Nihilism

[Cearbhall]

Anyway, moving on from the fact that Nietzsche wasn't a nihilist and that the brain cancer of one individual doesn't disprove a philosophy (or whatever that statement was implying), I'd be interested in hearing some opinions on the relationship between perspectivism and nihilism. Must a perspectivist be a nihilist?

 

[Gadarene]

Nah, not worth it.

Wise move.

 

[Ayersy]

As you can see I'm not affiliated with any religious/secular group and I would just like some feedback on what I think. I'm directing this towards the atheism crowd though anyone can comment. Let's try and keep this respectful please.

My belief is that if one is to take an atheistic worldview I believe that the only inherently true belief system they could take is a sort of nihilism. The human perspective is only a product of evolution and random events thus creating no actual purpose to life. All perspectives of rights and morality are based on human conditioning and emotion which have no value externally from the perception of the human. One might say that we can create our purpose and live a fulfilling life though in the end it was all inherently meaningless because of this illusion of perception. If there is no God or being(s) watching over us, all crimes or good deeds will remain neutral. In the end there will be no reparations for all those who suffered or justice served for those who chose to induce suffering.

There is no direction to go, right or wrong, or person to be. You are here not by choice but you must go through it like everyone else.

I do not believe in this view it's just that I feel if I were ever to be an atheist that I would feel I would have to take on this view. I'm not trying to force this upon anyone and assert that I am totally right here but rather just putting my view on this subject out there to see what others think.

I believe there is nothing beyond the physical. There is no set meaning or purpose to life, or the universe.

We are simply only able to assign our own meaning or purpose to life.

We are the product of chance, the odds of any of us being here are actually staggering, but here we are, so we may as well make a go of it when we can.

So don't rely on others (or religion, for that matter) to tell you what your purpose is, because it's up to you to carve out your own path in life, and though it won't mean anything in the long run, it doesn't mean that it's not important to you, or those close to you.

 

[Ayersy]

Speechless, are you?
Just a friendly reminder, you really should think about it seriously.

If our life is only what we experienced on the earth, then the human life is really a big joke. It is no better (or much worse) than that of a pig. (A pig's life is happier than yours, believe it or not)

So? Then human life is a joke. Nothing much we can do about it. Wishing for it to be special and important doesn't make it so. There's no evidence that there is anything beyond this life. Why should we act as though there is, just to make ourselves feel better?

Also, I do believe a pigs life is happier than hours, since they lack the brainpower to experience sadness in the way that we do. A pig does not get jealous, or anxious about whether they're going to lose their job, house or partner. All a pig cares about is eating, sleeping, pooping and mating.

Essentially those are the same worries that we have, only we have developed a society that means we have to work hard (Some, harder than others) to achieve some or all of these goals.

The pig doesn't question whether there is purpose to life, it doesn't worry about it. Ironically, our one advantage that makes us the dominant species on the planet, also is the one thing that causes all our troubles. Our stupid, smart brains.