Nihilism - What is the Solution?

[Jack]

What is the solution to nihilism?

I'm going to offer a definition of nihlism: the situation where the unanswered question is 'why'.

I have a feeling this could kick start an interesting discussion. Besides that, the question needs to be answered. Anyone with a possible answer - teleology, God, dialectical materialism, anything - is encouraged to post it. Discussion is encouraged.

[Moody]

What is the solution to nihilism?

I'm going to offer a definition of nihlism: the situation where the unanswered question is 'why'.

I have a feeling this could kick start an interesting discussion. Besides that, the question needs to be answered. Anyone with a possible answer - teleology, God, dialectical materialism, anything - is encouraged to post it. Discussion is encouraged.

Nihilism is where the highest values lose their meaning.

Asking an unanswered 'Why' is not nihilism; that questioning could be of the Highest Value and meaning to the questioner.
Nihilism is when there is no 'why' ...

What makes you think your 'why' has an answer?
Why what?
Who is asking 'why' - and of what are they asking it?

[Jack]

Nihilism is where the highest values lose their meaning.

Asking an unanswered 'Why' is not nihilism; that questioning could be of the Highest Value and meaning to the questioner.
Nihilism is when there is no 'why' ...

What makes you think your 'why' has an answer?
Why what?
Who is asking 'why' - and of what are they asking it?

Why exist. Why pursue happiness (if that's an objective). Why work to save Europe. Why live. "Because I feel like it" is the usual answer. "Why do you feel like it?" This is where no answer is provided. That's the problem. What is the solution to it?

[Moody]

Why exist. Why pursue happiness (if that's an objective). Why work to save Europe. Why live. "Because I feel like it" is the usual answer. "Why do you feel like it?" This is where no answer is provided. That's the problem. What is the solution to it?

Those positions suppose Free Will for a start.
Existence is posited as a choice or an accident, rather than as a Destiny.

So, two solutions to Nihilism immediately present themselves;
Fate,
Destiny.

As to the 'pursuit of happpiness', shouldn't it be the concept of 'pursuit' that we address first?
Am I free to do anything else than pursue?
Does the Hunter have a 'choice'?

So the questioning problem is due to the false inculcation of 'freewill' in this culture via 2,000 years of Christianity.

'Why' makes no sense to the Man of Destiny.

"No conqueror believes in 'chance' ".
[Nietzsche]

[Jack]

Those positions suppose Free Will for a start.
Existence is posited as a choice or an accident, rather than as a Destiny.

Destiny towards what?

So, two solutions to Nihilism immediately present themselves;
Fate,
Destiny.

Fate - oh well, event X is going to happen anyway, so let's just sit back, relax, and watch it happen. That's fate.
Destiny - Requires suspended contemplation. That's not an answer to nihilism, that's closing your eyes altogether and leaping into the abyss.

As to the 'pursuit of happpiness', shouldn't it be the concept of 'pursuit' that we address first?

The ends provides motivation for the means. I think the ends are what needs discussing.

Am I free to do anything else than pursue?

Yes. One can choose inaction over action, death over life, suicide over existance. Some people do.

Does the Hunter have a 'choice'?

He can starve to death if he chooses to. Political prisoners often go on hunger strikes and die.

So the questioning problem is due to the false inculcation of 'freewill' in this culture via 2,000 years of Christianity.

Actually, under pure interpretation of Christianity everything is 'God's will'. What makes 'free will' false?

'Why' makes no sense to the Man of Destiny.

Destiny for what?

"No conqueror believes in 'chance' ".
[Nietzsche]

Nietzsche did not believe the universe was an organism or a machine, but chaotic.

[Moody]

"Destiny towards what?
Fate - oh well, event X is going to happen anyway, so let's just sit back, relax, and watch it happen. That's fate.
Destiny - Requires suspended contemplation. That's not an answer to nihilism, that's closing your eyes altogether and leaping into the abyss".

That's a nihilistic view of Destiny and Fate.
Think of the Greek Tragedies; something like Oedipus Rex.
Or else the Norse Ragnarok; indeed, the whole concept of cyclic history suggests a Destiny, a Fate ...
'Towards what?' - towards the life of the cycle, depending where you are on the wheel - prebirth, birth, youth, maturity, oldage, death, rebirth - and so it goes on.
We all either struggle against time [here I am thinking of Savitri Devi's Lightning and the Sun], within time, or we are above time; depending on the quality of our Will.

"One can choose inaction over action, death over life, suicide over existance. Some people do".

Prove to me that you have taken a choice. Show me how you could do otherwise.

"Nietzsche did not believe the universe was an organism or a machine, but chaotic."

He believed that things in the Universe Recurred Eternally in the EXACT form, thereby suggesting in that sense a supreme Order.
He also thought that the Strong Will desires, above all, Order of Rank.

[Ominous Lord Spoonblade]

Why exist. Why pursue happiness (if that's an objective). Why work to save Europe. Why live. "Because I feel like it" is the usual answer. "Why do you feel like it?" This is where no answer is provided. That's the problem. What is the solution to it?

The answer to "why?" can always be "why not?"

Could a nihilist come up with a better answer to "why not?" than something along the lines of "because I don't feel like it?"


I don't see how there could be a "solution" to something like nihilism (anymore than you could find a "solution" to the opposite). It is more the whims of an individual -to believe in something or to not. To act, to not act. "To be, or not to be" lol The "solution" to nihilism rests in the nihilist. Isn't everything like this?

[FadeTheButcher]

What is the solution to nihilism?

To answer that one must determine what caused nihilism in the first place. Furthermore, why should one even try to solve nihilism? Why not say YES to nihilism? Perhaps nihilism is necessary. Nihilism can be a useful weapon.

[friedrich braun]

Nihilism is its own reward.

[Jack]

Aloysha; "Destiny towards what?
Fate - oh well, event X is going to happen anyway, so let's just sit back, relax, and watch it happen. That's fate.
Destiny - Requires suspended contemplation. That's not an answer to nihilism, that's closing your eyes altogether and leaping into the abyss".

Moody Lawless; That's a nihilistic view of Destiny and Fate.

Obviously.

Think of the Greek Tragedies; something like Oedipus Rex.
Or else the Norse Ragnarok; indeed, the whole concept of cyclic history suggests a Destiny, a Fate ...

So what? Why is it worth reaching?

'Towards what?' - towards the life of the cycle, depending where you are on the wheel - prebirth, birth, youth, maturity, oldage, death, rebirth - and so it goes on.

In short, there's no point at all for anything, and there is no rational importance for anything.

Aloysha; "One can choose inaction over action, death over life, suicide over existance. Some people do".

Moody; Prove to me that you have taken a choice. Show me how you could do otherwise.

Prove to me I haven't.

Aloysha; "Nietzsche did not believe the universe was an organism or a machine, but chaotic."

Moody; He believed that things in the Universe Recurred Eternally in the EXACT form, thereby suggesting in that sense a supreme Order.

After chaos recycled itself that many times, yes, it would recur in exactly the same form. That's not 'Supreme Order™', that's a cycle.

He also thought that the Strong Will desires, above all, Order of Rank.

Great to see you'll take advantage of a thread on nihilism to promote fascism, eh? No, I disgaree. The strong will carves his own path and it is of no importance to him whether others obey him or not, only that he creates for himself.