Aboard the … Nihilism is neither optimistic nor pessimistic. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use. But reality is beyond all views. If you have read some of my other articles, I’m sure you may have come to the realisation that my opinions and views can be quite negative and depressing. So next time you think you’re having a bad day because you got caught in traffic and spilled your coffee – just remember that no one really cares, that you will die some day; and that once you do, you will be forgotten, and the universe will continue to expand endlessly without us, without ever giving a second thought about our trivial existence on this tiny, rocky planet. preferred 'optimistic nihilism' because it freed him from the illusion of self-importance that he observed in other ideologies, but to my mind creating your own meaning and purpose is … Nihilism To be fully honest, this is one of the best intellectual reads I've ever read!! We hold our own lives at such high esteem, thinking we are the centre of the universe, when in reality none of us are that important. Nihilism (/ ˈ n aɪ (h) ɪ l ɪ z əm, ˈ n iː-/; from Latin nihil 'nothing') is a philosophy, or family of views within philosophy, expressing some form of negation towards life or towards fundamental concepts such as knowledge, existence, and the meaning of life. The culture will still be left to choose between an intolerable nihilism and continuing to chase the illusion of liberal rationalism. The video presents the well-articulated, beautifully animated, and altogether frightening philosophy of Kurzgesagt. [2] Absurdism is the belief that a search for meaning is inherently in conflict with the actual lack of meaning, but that one should both accept this and simultaneously rebel against it by embracing what life has to offer. The philosophy can most succinctly be summed up using the model proposed by British philosopher Thomas Baldwin in his 1996 paper[2] on the subject which is referred to as subtraction theory. It is not a far stretch, in the framework of this theory, to assume that these objects do not exist at all. There are a number of variations of this paradox. Nihilism is not as much a flawed or possibly flawed state because the state of nihilism is itself the devaluation of metaphysical values. Read honest and unbiased product reviews from our users. Nihilism tells you that your birth is important, that your life is important, so take the pressure of and make the best of it, you are now free to be happy. Therefore, it is entirely possible that a world with no objects exists. Like metaphysical nihilism, existential nihilism stumbles when it comes to the nature of its conceptual existence. It has its origins in the work of the 19th-century Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard , who chose to confront the crisis that humans face with the Absurd by developing his own existentialist philosophy . If in fact, they are 100% in-line with Common precursors to the paradox ask questions like Hegarty's,[1] implying that if universal truth does not exist to give meaning to life and nothing is therefore objectively true, existential nihilist theory would then be the universal truth it claims does not exist. In this case it is either untrue or has meaning, which would mean that there is a universal meaning (derived from the logical conclusion that the universal truth is nothingness) or even some meaning, which would be contrarian to the original claim. But if subsequently you insist that the only way for me to do this, is to give to your foundation where ‘it’s all god’s anyway,’ and ‘god loves a cheerful giver,’ well then you are just selling your religion in the name of charitable works. There was a sense of the need for a reexamination of the previously unquestioned foundations of society and morality. The main point made argues that a world is itself a concrete object, and whether it exists or does not exist is irrelevant because in both instances it would disprove subtraction theory. I am entirely content with my personal life and the way things have turned out for me. People allowing their whole mood to be tarnished, because they were kept on hold for an hour while someone on the other side of the globe is without water, shelter, or food, has always been an interesting dichotomy to me. 339. Therefore, existential nihilism is at best an extremely flawed interpretation of the universe and at worst entirely untrue, as a theory which contends that nothing objective exists must necessarily then be subjective. Even though I truly believe that humanity’s time is limited and quickly coming to its end – whether it be through nuclear war, climate change, or any of the other countless ways we are dooming ourselves – and even when the news coming out everyday is nothing short of horrific, I remain happy with my life. The two basic paradoxes are reflective of the philosophies of nihilism that created them; metaphysical nihilism and existential nihilism. Andre is a world class philosopher, novelist, filmmaker, investigative journalist, poet, … All things are meaningless, good or bad. So, it is this realisation that nothing on this Earth really matters, along with an appreciation for the things I do have that allows me to maintain a happy and positive demeanor through life, despite my immensely negative brain. Along with that, the short but beautiful chapter "Nihilism in Art" was a treat and showed that the author had a great appreciation for art. There are a few flaws, however, with your critique. Chiu- ... the force (and flaws) of the reasons behind his brand of philosophical hermeneutics. It tries to see internal inconsistency of every argument put forward to support one's views. In this way, I … So often we get caught up in our own worlds, believing our problems and inconveniences matter more than they really do. I am optimistic in the sense that bad things happening don't really upset me. I find Nihilism freeing, I don't fear the consequences of things so much. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. It doesn't matter, nothing matters and in that there is freedom. To be optimistic, positive, enthusiastic, cool-headed, calm, and rational is to live a much ... always specifically looking for flaws. It is very easy to fear the world, however, I grew to realise that fearing what you have no control over is no healthy way to live. Rather than being mad that I have been kept on hold for an hour, I would calm myself and appreciate the fact that I have a phone in the first place, and then realise that my minor issues are really insignificant and mean nothing to anyone anywhere else in the world. Humanistic religions offer hope for human progress, while salvation-oriented religions offer… I'm a nihilist myself (mostly concerning morals, society & the absoluteness of things) & consider myself neither optimistic nor pessimistic- I'm realistic. Coming back to the question, it is advisable to be optimistic (especially if such advice comes from a wise observer) because the flaw to the contrary has been noticed – pessimism, or even worse, nihilism. Nihilism is the philosophical doctrine suggesting the negation of one or more ... an attitude. Sure, I still feel down at times, but allowing my mind to drift while thinking about the massive scale of the universe and how small I really am in this whole thing always provides me with a strange, sombre happiness. Nihilism is, of curse, a rather depressing, if liberating, way to go through life, but such would seem to be the conclusion of the book. By taking a closer look at the essay Gnosticism, Existentialism, and Nihilism, this article aims to clarify the critical and constructive role that Gnosticism might … Essentially, the negative thoughts that cross my mind constantly and the issues, flaws, and dangers I see within this world on a daily basis have caused me to … The paradox of nihilism is a family of paradoxes regarding the philosophical implications of nihilism, particularly situations contesting nihilist perspectives on the nature and extent of subjectivity within a nihilist framework. Metaphysical nihilism is based around skepticism that concrete objects, and the self which perceives them, actually exist as concrete objects rather than as abstract objects. At least in part this new video is a reaction to an oft-expressed complaint in the Richard Taylor (1919 – 2003) was an American philosopher renowned for his controversial positions and contributions to metaphysics.He advocated views as various as free love and fatalism and was also an internationally known beekeeper. despite my flaws, I wish for the best 05 October, 2020 One of my favorite things out there in the world is the " People Watching" series on youtube and there's this particular episode about nostalgia that struck me about how it seems like people are always romanticizing the past. Youtube channel Kurzgesagt explains this concept of optimistic nihilism further and in greater detail in this video. On many central and secondary doctrines, we are closely aligned. According to Jonna Bornemark, "the paradox of nihilism is the choice to continue one's own life while at the same time stating that it is not worth more than any other life". Their flaws and fears make them both endearing and repulsive at the same time. I am optimistic in the sense that bad things happening don't really upset me. Criticism of Buddhism has taken numerous different forms, including that its practitioners act in ways contrary to Buddhist principles or that those principles systemically marginalize women. If one is feeling incapable of being optimistic, then, the reasons for it may be in excess of what is simply psychological. Absurdism shares some concepts, and a common theoretical template, with existentialism and nihilism. I find Nihilism freeing, I don't fear the consequences of things so much. A person introducing a “straw man” changes the subject of the original argument in order to distract his or her opponent and argues about the deceptively substituted idea instead of the original point.The new argument is often, although not necessarily, a gross generalization, oversimplification, or exaggeration of the point originally brought to the table. Varieties "Determinism" may commonly refer to any of the following viewpoints. According to Kraus’s commentary, “no major (textual) flaws are to be registered.” [6] In opposition to this view, Claus Westermann argues that the text of Psalm 73 is potentially corrupt. The paradox arises from the logical assertion that if no concrete or abstract objects exist, even the self, then that very concept itself would be untrue because it itself exists. [4] Richard Ian Wright sees relativism as the root of the paradox. There are many sources of criticism, both ancient and modern, stemming … I would avoid it at all costs in attempt to spare my mind from the tragedy that would most certainly be depicted. It holds that for a possible world with finite objects, any one or more of those objects may not have existed, and their non-existence does not mean that something equivalent exists in their place. [7], In Critical Legal Studies (CLS) theory, the arguments used to criticize the centrist position also undermine the position of CLS. However, with age I began to understand that avoiding the news did not mean that it was not still occurring, and with this realisation I grew to enjoy analysing the news and discussing the many problems that we face in our modern world. The paradox of nihilism is a family of paradoxes regarding the philosophical implications of nihilism, particularly situations contesting nihilist perspectives on the nature and extent of subjectivity within a nihilist framework. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use. The Straw Man fallacy, also been called the Aunt Sally argument in Great Britain, creates an illusion, based on erroneous reasoning. Nihilism [Freydis, .] Criticism of Buddhism has taken numerous different forms, including that its practitioners act in ways contrary to Buddhist principles or that those principles systemically marginalize women. Much welcomed, nonetheless, and very important. At least not in general. Existential nihilism is the philosophical theory that life has no inherent meaning whatsoever, and that humanity in an individual and collective sense has no purpose. Instead of fearing my demise, or allowing this negativity to consume me, I realise that the universe is much bigger than myself, and my existence is probably not all that significant in the grand scheme of things. Nihilism is the belief that not only is there no intrinsic meaning in the universe, but that it’s pointless to try to construct our own as a substitute. Optimistic Nihilism: A Psychologist's Personal Story & (Biased) ... 4.0 out of 5 stars interesting but has a few flaws. Then it claims every definition or view has its flaws. The use of the term/concept dates back to Buddha, Turgenev, Kierkegaard, and Nietzsche. Besides Revolutionary Optimism, Western Nihilism Andre has written many other books, such as Exposing Lies of the Empire, a novel titled Aurora and many other books. Nihilism is a condition in which all ultimate values lose their value. Although it may be true that I usually hold a pessimistic outlook on life, and that my expectations and hopes for humanity are currently at an all-time low; I personally am actually quite happy. Nihilism is the belief that not only is there no intrinsic meaning in the universe, but that it’s pointless to try to construct our own as a substitute. There are many sources of criticism, both ancient and modern, stemming … This novel more than delivers what it announced, but This is way more than a werewolf novel. [clarification needed][5], Virgilio Aquino Rivas, in a paper asserting the political nature of faith in the Philippines,[6] locates the paradox in the "conservative attitude of Roman Catholicism" developed in reaction to Nietzschean nihilism. Damon Lindelof’s series loses meaning in the final season 1 episode, thanks to Sister Night (Regina King) barely making a splash against Lady Trieu, Doctor Manhattan, Adrian Veidt, and Cyclops. Both paradoxes originate from the same conceptual difficulty of whether, as Paul Hegarty writes in his study of noise music, "that the absence of meaning seems to be some sort of meaning".[1]. It’s called Optimistic Nihilism. 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