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Position:Home>Philosophy> What is the difference between nihilism and atheism?Question: What is the difference between nihilism and atheism!? I'm asking honestly, since atheism and nihilism are both philosophies/beliefs, not religions!. I've been told nihilists don't believe in anything (believe in nothing) but then many atheists not only don't believe in god, they don't believe in the supernatural, afterlife, etc!.!.!.(I'm saying many atheists believe that not all)!.
What's the difference between the two!?Www@QuestionHome@Com Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Theists generally see the two concepts as related and/or the same or hold that atheism always leads to nihilism!. However, they're separate concepts!. Nihilism is the position that existence is without objective meaning, purpose or value!. Some atheists are nihilists; however, if they hold that existence can have a purpose and/or meaning then they're not nihilists!. Some atheists, such as Nietzsche, held that Christianity was a nihilist religion because it lead to having an apathy towards this life!. To make atheism and nihilism one and the same would be to accept the theist position that there is no meaning in life without a supernatural purpose!. Most atheists, of course, don't accept this position and hold that meaning can be found in this life!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Atheism refers specifically to the belief in God!. Athiests believe there is no God of any kind!. If they also believe that there is no afterlife of any kind whatsoever or nothing that can be called supernatural then that is an additional belief completely separate from the tenet of athiesm!. Nihilism is an approach to philosophy that holds that human life is meaningless and that all religions, laws, moral codes, and political systems are thoroughly empty and false!. A nihilist believes that existence itself is senseless and useless!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Atheism means specifically that one does not believe in a god!. Nihilism is a broader term, which encompasses atheism!. There are many variants of it, from religious nihilism (or atheism), to moral nihilism (the belief that all morals are just concocted by man and have no true value), metaphysical nihilism (the idea that there is no objective reality)!. That's about it!.Www@QuestionHome@Com the definitions are easy to find www!.m-w!.com www!.dictionary!.com www!.wikipedia!.org atheism - there is no god nihilism - values and morality and meaning are illusions, meaningless!. Nihilism does not have to mean u believe in "nothing", it usually means nothing has value!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Atheism means without godness!. So that would likely include any supernatural occurence or entities!. Nihilism more likely conveys the concept that there is nothing worth believing in!. I would argue that atheism is small in scope whereas nihilism is comprehensive!.Www@QuestionHome@Com to NOT believe in anything is different from BELIEVING in nothing!. An atheist is someone who confuses a LACK OF EVIDENCE proving something with EVIDENCE proving a LACK of something!. Whereas a nihilist is someone like Woody Allen or Friedrich Nietsche or whatever!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com I don't know, but I do think the idea of believing in nothing is!.!.!. well, still believing in something!. Gotta love the circular thinking lol!Www@QuestionHome@Com An atheist does not believe in God!. A nihilist does not believe in politics either!.Www@QuestionHome@Com |