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Passive and active nihilism, the former of which is also equated to philosophical pessimism, refer to two approaches to nihilist thought; passive nihilism sees nihility as an end in itself, whereas active nihilism attempts to surpass it. For Nietzsche, passive nihilism further encapsulates the "will to nothing" and the modern condition of resignation or unawareness towards the dissolution of ...
Nihilism, most simply, means believing in nothing. The word is derived from Latin, nihil, which means ‘nothing.’. Nihilism can mean believing that nothing is real, believing that it’s impossible to know anything, believing that all values are based on nothing, especially moral values, or believing that life is inherently and utterly ...
Jul 11, 2022 · Nihilism can lead to a feeling of hopelessness; If nihilists believe life is meaningless, they may find it hard to maintain hope or motivation. This can lead to a sense of hopelessness and despair.
- Albert Camus. Albert Camus (1913-1960) was a French-Algerian writer, philosopher, and journalist best known for his philosophical works on absurdism and his contributions to existentialism, even though he personally rejected the latter label.
- Emil Cioran. Emil Cioran (1911-1995) was a Romanian-born philosopher and essayist who later adopted French citizenship. His work is characterized by its profound pessimism, and its introspective exploration of existential and nihilistic themes.
- Soren Kierkegaard. Søren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) was a Danish philosopher, theologian, and poet whose work deeply influenced and shaped the theory of existential nihilism.
- Jean-Paul Sartre. Jean-Paul Sartre (1905-1980) was a French existentialist philosopher, playwright, novelist, political activist, and literary critic. He was one of the most influential figures in 20th-century philosophy and remains one of the primary representatives of existential nihilism in the public consciousness.
- The Historical Context of Nihilism
- Five Theories of Nihilism
- What Is Existential Dread?
- A Word from Verywell
As a philosophy, nihilism rejects the value and meaning society places on people, objects, and life. The exact origin of the term is uncertain, but scholars have been able to pinpoint it to the 18th century. From there, nihilism became a popular topic within philosophical circles. Some of the most important thinkers are listed below.
When it comes to discussing nihilism in contemporary society, two leading theoretical practices are usually referenced — existential and cosmic nihilism. However, while these may be the most common, there have been various positions explored and the term is regularly used in a variety of contexts.It is because of this that nihilism is seen as a vag...
When talking about nihilism, it is common to hear someone reference the term “existential dread.” Existential dread is usually linked to nihilism due to it being seen as a response or consequence of engagement to questions around the meaning of life. That said, you do not have to be a nihilist to experience it. Should this existential dread intensi...
You don’t have to be a full-blown nihilist to experience nihilistic thoughts; it is normal to question the meaning of life and all of the suffering that people experience. Being a nihilist or having nihilist thoughts isn’t a negative thing. As detailed above, many nihilist theories say that it is up to the individual to create their own meaning. Re...
Feb 1, 2024 · Existential Nihilism: This form of nihilism posits that life has no intrinsic meaning or value. For existential nihilists, the universe does not possess a built-in purpose, and any imposed ...
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philosophy. nihilism, (from Latin nihil, “nothing”), originally a philosophy of moral and epistemological skepticism that arose in 19th-century Russia during the early years of the reign of Tsar Alexander II. The term was famously used by Friedrich Nietzsche to describe the disintegration of traditional morality in Western society.
