One such reaction to the loss of meaning is what Nietzsche calls passive nihilism, which he recognizes in the pessimistic philosophy of Schopenhauer. Schopenhauer’s doctrine, which Nietzsche also refers to as Western Buddhism, advocates separating oneself from will and desires in order to reduce suffering .
Who is a famous nihilist?
Among philosophers, Friedrich Nietzsche is most often associated with nihilism. For Nietzsche, there is no objective order or structure in the world except what we give it. Penetrating the façades buttressing convictions, the nihilist discovers that all values are baseless and that reason is impotent.
Was Schopenhauer a pessimist?
Schopenhauer’s pessimism is the most well known feature of his philosophy, and he is often referred to as the philosopher of pessimism . Schopenhauer’s pessimistic vision follows from his account of the inner nature of the world as aimless blind striving.
Was Nietzsche a nihilist?
Summary. Nietzsche is a self-professed nihilist , although, if we are to believe him, it took him until 1887 to admit it (he makes the admission in a Nachlass note from that year). No philosopher’s nihilism is more radical than Nietzsche’s and only Kierkegaard’s and Sartre’s are as radical.
Was Schopenhauer a nihilist?
One such reaction to the loss of meaning is what Nietzsche calls passive nihilism, which he recognizes in the pessimistic philosophy of Schopenhauer. Schopenhauer’s doctrine, which Nietzsche also refers to as Western Buddhism, advocates separating oneself from will and desires in order to reduce suffering .
What should I start with Schopenhauer?
- 1 The Two Fundamental Problems of Ethics by Arthur Schopenhauer.
- 2 The World as Will and Representation by Arthur Schopenhauer.
- 3 Essays and Aphorisms by Arthur Schopenhauer.
- 4 Arthur Schopenhauer: His Life and His Philosophy by Helen Zimmern.
- 5 The Philosophy of Schopenhauer by Bryan Magee.
Was Arthur Schopenhauer depressed?
Upon his arrival in Frankfurt, he experienced a period of depression and declining health . He renewed his correspondence with his mother, and she seemed concerned that he might commit suicide like his father.
Why is nihilism bad?
You are right to reject it: nihilism is harmful and mistaken . However, it is not an abstruse philosophical irrelevance, because everyone falls into nihilism at least occasionally. ... Fear of nihilism is a main reason people commit to other stances, such as eternalism and existentialism, that are also harmful and mistaken.
Is Buddha a nihilist?
Nihilism is a philosophy of no values . Buddhism is one that might seem to use nihilism to affirm very few but powerful ones.
Do nihilists have morals?
Nihilists assert that there are no moral values, principles, truths . A nihilist is not the same thing as a skeptic, because although a nihilist will agree with the skeptic — that humans cannot have knowledge about moral realities, not all skeptics will agree with nihilists.
Are pessimistic people depressed?
Pessimistic attribution style has been consistently associated with depression . Psychological factors such as hopelessness, little resilience to adversities, and constant rumination of sad thoughts also increase the likelihood of having depression (Beck & Alford, 2009).
Is being pessimistic a bad thing?
Pessimism is not a trait most people aspire to. It’s often associated with negativity, a “half-full” attitude, depression, and other mood disorders. However, a healthy dose of negative thinking isn’t necessarily all bad . ... In fact, sometimes a little pessimism might actually be a good thing.
Is pessimism a mental illness?
Pessimism nor optimism are classified alone as mental disorders . However, being too pessimistic or too optimistic can have negative effects on our mental health and exacerbate certain mental illnesses/issues.
What did Nietzsche say about nihilism?
Without God, we are alone, exposed to a natural universe devoid of the comforting idea of a God-given purpose to things. According to Nietzsche, this state of nihilism – the idea that life has no meaning or value – cannot be avoided; we must go through it, as frightening and lonely as that will be.
Why was Nietzsche not a TA nihilist?
It seems to me that people claim Nietzsche wasn’t a nihilist because he encouraged people to give meaning to their lives and overcome nihilism by finding their lives worth living despite nihilism , but Nietzsche did accept this definition of nihilism as the accurate state of affairs – there is no intrinsic value or ...
Who is the father of nihilism?
Nihilism has existed in one form or another for hundreds of years, but is usually associated with Friedrich Nietzsche , the 19th century German philosopher (and pessimist of choice for high school kids with undercuts) who proposed that existence is meaningless, moral codes worthless, and God is dead.
