Talk:Nihilism

Heidegger

Shall we recognize Heidegger's book on nihilism, Nietzsche IV: Nihilism [Edited by David F. Krell, translated by Frank A. Capuzzi, New York, Harper & Row, 1982]? It includes some pertinent definitions [my page numbers may refer to the U.K. edition, I forget; I'm referring to notes I took years ago]:

"Nihilism is the historical process whereby the dominance of the 'transcendent' becomes null and void, so that all being loses its worth and meaning." (p. 4)

"'Nihilism' is the increasingly dominant truth that all prior aims of being have become superfluous." (p. 5)

Heidegger quotes Nietzsche's definition from The Will to Power: "What does nihilism mean? That the uppermost values devaluate themselves. The aim is lacking; the 'why?' receives no answer." (p. 14)

As a side note, for my two cents I find the statement "Nihilism's most famous exponent Peter Kropotkin" curious.Jeffrey Scott Bernstein 14:14, 31 December 2007 (CST)

Please feel free to make those additions! Most of my article had to do with political nihilism, so more comments on ethical nihilism are definitely welcome. I don't remember where that evaluation of Kropotkin came from (i originally wrote most of this material over a decade ago); feel free to modify it. Simon Overduin 14:37, 31 December 2007 (CST)

Pardon me, but I should have originally framed my comments with the observation that your article is nicely done. Also, I guess I now understand (perhaps I should have originally) that the context for your Kropotkin comment was "political nihilism" rather than simply "nihilism" as a philosophical concept. Sorry if I was a mite annoying. Jeffrey Scott Bernstein 16:55, 31 December 2007 (CST)