> Stathis Papaioannou wrote:
>
> > Tom Caylor writes:
>
> >  > > > Brent Meeker
> >  > > > "It does not matter now that in a million years nothing we do now
> > will matter."
> >  > > > --- Thomas Nagel
>
> >  > > We might like to believe Nagel, but it isn't true.
>
> >  > > Tom
>
> >  > That is, it isn't true that in a million years nothing we do now will
> >  > matter.
>
> > Why do you say "we might like to believe Nagel"? Why would anyone want
> > it to be the case that nothing we do now will matter in a million years?

In order to think in terms beyond a few generations, we need a basis
for meaning that is more universal than explaining and controlling
things in our immediate sphere of "care abouts", like our animal
instincts.  (Such a local basis does not support doing things like
sacrificing your life for others even a couple thousand years in the
future.)  But if we reject the ultimate basis, then it feels good to
say that it doesn't matter.

Tom


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