Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHistorical ContextFive Theories Of NihilismExistential Dread
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Historical Context
Five Theories Of Nihilism
Existential Dread
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Nihilism is a family of views that works around the shared premise that there is no inherent value, meaning and order to life (independent of the value/meaning we create).
You’ll usually hear something like “everything is meaningless” when discussingnihilismin mainstream culture. But, while this statement is true, it is an oversimplification of the philosophy. In truth, there are multiple variations of nihilism with their own unique positions and views.
The Historical Context Of Nihilism
As a philosophy, nihilism rejects the value and meaning society places on people, objects, and life. The exact origin of the term is uncertain, but scholars have been able to pinpoint it to the 18th century.
From there, nihilism became a popular topic within philosophical circles. Some of the most important thinkers are listed below.
Friedrich Jacobi
He was a German philosopher who first coined the term followingThe Enlightenment— a period of intellectual movement that emphasized skepticism, reason, and individualism.
During this period, many scholars rejected traditional religious, political, and social ideas in favor of rationalism. As a devout believer, Jacobi feared that rationalism would devalue the human sense of self (through explaining away religion) and lead to nihilism. Therefore, most of his work critiqued it.
Søren Kierkegaard
Kierkegaard was religious, and as a result, he believed that leveling was a bad thing; he believed in the intrinsic value of human life. He thought that despair was the key to human experience and that anxiety was a sign of our freedom.
He believed that the only way to work through these two things was through acceptance of the absurdity of reality and living life through faith (or having the courage to try to make a meaningful existence).
Ivan Turgenev
Friedrich Nietzsche
Nietzsche was a German philosopher whose writing had an enormous influence on Western philosophy.
Usually known for his statement “God is dead,” he believed that the consequences of this were both terrifying and freeing. This realization was the state of nihilism, and he thought it was unavoidable.
However, he also believed that it was the bridge to a new way of being and that it is pivotal to work through the fear and develop a new and meaningful worldview.
What Is the Illusion of Choice?
Five Theories Of Nihilism
When it comes to discussing nihilism in contemporary society, two leading theoretical practices are usually referenced — existential and cosmic nihilism.
However, while these may be the most common, there have been various positions explored and the term is regularly used in a variety of contexts.It is because of this that nihilism is seen as a vague and ambiguous term.
In reality, nihilism can be found in five main forms, and these are as follows:
Existential Nihilism
Existential nihilism can be defined as the philosophical position that there is no intrinsic value or meaning to life.Regarding life within the universe, existential nihilists believe that human life is insignificant and without purpose.
Therefore, it is up to individuals themselves to create meaning in their lives through their own freedom of choice.
Existential nihilism is commonly associated with destructive, impulsive behavior and suicide.However, more recently, it has seen a resurgence in mainstream culture and contemporary work.
It is important to note that while existential nihilism does overlap with existentialism, it is not the same thing but a different (yet similar) branch of philosophical thought. For instance, existentialism deals with the ways to address the lack of intrinsic meaning in the world. In contrast, nihilists do not, due to their rejection of their being, there isn’t any meaning to be found.
Cosmic Nihilism (Cosmic Pessimism)
Cosmic nihilism is seen as the more hyper-rational branch of thought, which states that there is no meaning for the truth to be found in the universe.
Ethical Nihilism (Moral)
Ethical nihilism broadly states that there is no such thing as anobjective right or wrong. It is commonly also referred to as “moral nihilism” and is a family of three main views:
Epistemological Nihilism
Epistemology is a branch of philosophy that is concerned with the theory of knowledge.Epistemological nihilism, therefore, can be defined as a form of philosophy that states firstly that knowledge doesn’t exist. And secondly, if it did, it is unobtainable to human beings, so its existence is redundant. Therefore, it is associated with extreme skepticism.
Political Nihilism
Political nihilism is a form of nihilism that argues that in order for future improvements, all present social, political and religious institutions need to be destroyed.They believe that these systems are so corrupt that there is no hope of reformation.
What Is Existential Dread?
When talking about nihilism, it is common to hear someone reference the term “existential dread.”
Existential dread is usually linked to nihilism due to it being seen as a response or consequence of engagement to questions around the meaning of life. That said, you do not have to be a nihilist to experience it. Should this existential dread intensify, it can lead to something called anexistential crisisor existential anxiety.
For existentialists, an existential crisis is considered a necessary, complex journey of awareness and growth. However, for those not intending to start that journey, it can arise surprisingly during periods of instability and exacerbate mental health problems.Leading to symptoms such asanxiety,depression, andsuicidal ideation, to name a few.
While there are no specific treatment options for people experiencing an existential crisis, there are options available to help with some of the symptoms, such as medication (antidepressants in particular),cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), self-care activities, andmindfulness.
How to Know If You Have Existential Depression With Melissa Bernstein
A Word From Verywell
You don’t have to be a full-blown nihilist to experience nihilistic thoughts; it is normal to question the meaning of life and all of the suffering that people experience.
Being a nihilist or having nihilist thoughts isn’t a negative thing. As detailed above, many nihilist theories say that it is up to the individual to create their own meaning.
As a Therapist, Here Are 4 Ways to Cope With Existential Dread
11 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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Weems CF, Russell JD, Neill EL, Berman SL, Scott BG.Existential anxiety among adolescents exposed to disaster: Linkages among level of exposure, PTSD, and depression symptoms.J Trauma Stress. 2016;29(5):466–473. DOI:10.1002/jts.22128
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