If a psychological Maxwell devises a general theory of mind, he may make it possible for a psychological Einstein to follow with a theory that the mental and the physical are really the same. But this could happen only at the end of a process which began with the recognition that the mental is something completely different from the physical world as we have come to know it through a certain highly successful form of detached objective understanding. Only if the uniqueness of the mental is recognized will concepts and theories be devised especially for the purpose of understanding it.
Thomas NagelReason is universal because no attempted challenge to its results can avoid appealing to reason in the end-by claiming, for example, that what was presented as an argument is really a rationalization. This can undermine our confidence in the original method or practice only by giving us reasons to believe something else, so that finally we have to think about the arguments to make up our minds.
Thomas NagelPerhaps the belief in God is the belief that the universe is intelligible, but not to us.
Thomas Nagelequally real at all stages of his life; specifically, the fact that a particular stage is present cannot be regarded as conferring on it any special status.
Thomas NagelA theory of motivation is defective if it renders intelligible behaviour which is not intelligible.
Thomas Nagel