The Nihilist Option

Toward the end of the 19th Century, Frederick Nietzsche observed that, “God is dead.” Although the meaning is debated, it is clear that Nietzsche was declaring that the idea of god, especially the Biblical God had been utterly destroyed as a useful idea for modern people by Naturalism.

Nihilism is a conclusion to radical Naturalism.

I want to return to a quote by Neil Postman:

But in the end, science does not provide the answers most of us require. Its story of our origins and of our end is, to say the least, unsatisfactory. To the question, “How did it all begin?”, science answers, “Probably by an accident.” To the question, “How will it all end?”, science answers, “Probably by an accident.” And to many people, the accidental life is not worth living. Moreover, the science-god has no answer to the question, “Why are we here?” and, to the question, “What moral instructions do you give us?”, the science-god maintains silence. It places itself at the service of both the beneficent and the cruel, and its grand moral impartiality, if not indifference, makes it, in the end, no god at all.

—Neil Postman, “Science and the Story We Need,” First Things, 1997

For the Nihilist, the conclusions of Naturalism are clear: life is meaningless and maybe not worth living.

As Sire observes, Nilhilism is more a feeling than a philosophy. Once the very idea of God had been rejected and cast aside by the Atheistic Scientific Naturalists, what was left? I remember someone saying that in the aftermath of Atheistic Naturalism, many felt great guilt for killing god. But who would there be to give pardon for this guilt? In the end, some who reject the notion of God are simply overcome by the feelings of unspoken guilt. But guilt for what? They are simply guilty of guilt.

If William Provine is right and there is no sufficient ground for meaning in human life, then what is really left? The hopeful reality of Father God directing all things by His sovereignty and providence is replaced in Naturalism with
CHANCE + NECESSITY=WHAT IS
No human being has learned to live a satisfying life by a math equation. In fact, we humans tend to rebel against laws and purely deterministic forces. We at least like to think we have some form of control of our lives.

But if EVERYTHING occurs by chance, who is to say that we are actually in “control” of anything?

And, and to raise a pernicious question, what is “chance”? I have come to believe that “chance” is simply the Naturalist version of “magic.” Since “chance” can’t ultimately be quantified, reproduced, or verified and lacks both purpose and intelligence, it must be both illogical and unreal by scientific standards. And yet for the Naturalist, things just happen…. We just “happened.” You just “happened.”

The Nihilist takes these kinds of observations and definitions seriously and comes to the conclusion all is meaningless.

We are not going to explore Nihilism very far at all. I would recommend reading “Zero Point: Nihilism” in Sire’s The Universe Next Door. There, he gives an insightful analysis of how Naturalism turns into Nihilism.

Sire makes a key insight about the practical expression of these worldviews:

Why, then, aren’t most naturalists nihilists? The obvious answer is the best one: Most naturalists do not take their naturalism seriously. They are inconsistent. They affirm a set of values. They have friends who affirm a similar set. They appear to know and don’t ask how they know they know. They seem to be able to choose and don’t ask themselves whether their apparent freedom is really caprice or determinism. Socrates said that the unexamined life is not worth living, but for the naturalist he is wrong. For the naturalist it is the examined life that is not worth living.

—James W. Sire, The Universe Next Door, 113

Fredrick Nietzsche died in 1900 at the dawn of the 20th Century. This may be fitting because his ideas prophesied the atrocities would occur in the aftermath of the Atheistic Scientific Naturalist revolution.

Nihilism is not the only alternative to Naturalism.

Next we will consider the path beyond Nihilism: Existentialism.

Looking Further: Escape from Nihilism

J. Budziszewski is professor of government and philosophy at the University of Texas, Austin. He has written a short essay called, “Escape From Nihilism” which is an open and personal recounting of his journey from Nihilism back to Theism. If you have never read it, it is a great look at the power of worldviews and their practical application.