Nihilism

When philosophers deny there are any foundations for our thinking or any objective truths they subscribe to nihilism. Nihilism has been turned into a ‘philosophy of life’ for many young people: a rebel ideology which is free-floating, acknowledging no fixed beliefs, and not open to correction or criticism. Surprisingly, many intelligent writers have also embraced nihilist themes.

This philosophy attracts because it is anti-authoritarian, anti-reason & anti-tradition. However, nihilists generally have a false view of authority, reason and tradition: they think wrongly that these deny their identity and freedom. The corrective here would be a good reading of philosophers like Aristotle and Aquinas & their modern interpreters who show how human freedom and identity actually require authority, reason and tradition.

Academics who believe there are no certainties left and that life has no meaning are sometimes described as ‘postmodern’. Some postmodernists have made important discoveries in the fields of human sciences, law and literature. However, some now realise their concerns – the body, sexuality, community, power – are treated best by the great Greek and medieval thinkers whom Catholic philosophy has always revered.