Nihilistic thought...?

Question

Now that you think about it, nihilism just seem to make the most sense. Now dictionary.com defines it as -- an extreme form of skepticism: the denial of all real existence or the possibility of an objective basis for truth. That last part is where I take notice. I think human beings cannot find "objectivity for truth" due to our limitations as human beings. I think this even goes into Nietzschean theory (I know Nietzsche was anti-nihilist, but bear with me), where the human being "sublimes" or becomes something greater. I think this is the only way ultimate truth or objectivity of it can be found for humans, but since there has yet to be sublimation of mind I therefore think no objectivity is possible, and thus nihilistic thought is the only conceivable option for man to partake in. Any thoughts?? (Please no evangels here, I'm looking for serious thought)

Answer 1

The problem with any philosophy that tries to reject objectivity is that it is inherently unsupportable.

Suppose, for example, we accept your supposition to be true: that objective thought is impossible without some kind of superior, 'sublime' mind. Well then, unless you HAVE such a mind, how can you be sure that others don't? Perhaps there are many sublime minds around but you are simply incapable of percieving them. Or perhaps they do not wish you to do so, and by virtue of their greater intellect remain hidden therefore. And if there is even one superior mind around, then it can be producing all kind of objectivity.

So it goes with pretty much all of them. You can't back up an argument with logic and reason if you believe there IS no logic and reason. And if there's no standards at all by which to compare anything, all that remains is randomness. I have yet to see anyone actually behave completely randomly, which suggests that nobody really believes in such tripe, even if they do occasionally espouse it.

Answer 2

You take the case of a simple thing - a grain of sand.
Has any one got all the knowledge about it including
the philosophical part?
Objectivity of truth is relative term.

The Upanishads say that Almighty has created Sakti
(primordial energy) and gave her the task of creation. The
other meanings of the word Sakti is Maya (illusion or
darkness). It is true that some philosophers called the
world an illusion. It is only when the person awakens from
the spiritual sleep caused by illusion (or darkness), he
will see the light of higher knowledge.

In the 1930s, Austrian mathematician Godel proved a
theorem which became the "Godel theorem" in cognition
theory. It states that any formalized 'logical' system
in principle cannot be complete in itself. It means
that a statement can always be found that can be
neither disproved nor proved using the means of that
particular system. To discuss about such a statement,
one must go beyond that very logic system; otherwise
nothing but a vicious circle will result. Psychologist
say that any experience is contingent - it's opposite
is logically possible and hence should not be treated
as contradictory.

You know that the grain of sand is real and you are
real. It is only when you transcend the limitations
of logic and reasoning, you will understand higher
knowledge.

Answer 3

Maybe your requirements are too strict. You are right that we are stuck in a subjective perspective which we cannot escape from. We can never get outside of our perceptions to know if they are referring to something "real." But really, so what? If you need absolute certainty, you will very rarely get it. Its best to go with what is practical, I think. So, for example, we might not be able to be absolutely certain that Hitler is killing innocent people, but to use that as an excuse to not try to save them is unconscionable.

Nihilism does have a point in that all, or almost all, values can not be proven. However we should be concerned with what is pragmatic, with what works. Nihilism, on the practical level, fails utterly. It fails because while we can never know objective reality, we nonetheless must make decisions and plot courses of action. If you need an absolutely certain criteria in order to act, you will never be able to do anything unless you act based on random and arbitrary criteria.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that you need to realize that the lack of "objective" knowledge is not the same as having no knowledge. In our culture, we are taught that we "know" many things about the world. You are right to point out that this is not true, everything we know is only known subjectively. But although you abandoned the claim to objective knowledge, you haven't abandoned the accompanying assumption that only objective knowledge is valuable.

Answer 4

The way you describe it, I tend to agree with you.
Couple this thought process with the latest findings in Physics - Quantum mechanics - and you have a 'true' basis for the most probably stance toward 'reality'.
"All is vain" - expression found somewhere in the Bible, seems to be the first 'nihilistic' expression of thought. Goes to show that somewhere in all human philosophy, you can find some smidgeons of truth.
Unfortunately, it is when these particles of truth are sold as 'the whole' or 'the only' truth is when we get into trouble :)

Answer 5

I have not studied Nihilism, but your comments about objective truth resonate with nondual philosophy. Such thoughts reach back thousands of years in the path of Advaita Vedanta and up to the present day with neo-Advaita where the only truth appears to be subjectivity becoming aware of itself ... or something like that.

No final answer here ... no surprise in that I guess ... but you might like to look at the links below and see whether the philosophy meshes with your own.

Answer 6

Nihilism is the belief that existence is senseless and.. useless..

Before we were born.. there was.. nothing.. and so too will it be after we die.. If you can find meaning or "reason" to live - then you will live until you become old.. wrinkled.. maybe suffer from cancer or other horrible disease.. then die.. or it could all vanish in a blink of an eye..

Make sense..?? lol - life's a beach & then we die.. ; )

Answer 7

I've been a nihilist for a while, but I went back and tried to define truth.

"truth"- a statement that one accepts without doubt in one instant of time

So yes, nihilism is the answer for you, right now, because you believe it without any doubts currently in your mind. But in the future, it most certainly will not be.

Answer 8

all adult men proportion in humanity and characteristic the comparable thoughts and means for doing stable or evil and extremely some atheist have led lives of stable habit. that's relatively not the difficulty ... If all adult men tried take a working commence and attempt to leap from a California coastline to Hawaii some would make it plenty further than others. yet we are all so woefully wanting the purpose. Gods procedures are plenty greater than our procedures that each and all and sundry our ultimate is magnificently wanting becoming us suitable to God. An atheist can bypass away the international a greater powerful place via his existence and artwork yet he himself would have in basic terms enjoyed the temporal advantages that contain good residing. To be gained via God demands faith... Atheist are no longer robots as confirmed via there unfastened will. i think of many have stopped observing info that annoying situations their attitude and it relatively is obvious interior the ruthless advert homonym arguments published in this sight. regrettably the Christians are purely as undesirable that's opposite to scripture.

Answer 9

I admit that what we precieve in strictly within our mind. However we concieve "reality", we must still cope with it. Therefore it makes no difference what the "truth" is. It's the facts you deal with. This is essentially the concept behind the scientific method.