Moral Nihilism...

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philoreaderguy
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Moral Nihilism...

Post by philoreaderguy »

Are there any moral nihilists here? What is moral nihilism? How can one be moral nihilist?
MyshiningOne
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Joined: March 7th, 2007, 9:51 pm

Re: Moral Nihilism...

Post by MyshiningOne »

philoreaderguy wrote:Are there any moral nihilists here? What is moral nihilism? How can one be moral nihilist?
I don't think there is such a thing as a moral
nihilist. Nihilism revolves around the idea that
nothing has any meaning; therefore, objective
truths do not exist. Nihilism is not really a philosophy in itself, but rather, a idea that goes
against the ideas of society, culture, and religion.
The Wikipedia dictionary defines nihilism as such:

is a philosophical position which argues that the world, especially past and current human existence, is without objective meaning, purpose, comprehensible truth, or essential value. Nihilists generally assert some or all of the following: there is no reasonable proof of the existence of a higher ruler or creator, a "true morality" is unknown, and secular ethics are impossible; therefore, life has no truth, and no action is known to be preferable to any other.

So, if life has no meaning and no truth, then
nihilism is a little like mental suicide in a way,
because there is no reason to try to better yourself
in any way. It is more extreme than existentialism,
since existentialism does not totally dismiss the universe as having no meaning; it just centers
arounfd the idea that life is nothing until you
fill it with some. You have to make your
identity. In fact, there have been Christian
existentialists in the world. I have never heard of a Christian nihilist. Nihilism totally asserts that
the universe is devoid of any value, and so
basically morality has no real power. Morality
is useless in a place with no meaning. I'm
not saying that nihilists are necessarily immoral, but there would be no reason for worry about
doing the right. There is no right thing.
It's not what you know that makes
you smart, it's knowing what you don't know.
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pjkeeley
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Post by pjkeeley »

Not many people identify themselves as nihilist, however this site may be of interest to you: http://www.counterorder.com/

Apparently they do have ethics. And political ideals as well.
MyshiningOne
Posts: 202
Joined: March 7th, 2007, 9:51 pm

Post by MyshiningOne »

That is an interesting website. Sheds a new light
on things.
It's not what you know that makes
you smart, it's knowing what you don't know.
cynicallyinsane
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Joined: March 3rd, 2007, 11:58 am

Post by cynicallyinsane »

Nihilists don't believe in ethics at all.
MyshiningOne
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Joined: March 7th, 2007, 9:51 pm

Post by MyshiningOne »

I don't really think they're a moral type of people.
It's not what you know that makes
you smart, it's knowing what you don't know.
Arvy
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Joined: March 1st, 2007, 10:17 pm

Post by Arvy »

MyshiningOne wrote:I don't really think they're a moral type of people.
Technically, I believe, they should be called amoral, that is, without an ethical judgment. Not immoral, or moral (not good or bad). In my opinion, due to a lack of a greater shared idealogical purpose, in practice they tend to be pragmatists. Correct me if I'm wrong, any nihilists in here?
medicore_fluff
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Location: Wales

Post by medicore_fluff »

No there are no set morals, but they are firm believers in cause and effect. This is not to say they're running round killing eachother..all modern nihilism is embracing the environmental laws and becoming truly human without guilt.
NSUSA
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Location: test

Post by NSUSA »

Moral nihilists do not believe in morality. They believe in other things, though. They can believe in truth, science, and subjective values like beauty or taste.
theessentialform
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Joined: December 1st, 2007, 10:13 pm

Post by theessentialform »

medicore_fluff wrote:No there are no set morals, but they are firm believers in cause and effect. This is not to say they're running round killing eachother..all modern nihilism is embracing the environmental laws and becoming truly human without guilt.
my question, how do any nihlists no what the enviromental laws are? how can they become truly human without there being an absolute human to become? I mean, what do they classify truly human, doing what you want when you want it? that seems to be the way of mankind.
complimentarymatters
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Joined: October 30th, 2007, 6:47 pm

Post by complimentarymatters »

"Doing what you want when you want it" doesn't mean you go around being crazy and stupid. It is often in the best interest of a person not to make other people mad, and to work with society.
theessentialform
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Joined: December 1st, 2007, 10:13 pm

Post by theessentialform »

complimentarymatters wrote:"Doing what you want when you want it" doesn't mean you go around being crazy and stupid. It is often in the best interest of a person not to make other people mad, and to work with society.
I get what your saying, but right and wrong is still generally based on what is useful for a person. the only reason a man might not make other people mad is because he will get some good out of it. but by that definition by if making people mad suddenly became useful, there would be nothing keeping from acting accordingly.
e
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Joined: March 12th, 2008, 4:42 pm

Post by e »

I know this thread is old, but it keeps on going, and we moral nihilists are rare, so it takes a long time for one of us to stop by.

In lay terms, a moral nihilist does not believe in morality. But like most words and phrases, it's blurry. People disagree, even moral nihilists, on what a "real" moral nihilist is. Just like the other religions and views.

I don't think you could say that all people who consider themselves moral nihilists are pragmatists or believe in cause and effect or environmentalism or anything. There may be a tendency toward pragmatism. My guess is that most believe in cause and effect and some are environmentalists.

But moral nihilism isn't much fun. We don't have cool music like the secular humanists and Christians do. You don't get to say that mean people are bad, or that we should pull out of Iraq, or go to church and pray. In fact, if anyone knows any way out of moral nihilism, please post. Ideally, someone who has gotten out of moral nihilism, but if you have never gotten into it, that's fine too. I'd really like to get out, but have not found a way.
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Eckhart Aurelius Hughes
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Post by Eckhart Aurelius Hughes »

I consider myself a moral nihilist. I also use the term amoralist to describe myself. In many cases, it seems more like a terminological choice. I do not have any supernatural or religious beliefs, but when most people speak about morals they really mean something secular. I simply choose to say what I mean in secular, amoral terms.

In a recent article, I explained the secular meanings behind manys uses of moral terms: What Moral Claims Can Mean

Also, in a different article, I explained why I believe using amoral terminology is more clear: The Clarity Of Amorality

To make an analogy, I feel a lot of people use moral terms like they use other religious terms. When a person says, "go to hell," they may not actually believe in hell. Similarly, when they call an action immoral, they often simply mean to express a secular sentiment.

Thanks,
Scott
My entire political philosophy summed up in one tweet.

"The mind is a wonderful servant but a terrible master."

I believe spiritual freedom (a.k.a. self-discipline) manifests as bravery, confidence, grace, honesty, love, and inner peace.
nifty
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Joined: May 12th, 2008, 5:22 pm

Post by nifty »

Nihilism itsself is very misunderstood. The Counterorder indeed offers an alternative constructive vision on nihilism, while expressing the need for destruction of morals and ethics (even governmental rules and structures) in order to start anew.

It's a bit too anarchistic and political for me, as it is more political nihilism than moral nihilism.

There are other means of living as a nihilist though, still renouncing morals and ethics (disbelieving them, even) and still being able to function in a society.

I recently found some website around "social nihilism" that had some different theories about nihilism, but I've lost it, can't find it anymore (socionihil or something on google or yahoo, but seems to be gone). It was a theory about nihilism being conform with the existence of society, but adressing that society used to be our means to survive, where as now life has become the means to maintain society.

Nihilism, to me, is the only thing that can't be rejected, everything returns to nothing and the other way around. It's a cold fact, one that you need to learn to live with once that's the way you see it. Every other philosophy just seems like a reason you tell yourself why you should live and how, where as nihilism states that there is no reason ànd that no one should tell you why or how to live.

Like I've read in another post, it's true that you can't hold on to any truth or justness, there os no right or wrong, so you nor anyone else can be right or wrong.

Nihilism is an anti-philosophy, not a philosophy, that lay be the reason why this thread is so calm.
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