Nihilism: Its basic doctrines and interpretation from the contemporary point of view

Date of Publication

1994

Document Type

Bachelor's Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts Major in Philosophy

College

College of Liberal Arts

Department/Unit

Philosophy

Abstract/Summary

The topic of nihilism, for the past four decades, seems to have been confined to the coffers of the oblivion. However, there are still a considerable amount of the world population which looks at world events with vain due to personal experiences of misery, anguish, suffering, hopelessness and meaninglessness. The nascent concept of nihilism, somehow, is muddled for the idea of nihilism itself must be recalled, as seen by its main propagator (but not necessarily the original one) Friedrich Nietzsche: That Christian moral values are the root cause of nihilism. The research contains an in-depth analysis on the role that traditional values have to play on the interpretation of experiences that lead to nihilism. Furthermore, the research includes a case study to determine if whether nihilism indeed, has been encountered in the reign of Adolf Hitler in Germany and if the experience of nihilism among the Germans during the Hitler totalitarian regime went on after the 1945 blitzkrieg. Subsequently, there will be a presentation of the perceptions of the contemporary man (men who have existed with fully functioning intellectual abilities from 1940 up to now), as lifted from the philosophies of Sartre (who is briefly but substantially discussed), and the Christian moralists as represented in this thesis by Paul Thielicke and Kant (who is also partially made reference to). Moreover, there will be a cursory introduction of the solutions to the destructive effects of nihilism as presented by Heidegger in his process of recollection and Jung in his method of radical reflection.

The course of the paper was not able to allow the researcher to delve deeper as to the origin, nature and cause of the two solutions mentioned above, however, there was a lucid explanation of its possible effects on people influenced by nihilism. The two solutions will be presented as part and parcel of the frenzy search for the method that will allow human beings to arrive at the truth, and not as the ultimate solution in itself. Finally, there is the comparison between existentialists point of view (Sartre and Heidegger) with that of the Christian perception regarding the aspects of freedom and responsibility as nihilism is related to the existence or non-existence of these two concepts. The summary will provide the capitulation of all the ideas discussed throughout the research paper and will try to give an explanation whether all the questions in the Statement of the Problem were answered. The recommendation will attempt to prescribe the appropriate reaction or answer to all the queries incited by the topic of nihilism.

Abstract Format

html

Language

English

Format

Print

Accession Number

TU06424

Shelf Location

Archives, The Learning Commons, 12F, Henry Sy Sr. Hall

Physical Description

1 v. (various pagings)

Keywords

Nihilism (Philosophy); Meaninglessness (Philosophy); Nothing (Philosophy)

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