Religion

GliderGuider

(21,088 posts)

22. "Nihilism" is a slippery word.

Sat Jan 28, 2012, 03:42 PM

Jan 2012

Most people interpret it to mean "existential nihilism", which where Camus and the boys came in. There are forms of nihilism that don't negate meaning and purpose. Advaita Vedanta, for example, doesn't presuppose that non-existence is all there is, though it recognizes that non-existence is one thing that is (insert sound effect of cerebral cortex slipping a gear). That leaves plenty of space for meaning and purpose.

"Nihilism" and "anarchy" are two words that have suffered grievous semantic injury at the hands of western civilization.

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A conceptual perspective on belief [View all] GliderGuider Jan 2012 OP

I've been reviewing my old physics courses this week. Somehow this is related. Gregorian Jan 2012 #1

I think you might like this GliderGuider Jan 2012 #2

Is there data that unemotional people have systematically different religous beliefs? FarCenter Jan 2012 #8

I don't know of any such research, but it would be interesting to do. GliderGuider Jan 2012 #9

Conscious interpretations tama Jan 2012 #3

"In terms of echo" - that's a nice way of putting it. n/t GliderGuider Jan 2012 #10

My reaction to your first paragraph: Wow, your brain is really impressed with itself. ZombieHorde Jan 2012 #4

It's all about reducing emotional reactivity GliderGuider Jan 2012 #5

I didn't say it was nihilism, I said it was a goal of philosophical nihilism: ZombieHorde Jan 2012 #11

I didn't see it as nihilistic until just now when I looked up the word. GliderGuider Jan 2012 #12

But of course the important point is that everything is real GliderGuider Jan 2012 #18

Nihilism developed a century ago with the rise of the French existentialists. Thats my opinion Jan 2012 #21

"Nihilism" is a slippery word. GliderGuider Jan 2012 #22

I'm not sure I want to eliminate the emotional charge associated with life. Jim__ Jan 2012 #6

It's OK, I doubt we can eliminate it all. GliderGuider Jan 2012 #7

This may or may not help. westerebus Jan 2012 #13

That's very good. Thanks! n/t GliderGuider Jan 2012 #16

The begining to preception is observation. westerebus Jan 2012 #19

Judgement and story are related. GliderGuider Jan 2012 #20

Let's go fishing. westerebus Jan 2012 #40

It seems to depend on how one thinks of the Me. GliderGuider Jan 2012 #41

Stokes hearth, boils water. westerebus Jan 2012 #42

I agree. Not sure what Me thinks about it, though :-) GliderGuider Jan 2012 #43

Drops pot. Rejoices. westerebus Jan 2012 #44

Smokes pot. Chills out. GliderGuider Jan 2012 #45

You lost me at "miracle" then ditched me at "second miracle". cleanhippie Jan 2012 #14

It would truly be a miracle GliderGuider Jan 2012 #15

I just did...and it wasn't a miracle. cleanhippie Jan 2012 #17

There are miracles all over the place. GliderGuider Jan 2012 #23

Or, you know, just finding what you look for. darkstar3 Jan 2012 #24

Yep. I love finding what I look for. That's why I look for fun stuff. GliderGuider Jan 2012 #25

Don't you think that finding a "miracle" when a perfectly plausible explanation exists... cleanhippie Jan 2012 #26

Give me plausible explanations for the existence of: GliderGuider Jan 2012 #27

You need to give me an example of a miracle first. cleanhippie Jan 2012 #28

In that case all we have is a semantic disagreement. GliderGuider Jan 2012 #29

Are they? darkstar3 Jan 2012 #31

No, just the incomprehensible stuff that feels wonderful or amazing - it's a colloquial usage. GliderGuider Jan 2012 #33

Because the words we choose reflect more than just what is on the surface. darkstar3 Jan 2012 #38

Language is funny that way. GliderGuider Jan 2012 #39

Agreed. And yes, I do. cleanhippie Jan 2012 #32

So if there were no humans, time would not exist? GliderGuider Jan 2012 #34

What you are calling "time" is a human construct. cleanhippie Jan 2012 #35

Uh, no. GliderGuider Jan 2012 #36

*consults dictionary.com* Oh, you're right. ZombieHorde Jan 2012 #37

...and sexual innuendo in Disney art? darkstar3 Jan 2012 #30