Nihilism
Notes
Claim
Nihilism is a moral view in which morality doesn't exist. Not to be confused with What is moral depends on the viewer, which says that what considers good or bad is dependent on the viewer. Nihilism stresses that morality itself is a Shared beliefs make constructs real and true that shouldn't exist. According to nihilism, perceptions of good and bad are useless, they mislead us more than they provide relevant rules or knowledge about human behavior.
Explanation
The nihilist often doesn't have any internal reasons to act, since he knows that there is no meaning out there, no external reason can exist that pushes him to action, and that any Moral reasons is a fabrication that has no valid basis.
Why it matters
Examples
Supporters
Opposers
Nihilism is problematic due to:
- Without a why, what's left? - Having no purpose in life often leads to Depression is chronic despair from helplessness and lost meaning, because we can't operate in life without a sense of purpose, thinking that everything is meaningless like being in Truman's show. It alienates us from the world, making it impossible for us to have a Clear direction matters more than speed of progress, and brings a melancholic Indifference to how we think and act.
- It rejects usefulness - Even if morality is a social construct, why does that entail that it's useless? Money is a social construct yet we won't say no to a suitcase of 1 million dollars just because "money has no intrinsic value" Truth and goodness are defined by practical usefulness.
- It turns us into objects - without Subjectivity, all that's left is Objectivity is loss of agency to external control and instrumental treatment. Without a reason to fulfill our The will to power is the inner drive to transcend oneself and become something greater, we will forever be the same, doing nothing of meaning, just "surviving" without thriving, because any attempt to be more means that there is something worth pursuing Fixed mindset assumes capabilities are unchangeable from birth
Open questions
Visual
Overview
🔼Topic:: Moral Epistemology 🔗Link::