2007-10-16 00:44:10 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I don't think so. Nihilism is, in practice, more than a lack of belief. I'd say I don't have any superstitious beliefs, alien abductions, fairies, ghosts, angels etc but I believe in concepts, justice, democracy, freedom. Nihilism in effect saying 'we believe in nothing!' (I'm reminded irresistably of 'the big lebowski' movie) is a rather pessimistic and even defeatist view.
I think I'm an idealist when I think about human potential and the ability of mankind to use science and rationality to overcome its problems is another thing I believe in. Rather idealistic of me, really. One facet of nihilism is that no true morality can be ascertained and this really does seem pessimistic, even silly to my mind.
2007-10-16 00:52:08 · answer #1 · answered by Leviathan 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Ahem.
The Nihil is an ideal of sorts: one that few aspire to but everyone achieves. Admittedly, nothingness as a concept (though not a "thing" as such) is the entirety of a Nihilist's beliefs.... not so much in a mere lack of belief, but an almost active disbelief in all Universal "things" and "thingness".
Only raw substance and absence can "be"... each completely beyond description or "knowledge"... and all other concepts are further fabrications.
Now Materialism...... THERE is a real opposite of Nihilism.
I'm not too fond of Objectivism either. Those guys are totally barking up the wrong tree.
2007-10-16 00:51:02 · answer #2 · answered by Lucid Interrogator 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sure.
Nihilism is simply the philosophical stance that nothing at all can ultimately be proven, and therefore that truth is unattainable.
All the same, the small subsets of observational data we process on a day-to-day basis while, highly suspect, do permit the generalization of one's interpretation of the nature of life.
This is akin to theism and atheism. An atheist does not believe there is a deity, but if asked to hypothetically, could construct that set of attributes he or she would feel a deity would have to have.
The nihilist may not hold that there is an ultimate purpose, or an ultimate truth, but that does not prevent the holding of local or limited truth held on the basis of observational input.
2007-10-16 00:51:48 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
I don't see how.
2007-10-16 00:47:09 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Thats like saying you are an atheist who believes in God.
2007-10-16 02:01:38 · answer #5 · answered by Arcturus 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I hoped so, but didn't really care....
2007-10-16 01:08:11 · answer #6 · answered by Birdy is my real name 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It would seem to be contradictory.
2007-10-16 00:51:11 · answer #7 · answered by Pirate AM™ 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
give me ambiguity, or give me something else!
2007-10-16 00:58:57 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋