What is Nihilism?

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The term “nihilism” comes from the Latin “nihil”, which means nothing or that which does not exist. It was first used by the German philosopher Friedrich Jacobi (1743- 1819) during the early 19th century to negatively describe Immanuel Kant’s philosophical system. However, it only became popularized after its appearance in Ivan Turgenev’s (1818-1883) 1862 novel Fathers and Sons, where it was used to describe Bazarov’s philosophy that rejects traditional values, norms, and authority in favor of scientific materialism and social change.

Nihilism is the belief that all values are baseless and that nothing can be known or communicated. It is often associated with radical skepticism and an extreme pessimism that condemns existence.

The 4 Types of Nihilism

Nihilism can be understood in at least four ways:
  1. Epistemological nihilism which denies the possibility of knowledge and truth.
  2. Moral nihilism which rejects the possibility of absolute moral values; it argues that good and evil are vague, and that values are nothing more than the product of social and emotive pressures.
  3. Political nihilism which argues that the destruction of all existing social, political, and religious order is a prerequisite for any future improvement.
  4. Existential nihilism, the most commonly used and understood sense of the word today, which believes that life has no intrinsic meaning or value.
In the 20th century, nihilistic themes, such as epistemological failure, value destruction, and cosmic purposelessness have preoccupied artists, social critics, and philosophers.

Nietzsche on Nihilism


While few philosophers would claim to be nihilists, nihilism is most often associated with the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900).

For Nietzsche, there is no objective order in the world except what we give it. Thus a nihilist discovers that all values are baseless and that reason is impotent.

“Every belief, every considering something-true is necessarily false because there is simply no true world.” (Friedrich Nietzsche, Will to Power)

According to Nietzsche, nihilism requires a radical rejection of all imposed values and meaning. Inevitably, it will expose all cherished beliefs and revered truths as symptoms of a defective Western mythos. This collapse of meaning, relevance, and purpose will be, according to Nietzsche, the most destructive force in history—a total attack on reality and nothing less than the greatest crisis of humanity.

Nihilism, Absurdism, and Existentialism

Nihilism is often confused with the philosophical schools of absurdism and existentialism. Although the three share the same problem on the meaning of existence, they have different approaches towards it.

A. Nihilism

As discussed earlier, nihilism argues that life is ultimately without meaning, purpose, or value. It rejects objective knowledge, moral values, and any intrinsic meaning or purpose in life.

B. Absurdism

Absurdism, on the other hand, acknowledges the conflict between the chaotic, meaningless nature of the universe and humanity's inherent desire for meaning. It encourages individuals to accept this inherent contradiction and to find meaning and purpose despite the absence of external validation. Absurdist thinkers, such as Albert Camus, suggested that individuals should rebel against the absurd by creating their own meaning.

C. Existentialism

While existentialism focuses on the individual's existence and experience as the basis of meaning. It emphasizes individual freedom, choice, and responsibility in creating one's own essence or purpose. Existentialists argue that "existence precedes essence," meaning that individuals are born without a predetermined nature, and thus must define themselves through their choices.

References

Abbagnano, N. "Existentialism." Encyclopedia Britannica, March 27, 2025. Accessed July 1, 2025. https://www.britannica.com/topic/existentialism.

Pratt, Alan. “Nihilism.” Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Accessed June 24, 2025. https://iep.utm.edu/nihilism/.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. "Nihilism." Encyclopedia Britannica, June 11, 2025. Accessed June 24, 2025. https://www.britannica.com/topic/nihilism.

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