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This Jewish philosopher knows our politics are absurd — and why that's a good thing

JL;DR SUMMARY The exploration of the absurdity in politics, particularly under Donald Trump's administration, can be enriched by the philosophical perspectives of Thomas Nagel, a Jewish philosopher. A way out west there was a fella, fella I want to tell you about, fella by the name of Jeff Lebowski. At least, that was the handle his lovin' parents gave him, but he never had much use for it himself. This Lebowski, he called himself the Dude. Now, Dude, that's a name no one would self-apply where I come from. But then, there was a lot about the Dude that didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. And a lot about where he lived, likewise. But then again, maybe that's why I found the place s'durned innarestin'.

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Tags

Donald TrumpPhilosophyExistentialismAlbert CamusJewish PhilosopherSkepticismIronyAbsurdityThomas Nagel

Places mentioned

Belgrade, Beograd, Serbia
"Thomas Nagel, who was born to German-Jewish refugees living in prewar Belgrade who then immigrated to the United States after the wars end."
New York, United States
"In 1970, this professor of philosophy at New York University, perhaps best known for his essay What Is It Like to Be a Bat?,"
Houston, Texas, United States
"A professor at the University of Houston and the Womens Institute of Houston, Robert Zaretsky is also a culture columnist at the Forward."

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Retrieved 2026-03-12 05:30:51 UTC
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