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In comparison to atheism which is to not believe in God or religion, nihilism is to believe in nothing. Not even pizza!
Person: Hey want to go get some pizza at the local dinner?
Nihilism person: What is the point of pizza when there is no point to existence, past, present, or future?
Person: Dude you really need to get laid.
Nihilism person: That's just it I have been laid but what's the point in that when no one can find true meaning to ANYTHING!
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An extension of existentialism. It is the belief that that life is pain and suffering and hold no point. There are few Nihilists around, as they tend to find no reason to be anymore.
Person 1: I think I'm just going to crawl in a corner and die....
Person 2: Man! please don't say you been reading up on nihilism. It's bad for your brain.
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Very close related to anarchy but with a slight difference. Anarchy is the belief of no government, that the people can govern themselves. Nihilism is the same belief, except with anarchy people support eachother. In nihilism it is every man for himself.
Anarchy:
Mandy- So I heard Bob got shot.
Anthony- I know, Chris saved his life.
Nihilism:
Mandy- So I heard Chris got shot.
Anthony- I know, sucks to be him. He better watch himself. Chris left as soon as he saw it, he didnt want to get shot.
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A philosophy based on extreme skepticism. In it's most basic form (Before it was clouded by ideas involving politics, social rhetoric, sex, drugs, rock and roll etc.), which we can refer to as "epistemological nihilism", simply denies the possibility of knowledge of truth. Previous epistemological philosophies failed in obtaining truth because all possible vessels for obtaining truth cannot be proven truthful themselves. Empiricism fails because one must assume that their senses depict an accurate portrayal of their secular existence (or that a secular world even exists, for that matter), which fuels their observations; sensations also depend on senses to provide the observer with the source of the sensation. Rationalism fails because without a secular experience, real or imaginary, one's lack of experience prevents them from being able to reason. ie, they cannot reason without the use of empirical devices. Therefore, rationalism cannot gain one knowledge without empirical methods, which are already based on assumptions (faith) of senses; assumptions cannot lead to the knowledge of truth. Intuitionalism fails because it also has the potential to utilize empirical (and rational) devices; It allows one to alter their truth based on new experiences. This leaves room for "error" and keeps "truth" from being absolute or even certain.
Empiricist: Can't you see the truth?
Person: No, I'm blind.
Rationalist: I think, therefore I am.
Person: You used speech to make that proclamation; One must use sight or hearing to interpret.
Nihilist: Nothing can be certain.
Person: You can't prove that.
Nihilist: You're catching on.
Nihilism is the only epistemological philosophy worth following.
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Some of these definitions of Nihilism are complete rubbish.
--A Brief Introduction To Nihilism
"Every belief, every considering something-true," Nietzsche writes, "is necessarily false because there is simply no true world" (Will to Power notes from 1883-1888). Nihilism is the philosophy of total negation. In short, it states that all values are baseless and meaningless. Nothing in the universe can truly by known or communicated. The nihilist believes in nothing, has no loyalties and has no purpose in life. Some are left with only an impulse to destroy. Though, Friedrich Nietzsche is the philosopher most associated with nihilist, he is not a nihilist. Nietzsche was an existentialist who made nihilism infamous by helping shape and define it. He believed that the corrosive effects of nihilism would end up destroying all moral constructs, religions, and metaphysical convictions. Nietzsche believed that nihilism would be the most destructive force in history. Nihilism will attack reality itself and cause the greatest crisis humanity has ever seen. A study of several failed of civilizations by Oswald Spengler in The Decline of the West (1926) confirmed Nietzsche’s fears. Spengler has observed that nihilism has acted in history to undermine political, religious, and artistic traditions leading to that civilization’s collapse. After Nietzsche’s compelling critique, nihilism has preoccupied artists, social sceptics and philosophers. The type of art usually produced from the inspiration/horror of nihilism often deals with coping with nihilism emotionally. Trent Reznor comes to mind when I think of existentialist/nihilistic music. Some of his songs like “Terrible Lie” or “Happiness In Slavery” definitely carry nihilistic overtones. Dada was a cultural/art movement which endorsed nihilistic themes. It described itself as the anti-art.
There are many types of nihilism, and I do no justice to this philosophy by attempting to summarize it in one paragraph. Existential nihilism deals with extreme pessimism and scepticism. In short, it states that life is meaningless or without purpose. For an existentialist, abandoning all illusions of meaning or worth in life is the source of ultimate freedom at the price of existential horror and despair. Jean-Paul Sartre stated: “existence precedes essence.” He believes that we are thrown into an absurd world with no way to know why, yet we’re forced to create meaning. We exist, and we attempt to figure out why afterwards. Moral nihilism states that there is no true moral code. It states that there is no such thing a ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ and abandons the moral constructs of any society. Once one starts the process of asking “Why? - What are morals based upon? What is the meaning of it all?” they come but to one end: the collapse into despair when they realize there is no real answer. From cosmic purposeless to pathological destruction nihilism is truly a terrifying un-belief.
"Nihilism is . . . not only the belief that everything deserves to perish; but one actually puts one's shoulder to the plough; one destroys" (Will to Power - Friedrich Nietzsche).
I can really hear the nihilism in T. Reznor's music.
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a belief in the pointless of existance. the absence of truth. the absence of reason.
those who see it as a self-defeating argument are people who still have something to believe in.
despite the universe being so mind-numbingly complex and consciousness itself being so much of a mystery, many people actually believe that nihilism is invalid because the 'logic' possessed by what we think of as our consciousness doesn't allow it to make sense.
a christian might argue that god must exist because there must be some infinite force in the universe. they would then argue that god is the creator of all life, and that things like logic come from god, and in fact are a part of god (as he is infinite). unfortunately, this is also self-defeating, because by using logic to prove the existance of god (and thus logic) is just as absurd as nihilism. this, in turn, leads to the logic that nothing can be known. this then continues and endless loop of logic and anti-logic, making existance seem pointless, insane, and absurd. and THAT is what nihilism really is.
Nietzsche is commonly associated with nihilism, although from what i've been able to figure out without actually studying it in school (while researching it in my spare time), he was not a nihilist himself. rather, he seems to be more of someone who defined it and contemplated the intricacies associated with it.
trent reznor, creator of nine inch nails is generally considered to be a true nihilist, which is represented by the lyrics, feeling, and sound of his music. even nothing records, a record company started by reznor, embraces this concept in its name.
Exmaple 1:
person A) god must exist. finite things have to come from somewhere, and only something infinite can make something finite.
person B) that is based on so many assumptions that my brain wants to explode just thinking that someone can actually believe that the universe is that simple. just become a nihilist. it's a lot easier, and still allows you to function in society without being racist, homophobic, or sexist.
person A) okay.
person B) ph34|2.
Example 2:
person A) i sure am pissed that nine inch nails tour sold out in under 5 minutes.
person B) shrug.
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n. Root words nihilist and live, it is a contradiction or a play on words. It means to live without living.
Nihilive is the coolest motherfucker on the planet.
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