RE: Is nihilism the logical extreme of atheism?
October 4, 2014 at 5:34 pm
(This post was last modified: October 4, 2014 at 5:40 pm by Exian.)
To me, nihilism coupled with despair, or confused as despair, is the result of not following through. Nihilism stops short of taking in all factors of the universe.
As for atheism leading to nihilism, there is no real connection. One can be an atheist and never try to understand life or existence.
As for me, atheism has lead to a thirst for knowledge. I believe humans are animals. I believe life is the complexification of non-life. I believe there will be 100% entropy. Notice I didn't say "just animals" or "just complex non-life". Not one of these beliefs causes me despair; my ability to experience joy is not infringed upon.
When one considers the death of the universe, if that is what will happen, it's easy to feel despair and sort of give up, asking "What's the point?", and stopping short there. Recognize that this is still a very human-centric thought. Its saying "If I'm not special, if there's nothing I can do to change our futurless future, why try?" The point is, regardless of when we die off, regardless of how or where we end, regardless of our finite future, we will have happened. We will have felt enjoyment. We will have enjoyed the knowledge of our ancestors, and built on that for the enjoyment of generations to come. Our ability to feel all the various forms of happiness is not changed by the universe's impending end, or even by the fact that emotions are chemical and electrical activity in the brain.
As for atheism leading to nihilism, there is no real connection. One can be an atheist and never try to understand life or existence.
As for me, atheism has lead to a thirst for knowledge. I believe humans are animals. I believe life is the complexification of non-life. I believe there will be 100% entropy. Notice I didn't say "just animals" or "just complex non-life". Not one of these beliefs causes me despair; my ability to experience joy is not infringed upon.
When one considers the death of the universe, if that is what will happen, it's easy to feel despair and sort of give up, asking "What's the point?", and stopping short there. Recognize that this is still a very human-centric thought. Its saying "If I'm not special, if there's nothing I can do to change our futurless future, why try?" The point is, regardless of when we die off, regardless of how or where we end, regardless of our finite future, we will have happened. We will have felt enjoyment. We will have enjoyed the knowledge of our ancestors, and built on that for the enjoyment of generations to come. Our ability to feel all the various forms of happiness is not changed by the universe's impending end, or even by the fact that emotions are chemical and electrical activity in the brain.
I can't remember where this verse is from, I think it got removed from canon:
"I don't hang around with mostly men because I'm gay. It's because men are better than women. Better trained, better equipped...better. Just better! I'm not gay."
For context, this is the previous verse:
"Hi Jesus" -robvalue
"I don't hang around with mostly men because I'm gay. It's because men are better than women. Better trained, better equipped...better. Just better! I'm not gay."
For context, this is the previous verse:
"Hi Jesus" -robvalue
