Two Brands of Nihilism Essay -- Nietzsche Nihilism Philosophy Essays

Two Brands of NihilismAs philosopher and poet Nietzsches work is not easily conformable to thetraditional schools of thought within philosophy. However, an patentconcern with the role of religion and values penetrates much of his work.Contrary to the tradition before him, Nietzsche launches vicious diatribesagainst Christianity and the dualistic philosophies he finds essenti everyy lifedenying. Despite his proto(prenominal) tutelage under the influence of Schopenhauersphilosophy, Nietzsche later philosophy indicates a refusal to cast existence asembroiled in pessimism but, instead, as that which should be affirmed, even inthe face of bad fortune. This essay go out study in further detail Nietzsche viewof Schopenhauer and Christianity as essentially nihilistic.NihilismThroughout his work Nietzsche makes panoptic use of the term nihilism. Intexts from the tradition prior to Nietzsche, the term connotes a necessaryconnection surrounded by atheism and the subsequent disbelief in v alues. It was heldthe atheist regarded the moral norms of society as merely conventional, withoutany justification by rational argument. Furthermore, without a divine authorityprohibiting any immoral conduct, all appeals to morality by authority becomehollow. By the atheists reckoning then, all acts are permissible.With Nietzsches appearance on the scene, however, arrives the most potentarguments denying the necessary link between atheism and nihilism. It will bedemonstrated that Nietzsche, in fact, will argue it is in the appeal to divineproscriptions that the most virulent nihilism will attain. in that location is a second sense of nihilism that appears as an outgrowth of the firstthat Nietzsche appeals to in his critique of values. It contends that not onlydoes an sprightly, pious, acknowledgment of a divinity cherish nihilism, but excessively,the disingenuous worship of a deity that has been replaced in the life man byscience, too, breeds a passive nihilism.ChristianityNietzs che conceives the first variety of nihilism, that fostered through activeworship, as pernicious due to its reinforcement of a fundamental attitude thatdenies life. Throughout his life Nietzsche argued the contemporary metaphysicalbasis for belief in a deity were merely negations of, or tried to deny, theuncertainties of what is necessarily a situated human existen... ...if a man is sincereand in full possession of his faculties, he will never wish to have it overagain, but rather than this, he will much prefer absolute annihilation (WWI589). Schopenhauers pessimism has some root in our inability to adequatelysatisfy our wants. A casual reading might have one to believe both philosopherstook the will to be the corresponding oject or process, but that where one celebrates itthe other denigrates it. A more careful reading will reveal, however, that,Nietzsche though initially impressed with the Schopenhauer conception of thewill, he will later reject it. Schopenhauer concieves the wil l to be a primalmetaphysical reality.The mileage the two philosophers get from investigating will, the term is no unionize in their use, nor are we surorised at the disparity of their maturephilosophies. For Nietzsche, the resignation of the will is a forlorn denial oflife. Similarly, the appeal to a transcendent deity also indicts the indivualsas resentful in the face of those who can affirm life. Nietzsche proposes oneshould affirm life even in the midst of tragedy, thus the passive nihilism thatembraces the ascetic ideals are overcome.