Nihilism: basics

In short: Nihilism is the philosophical position that life and values have no objective meaning or inherent significance. Friedrich Nietzsche significantly shaped the term, while also critiquing its consequences.

In more detail: Different forms are distinguished, including moral, existential, and epistemological nihilism.

In detail

• Moral nihilism: Holds that there are no objectively valid moral values or norms.
• Existential nihilism: Claims that life itself has no overarching meaning or purpose.
• Nietzsche’s diagnosis: Nietzsche saw nihilism as a consequence of the “death of God”, meaning the loss of traditional religious values in modern society.
• Active vs. passive nihilism: Nietzsche distinguished between a paralysing reaction to meaninglessness and a creative overcoming through new values.
• Difference from pessimism: Nihilism concerns the question of meaning, while pessimism concerns the evaluation of life’s quality itself.
• Criticism: Critics accuse nihilism of being self-contradictory, since its claims already contain implicit value judgements.
• Everyday relevance: Grappling with questions of meaning in times of crisis often touches on nihilistic thoughts, even without philosophical training (was-ist-philosophie, existenzialismus-grundlagen).