Two brands of nihilism

Two brands of nihilism As philosopher and poet Nietzsche's work is not easily conformable to thetraditional schools of thought within philosophy. However, an unmistakable concern withthe role of religion and values penetrates much of his work. Contrary to the traditionbefore him, Nietzsche launches vicious diatribes against Christianity and the dualisticphilosophies he finds essentially life denying. Despite his early tutelage under the influenceof Schopenhauer's philosophy, Nietzsche later philosophy indicates a refusal to castexistence as embroiled in pessimism but, instead, as that which should be affirmed, even inthe face of bad fortune. This essay will study in further detail Nietzsche view ofSchopenhauer and Christianity as essentially nihilistic.NihilismThroughout his work Nietzsche makes extensive use of the term "nihilism". Intexts from the tradition prior to Nietzsche, the term connotes a necessary connectionbetween atheism and the subsequent disbelief in values. It was held the atheist regardedt he moral norms of society as merely conventional, without any justification by rationalFrom left to right: Plato, Aristotle, Thomas Aquin...argument. Furthermore, without a divine authority prohibiting any immoral conduct, allappeals to morality by authority become hollow. By the atheists reckoning then, all actsare permissible.With Nietzsche's appearance on the scene, however, arrives the most potentarguments denying the necessary link between atheism and nihilism. It will bedemonstrated that Nietzsche, in fact, will argue it is in the appeal to divine proscriptionsthat the most virulent nihilism will attain.There is a second sense of nihilism that appears as an outgrowth of the first thatNietzsche appeals to in his critique of values. It contends that not only does an active,pious, acknowledgment of a divinity foster nihilism, but also, the disingenuous worship ofa deity that has been replaced in the life man by science, too, breeds a passive...