nihilism etymology

Etymology:

• Latin: "nihil" (nothing)
• "ismus" (suffix indicating a doctrine or theory)

Meaning:

Nihilism is a philosophical doctrine that asserts that life is meaningless, purposeless, and ultimately absurd. It rejects all forms of absolute truth, morality, or objective value.

Origin:

The term "nihilism" was first used in the 19th century by Russian writer Ivan Turgenev in his novel "Fathers and Sons." However, the philosophical concept itself has roots in ancient Greek philosophy.

Ancient Greek Precursors:

• Sophists: Greek philosophers who questioned the existence of objective truth and morality, arguing that all knowledge was subjective.
• Pyrrho of Elis: The founder of Pyrrhonism, a skeptical school of philosophy that denied the possibility of certain knowledge and advocated a state of suspended judgment (known as "epoché").

19th Century Nihilism:

• German Romanticism: Nihilistic themes emerged in the works of German Romantic writers such as Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Friedrich Schiller.
• Russian Nihilism: In the mid-19th century, Russian intellectuals developed a radical form of nihilism that rejected all traditional social and political structures. This movement was influenced by the works of German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche and Russian writer Fyodor Dostoyevsky.
• Schopenhauer and Nietzsche: German philosophers Arthur Schopenhauer and Friedrich Nietzsche further developed nihilistic ideas, arguing that life is inherently meaningless and that human existence is marked by suffering.

20th Century and Beyond:

• Existentialism: Existentialist philosophers such as Jean-Paul Sartre and Albert Camus explored themes of nihilism in their works.
• Postmodernism: Nihilistic themes have been prevalent in postmodern philosophy, which questions the existence of objective truth and the coherence of the human subject.

Types of Nihilism:

• Ontological nihilism: The belief that nothing exists.
• Epistemological nihilism: The belief that knowledge is impossible.
• Moral nihilism: The belief that there is no objective morality.
• Existential nihilism: The belief that human existence is inherently meaningless and absurd.

nihilism relate terms

• nihilist

  Etymology The word nihilist is derived from the Latin word nihil meaning nothing

• nihilism

  Etymology Latin nihil nothing ismus suffix indicating a doctrine or theory M

• abnegate

  Etymology Latin abnegāre to deny oneself to renounce Meaning To renounce

• ahimsa

  Etymology Sanskrit अह ंस ahiṃsā Devanagari अह ंस Mea

• annihilate

  Etymology Annihilate comes from the Latin verb ad nihilum redigere meaning to reduce

• annul

  Etymology of Annull The word annul originates from the Latin word annullāre which

• aught

  Etymology The word aught comes from Middle English aught which in turn derived from

• deny

  Etymology Middle English denien denyen from Anglo Norman French denier denyer from

• hobnob

  Etymology The word hobnob is believed to have originated from the early 17th century I

• ixnay

  Etymology Origin Yiddish Meaning nothing Meaning and Origin Ixnay is a slang te

• naught

  Etymology Middle English nauȝt naut from Old English nāwiht nōhwiht a compound o

• naughty

  Etymology The word naughty is derived from the Middle English word naughte meaning

• nefarious

  Etymology From Latin nefarius from ne not fas right Meaning Wicked e

• negate

  Etymology The word negate comes from the Latin word negare meaning to deny or to sa

• neglect

  Etymology Late Latin neglectus meaning not gathered not selected Latin neclegere

• negligee

  Etymology French négligé past participle of négliger to neglect disregard Origi

• negotiate

  Etymology Latin negotiari to trade do business Late Latin negotiatus business

• neither

  Etymology Etymology is the study of the origin and history of words It involves tracing

• nepenthe

  Etymology The word nepenthe comes from the ancient Greek language νῆπενθές

• nescience

  Etymology Latin nescientia ignorance lack of knowledge nec not scientia knowl

• nescient

  Etymology Latin nesciens present participle of nescire meaning not to know Meani

• neuter

  Etymology The word neuter derives from the Latin word neuter which itself originate

• never

  Etymology The word never is derived from the Old English word næfre which is compo

• Nice

  Etymology The word nice is derived from the Old French word nice which itself comes

• nihilism

  Etymology Latin nihil nothing ismus suffix indicating a doctrine or theory M

• nihility

  Etymology The word nihil derives from the Latin word nihilum meaning nothing Me

• nill

  Etymology The word nill is derived from the archaic English word nihil which means

• nimiety

  Etymology The word nimiety originates from the Latin word nimietas which means exce

• none

  Etymology Old English nāne næne Middle English non Old French noun Latin nūnus

• nonplus

  Etymology The word nonplus comes from the Latin non not and plus more literal

• nothing

  Etymology and Meaning of Nothing The word nothing is a compound word consisting of t

• null

  Etymology From Latin nullus none Meaning Having no value quantity or signif

• nullify

  Etymology Latin nullus meaning none French nullifier meaning to make null an

• nulliparous

  Etymology Latin nullus none parere to give birth Meaning and Origin The te

• renegade

  Etymology The word renegade originates from the Spanish word renegado which in turn

• renege

  Etymology Late 16th century from French renégat 16th century from Spanish renegado

• willy nilly

  Etymology The word willynilly is derived from two words Willy A colloquial variant

• philosophy

  Etymology The word philosophy is derived from the Greek words philo φίλο meani

• doctrine

  Etymology The word doctrine originates from the Latin word doctrina which means tea

• anarchy

  Etymology From Greek anarchia meaning anarchy absence of government or law Derived

• delusion

  Etymology Late Middle English in the sense deception from Old French delusion

• Saxon

  Etymology Saxon is a term derived from the Old English word Seaxe which referred to th

• dauphin

  Etymology and Origin The word dauphin derives from the Latin word delphinus meaning

• thalamus

  Etymology The term thalamus comes from the Ancient Greek word θάλαμος thalamos

• adequate

  Etymology Latin adaequatus meaning equal to or sufficient From the verb adaequ

• truant

  Etymology Middle English truaunt from Old French truant from trauandier stroller va

• neat

  Etymology The word neat has an interesting etymology with multiple meanings and origin