Nihilism

Nihilism is the belief that all values are baseless and that nothing can be known or communicated. It is often associated with extreme pessimism and a radical skepticism that condemns existence. A true nihilist would believe in nothing, have no loyalties, and no purpose other than, perhaps, an impulse to destroy. While few philosophers would claim to be nihilists, nihilism is most often associated with Friedrich Nietzsche who argued that its corrosive effects would eventually destroy all moral, religious, and metaphysical convictions and precipitate the greatest crisis in human history. In the 20th century, nihilistic themes--epistemological failure, value destruction, and cosmic purposelessness--have preoccupied artists, social critics, and philosophers. Mid-century, for example, the existentialists helped popularize tenets of nihilism in their attempts to blunt its destructive potential. By the end of the century, existential despair as a response to nihilism gave way to an attitude of indifference, often associated with antifoundationalism.

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I think it's so...negative. It's carelessness to me. It would be like if you had no belief in bathing or health, then things would go VERY WRONG. (I hope that example made sense.)

And I would rather have faith and belief than none at all. I guess that's what keep society together...if society is even together at all.

What do you think?

It is very negative... but then I suppose there is something fundamentally flawed about human nature that looks at the negative rather than the positive. Why else are violent movies made? Why else would people play violent computer games, listen to violent music, etc.? I'm not condemning these people... I have listened to pretty violent music myself in my time... but I think there is something in the human psyche that is attracted to negative things. Taken to extremes, I suppose that would mean one would take the view that that life wasn't worth living and there was nothing to believe in.

I hope that made sense.

Ok that sounds very interesting, good summary....but what are you asking people to discuss.

good?bad?chaos?

I'm perplexed.

I've read that Trent from NIN is a true nihilist. XD

Harlequin Girl:

I've read that Trent from NIN is a true nihilist. XD

Trent is God

I think that it comes from people feeling so helpless so then in the end, they just stop caring.

Coff:

Harlequin Girl:

I've read that Trent from NIN is a true nihilist. XD

Trent is God

I think that it comes from people feeling so helpless so then in the end, they just stop caring.

I have his 'email'. I doubt it's him though.

hmmm i think that would suck.. i have few beliefs but i do believe in some things.. like life does have a purpose.. i dont believe in religion or anythign like that though.. unfortunately i am a skeptic.. oh well shut happens lol

NeoSteph:

Ok that sounds very interesting, good summary....but what are you asking people to discuss.

good?bad?chaos?

I'm perplexed.

That summary can also be found here

http://www.iep.utm.edu/n/nihilism.htm

The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy is a good little website, i like it.

I'll come back with my opinion once I have found something to debate upon.

Bloodraine:

NeoSteph:

Ok that sounds very interesting, good summary....but what are you asking people to discuss.

good?bad?chaos?

I'm perplexed.

That summary can also be found here

http://www.iep.utm.edu/n/nihilism.htm

The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy is a good little website, i like it.

I'll come back with my opinion once I have found something to debate upon.

Copy. And. Paste. -.-

I don't believe in God, or any religion, I beileve that everyone is created absolutly equil, including me and you and that mouse, or worm over there. Not believing in anything is lazyness, neglagentce (sp), and just a poor sence of direction. If I was a nihilist, then I would hate myself.

NeoSteph:

Ok that sounds very interesting, good summary....but what are you asking people to discuss.

good?bad?chaos?

I'm perplexed.

Just veiws, questions, answers...just talk/argue about what they think of it.



And that summary wasn't mine, I don't take credit for things that I did not do. I guess I should've posted the link.

I don't beileve in God or any religon. I don't knwo how you couldn't believe in anything, though.

[off topic] We are just organisims on a planet, that have gotten cocky and made up these 'beliefs' and 'religions'. If there was a God wouldn't the animals know too, I mean, there just like us, animals.[/off topic]

^|blink-182|^:

[off topic] We are just organisims on a planet, that have gotten cocky and made up these 'beliefs' and 'religions'. If there was a God wouldn't the animals know too, I mean, there just like us, animals.[/off topic]

How do you know they don't?

^|blink-182|^:

[off topic] We are just organisims on a planet, that have gotten cocky and made up these 'beliefs' and 'religions'. If there was a God wouldn't the animals know too, I mean, there just like us, animals.[/off topic]

Okay.
Prove that we exist.
Prove this place exists.
Prove animals exist.

The beauty of philosophy is that you can't prove any of those things. I can't use math or science to say that I exist or Earth exists or if this is all some dream of a unicellular organism at the dawn of time.
There is no reality.
But that doesn't mean it's possible to believe in nothing. In fact, it is wholly impossible. By believing in nothing, you take a stance on an issue. A moral position. Belief.
By supporting violence and destruction you support a belief.
To be a Nihilist is to believe in nothing. You'd have to spend your whole life in complete indecision and inaction.

Reality is basically based on memories and experiences.
How do we prove those memories and experiences are real?
Emotions
How do we prove those emotions are real?

My oh my, I could go on forever.

I think everyone should believe in something. Belief gives you hope, I don't care if it's one God, thirteen Gods or the snake that lives in your toilet. Belief gets you through hard times. If I didn't have my generally sunny attitude (plus a healthy snarky demeanor) I'd be lying on the floor twitching. Life's too big and crazy to go through it muttering about how you can't believe in anything and how everything sucks.

dirtyhippie:

I think everyone should believe in something. Belief gives you hope, I don't care if it's one God, thirteen Gods or the snake that lives in your toilet. Belief gets you through hard times. If I didn't have my generally sunny attitude (plus a healthy snarky demeanor) I'd be lying on the floor twitching. Life's too big and crazy to go through it muttering about how you can't believe in anything and how everything sucks.

Don't make fun of my snake!!




No really, don't.





Got cha!



Very well put.

To be honest, I got the snake idea from Alan Moore, the British comics writer who worships the snake in his toilet...or so he says.

Muchas gracias at any rate!