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Existential nihilism? 

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  • Existential nihilism? 

    Would most atheists here agree that this is the case if atheism is true?

    Existential nihilism is the philosophical theory that life has no intrinsic meaning or value. With respect to the universe, existential nihilism suggests that a single human or even the entire human species is insignificant, without purpose and unlikely to change in the totality of existence. According to the theory, each individual is an isolated being born into the universe, barred from knowing 'why'. The inherent meaninglessness of life is largely explored in the philosophical school of existentialism, where one can potentially create their own subjective 'meaning' or 'purpose'. Of all types of nihilism, existential nihilism has received the most literary and philosophical attention.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Existential_nihilism
    Atheism is the cult of death, the death of hope. The universe is doomed, you are doomed, the only thing that remains is to await your execution...

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jbnueb2OI4o&t=3s

  • #2
    Originally posted by seer View Post
    Would most atheists here agree that this is the case if atheism is true?

    Existential nihilism is the philosophical theory that life has no intrinsic meaning or value. With respect to the universe, existential nihilism suggests that a single human or even the entire human species is insignificant, without purpose and unlikely to change in the totality of existence. According to the theory, each individual is an isolated being born into the universe, barred from knowing 'why'. The inherent meaninglessness of life is largely explored in the philosophical school of existentialism, where one can potentially create their own subjective 'meaning' or 'purpose'. Of all types of nihilism, existential nihilism has received the most literary and philosophical attention.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Existential_nihilism
    I can't speak for other atheists, but existential nihilism rings true to me.

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by Stoic View Post

      I can't speak for other atheists, but existential nihilism rings true to me.
      I don't see how it can't for all atheists... It seems to logically follow.
      Atheism is the cult of death, the death of hope. The universe is doomed, you are doomed, the only thing that remains is to await your execution...

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jbnueb2OI4o&t=3s

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by Stoic View Post

        I can't speak for other atheists, but existential nihilism rings true to me.
        And yet you objected in another thread when I pointed out that if this is true, then, necessarily, there are no wrong choices in life. How do you explain this contradiction in your thinking?
        Some may call me foolish, and some may call me odd
        But I'd rather be a fool in the eyes of man
        Than a fool in the eyes of God


        From "Fools Gold" by Petra

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by Mountain Man View Post
          And yet you objected in another thread when I pointed out that if this is true, then, necessarily, there are no wrong choices in life.
          As I explained in the other thread, that doesn't follow.

          How do you explain this contradiction in your thinking?
          It's not a contradiction in my thinking. It's an error in your thinking.

          Comment


          • #6
            Does it bug anyone else that existential nihilism is a contradiction in terms?


            "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." - Jim Elliot

            "Forgiveness is the way of love." Gary Chapman

            My Personal Blog

            My Novella blog (Current Novella Begins on 7/25/14)

            Quill Sword

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            • #7


              Optimistic Nihilism

              I found this to be a funny little clip, but also in keeping with this thread I think. It's not a philosophically deep video, but the first 3 minutes does lay out basically how I see the world and the universe, which I am pretty much fine with.

              Originally posted by video
              We learned that we're not the centre of the universe, and that it is much older than we thought.

              We learned that we live on a moist spec of dust moving around a medium sized star in a quiet region of one arm of an average galaxy, which is part of a galaxy group we will never leave. And that this groups is one of thousands, which make up a galaxy supercluster. But even our supercluster is one of thousands that make up the observable universe. The universe might be a million times bigger, but we will never know.

              We could throw words around like two hundred billion galaxies, or trillions of stars or bazillions of planets - but all of these numbers mean nothing. Our brains cannot really comprehend these concepts. The universe is too big. There is too much of it.

              But size is not the only concept we have to deal with. It's time. Or more precisely, the time we have. If you're lucky enough to live to 100, you have 5,200 weeks at your disposal. If you're 25 now, you have 3,900 weeks left. If you're going to die at 70, there are 2,340 weeks left. A lot of time, but also - not really. Then what?

              Your biological processes will break down, and the dynamic pattern that is you will stop being dynamic. It will dissolve until there is no you left. Some believe there is a part of us we can't see or measure, but we have no way to find out. So this life might be it, and we might be dead forever.

              This is less scary than it sounds though. If we don't remember the 13.75 billion years that went by before you existed, then the trillions and trillions and trillions of years that come after will pass in no time once you're gone. Close your eyes and count to one.

              That's how long forever feels.

              Comment


              • #8
                As I've made clear before I don't view myself as an existential nihilist in the least and don't think it at all follows from atheism and in fact think the its falsity follows from atheism.

                But, as both seer and MM have made clear in the past they both believe atheism implies existential nihilism, though since they are not atheists few of us give a fig what they think atheism implies. They have also made it clear they are cowards who are terrified of existential nihilism, and that that motivates them to believe out of not being able to cope mentally with reality if atheism were true.
                "I hate him passionately", he's "a demonic force" - Tucker Carlson, in private, on Donald Trump
                "Every line of serious work that I have written since 1936 has been written, directly or indirectly, against totalitarianism and for democratic socialism" - George Orwell
                "[Capitalism] as it exists today is, in my opinion, the real source of evils. I am convinced there is only one way to eliminate these grave evils, namely through the establishment of a socialist economy" - Albert Einstein

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by Stoic View Post
                  As I explained in the other thread, that doesn't follow.
                  You didn't explain, you asserted. The fact is that if existential nihilism is true, and that life is inherently meaningless, then necessarily, literally nothing you choose to do can be wrong. If one accepts the premises of your worldview as true, then there is no logical counterargument to this conclusion.
                  Some may call me foolish, and some may call me odd
                  But I'd rather be a fool in the eyes of man
                  Than a fool in the eyes of God


                  From "Fools Gold" by Petra

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Dimbulb View Post
                    As I've made clear before I don't view myself as an existential nihilist in the least...
                    You wouldn't be the first atheist who lacked the courage to accept the logically necessary conclusion of his worldview.

                    Some may call me foolish, and some may call me odd
                    But I'd rather be a fool in the eyes of man
                    Than a fool in the eyes of God


                    From "Fools Gold" by Petra

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by EvoUK View Post


                      Optimistic Nihilism

                      I found this to be a funny little clip, but also in keeping with this thread I think. It's not a philosophically deep video, but the first 3 minutes does lay out basically how I see the world and the universe, which I am pretty much fine with.
                      And that's supposed to be optimistic, is it? Wow.
                      Some may call me foolish, and some may call me odd
                      But I'd rather be a fool in the eyes of man
                      Than a fool in the eyes of God


                      From "Fools Gold" by Petra

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Starlight View Post
                        As I've made clear before I don't view myself as an existential nihilist in the least and don't think it at all follows from atheism and in fact think the its falsity follows from atheism.

                        But, as both seer and MM have made clear in the past they both believe atheism implies existential nihilism, though since they are not atheists few of us give a fig what they think atheism implies. They have also made it clear they are cowards who are terrified of existential nihilism, and that that motivates them to believe out of not being able to cope mentally with reality if atheism were true.
                        You need to be specific Star, what do you disagree with? Existential nihilism is the philosophical theory that life has no intrinsic meaning or value. What exactly do you object to?

                        BTW Star, I would be glad to put my courageous acts up against yours any day.
                        Last edited by seer; 04-29-2021, 06:33 AM.
                        Atheism is the cult of death, the death of hope. The universe is doomed, you are doomed, the only thing that remains is to await your execution...

                        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jbnueb2OI4o&t=3s

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Mountain Man View Post

                          And that's supposed to be optimistic, is it? Wow.
                          It is what it is, you not liking it has no impact on whether it is true or not.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by EvoUK View Post

                            It is what it is, you not liking it has no impact on whether it is true or not.
                            I accept the premise that life is futile and meaningless in an atheistic universe. What does it matter how you live when everything that exists will be gone in the cosmic blink of an eye?

                            Scripture Verse: Ecclesiastes 2

                            I hated all my toil in which I toil under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to the man who will come after me, and who knows whether he will be wise or a fool? Yet he will be master of all for which I toiled and used my wisdom under the sun. This also is vanity.

                            © Copyright Original Source

                            Some may call me foolish, and some may call me odd
                            But I'd rather be a fool in the eyes of man
                            Than a fool in the eyes of God


                            From "Fools Gold" by Petra

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Mountain Man View Post
                              I accept the premise that life is futile and meaningless in an atheistic universe. What does it matter how you live when everything that exists will be gone in the cosmic blink of an eye?
                              You've been told all of this before by other posters, so I'm not quite sure why you're asking again as though it has never been covered. Perhaps one of the meanings and joy you take from your own life is to ask simplistic questions, dislike the answers then come back and ask them again as though nothing had happened? I mean, to each their own I guess?

                              As far as I can tell, you dislike the answer - which again has no bearing on whether it is true or not. Though I am glad you and Seer (and undoubtedly others on here) have your own belief system to hold on to. It appears based on your repeated questions that if you became an atheist tomorrow you'd be an absolute nightmare for wider society.

                              Comment

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