capacity and code of conduct matter less than their
reputation that ranges mostly within their accomplishments. The common belief is that
goodness is universal and should not depend on an individual carrying out a given task. Nagel
believes objective reasoning should be infused in one’s decision making so as to influence the
outcome that will provide goodness to all (Sjöbring, 2008). The library scenario suggests that
ideologically, individual’s goals and principles indeed motivate and influence their
participation in various endeavours and to an extent affect the outcome of their activities.
Sartre would certainly not agree with Nagel’s analysis. On his part, Sartre believes
that an individual, in this context the subject, is the determinant of what they achieve and how
they achieve it. He believed that the outcome purely lies on the beliefs and principles of an
individual not what they expect at the end. There is a contradiction with Nagel’s beliefs that
the results or objectives play a bigger role in the individual’s code of conduct and ethical
behaviour. Similarly, Mickie would disagree with Nagel because he fundamentally believes
that there are no objective values. Notably, Mickie holds the view that objective values
cannot surpass the moral principles and beliefs that have existed for long.
