Journal article icon

Journal article

Permanent value

Abstract:
Temporal nihilism is the view that our lives will not matter after we die. According to the standard interpretation, this is because our lives will not make a permanent difference. Many who consider the view thus reject it by denying that our lives need to have an eternal impact. However, in this essay, I develop a different formulation of temporal nihilism revolving around the persistence of personal value itself. According to this more powerful conception of nihilism, we do not have personal value after death, so our past life no longer has well-being after we die. The standard objections to the standard interpretation do not apply to this more nihilistic nihilism. I offer a new response according to which personal value persists after death because the person continues to exist.
Publication status:
Published
Peer review status:
Peer reviewed

Actions

Access Document

Files:
Publisher copy:
10.1017/apa.2021.16

Authors

More by this author
Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
HUMS
Department:
Philosophy
Oxford college:
St John's College
Role:
Author


Publisher:
Cambridge University Press
Journal:
Journal of the American Philosophical Association More from this journal
Volume:
8
Issue:
2
Pages:
356-372
Publication date:
2021-11-05
Acceptance date:
2021-11-05
DOI:
EISSN:
2053-4485
ISSN:
2053-4477


Language:
English
Keywords:
Pubs id:
2092043
Local pid:
pubs:2092043
Deposit date:
2025-02-25
ARK identifier:

Terms of use


Views and Downloads






If you are the owner of this record, you can report an update to it here: Report update to this record

TO TOP