Who are nihilists: description, beliefs and examples of famous personalities. What does the word "Nihilism" mean?

Philosophy: Encyclopedic Dictionary. - M.: Gardariki. Edited by A.A. Ivina. 2004 .

NIHILISM

(from lat. nihil - nothing), in a broad sense - the denial of generally accepted values, ideals, moral standards, culture, etc. Sometimes this denial was undertaken with the aim of affirming and elevating k.-l. other values (for example, the denial of culture in Rousseauism, accompanied by a call for the revival of natural morality). IN rus. culture 2nd floor. 19 V. Representatives of the radical movement of the raznochintsy of the sixties, who rejected the outdated social foundations of serfdom, were called nihilists. Russia and religious ideology that preached atheism. Subsequently, the term "N." used by the reaction to characterize all revolutionaries. forces 60-70s gg., to which amoralism and anarchism were attributed. IN zap. In philosophy, the concept of N. appeared in Jacobi, and was used in a socio-cultural meaning by Nietzsche, who understood N. as illusory and untenable of traditions. ideals bourgeois society. Kierkegaard considered Christianity and the spread of “aesthetic” to be the source of N. worldviews. In Spengler N. denoted a line modern European culture experiencing a period of “decline” and “senile” forms of consciousness, which in cultures etc. nations supposedly inevitably followed a state of highest prosperity. Heidegger considered N. a main movement in the history of the West, which could have a global catastrophe as its final consequence.

Philosophical encyclopedic dictionary. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia. Ch. editor: L. F. Ilyichev, P. N. Fedoseev, S. M. Kovalev, V. G. Panov. 1983 .

NIHILISM

NIHILISM(from lat. nihil – nothing) of absolute negation ( cm. Negation). This term, introduced by Friedrich Heinrich Jacobi in his “Sendschreiben an Fichte”, became a common expression thanks to the novel by I. S. Turgenev “Fathers and Sons” (1862). Theoretical nihilism denies the very knowledge of truth ( cm. AGNOSTICISM). Ethical nihilism rejects values ​​and norms of behavior, and, finally, political nihilism opposes any social system, no matter how it was brought into existence. Often it represents only an extreme reaction against dogmatism, the emptiness of which has become obvious. Nietzsche denotes the word “nihilism,” borrowed from Turgenev, associated with the revaluation of higher values, precisely those values ​​that alone fill all the actions and aspirations of people with meaning. Nietzsche puts the following meaning into this: there is nothing more to live in and to which to strive. It becomes clear that all these aspirations are completely futile. Nihilism becomes especially widespread in crisis eras of socio-historical development. cm. also NOTHING.

Philosophical Encyclopedic Dictionary. 2010 .

NIHILISM

(from Latin nihil - nothing) - in the broad sense of the word social and morals. a phenomenon expressed in the denial of generally accepted values: ideals, moral norms, culture, forms of society. life; in bourgeois Western-European philosophy - awareness of the social and spiritual crisis of the bourgeoisie. society, as a crisis of all previous ideals, resulting in the denial of the meaning of humanity. activities. Although the concept of "N." appears even in F. Jacobi (see "Sendschreiben an Fichte") in his truly cultural-historical. meaning first appears in Nietzsche, who defines N. as follows: “What does nihilism mean? That the highest values ​​lose their value. There is no goal. There is no answer to the question “why”? " (Poln. sobr. soch., vol. 9, M., 1910, p. 9). N., as Nietzsche rightly notes, acts as a reaction to the traditional liberal form of bourgeoisie. ideology, which is trying to maintain illusions about the bourgeoisie. civilization, trying to present it as the implementation - or towards the implementation - of those ideals that were proclaimed in the era of the bourgeoisie. revolutions. N. asserts the illusory nature of these ideals and their incompatibility with reality. “Christianity, abolition of slavery, rights, philanthropy, love of peace, truth: all these great words have value only in the struggle, as banners, not as reality, but as pompous names for something completely different (even the opposite!)" (ibid., p. 53). Welcoming N., since the latter “destroys all illusions,” Nietzsche tries to overcome him at the same time. Nietzsche called this attempt “an experience of revaluation of all values.” The immediate cause of N., according to Nietzsche, is the “deification of the world,” the decomposition of the Christian religion, the beginning of which coincided with the birth of bourgeois society and the complete completion of which marks its end. “God died,” says Nietzsche (see “Thus Spoke Zarathustra,” St. Petersburg, 1913, p. 329), his death immediately revealed that all that morality. world order, which rested on religion. foundation, lost his support: it turned out that man himself created this world order, and therefore, he himself can destroy it. However, the decay of religions. consciousness is, according to Nietzsche, only immediate. the reason is nihilistic. state of mind. Its deeper source should be sought in Christ herself. religion, which split the region into the otherworldly - and this worldly - the untrue. After the “artificial” of this “higher” world is revealed, we are left with only the “rejected” world, and this highest disappointment is counted against it as its worthlessness (see. ibid.). Thus, the very emergence of Christianity was the potential emergence of N. Nietzsche interprets Christianity broadly, linking its appearance with the era of Socrates and Plato, when for the first time the doctrine of two worlds arose - the moral, true world, and the world of this world, transitory and untrue - a doctrine in the basis of which lies, according to Nietzsche, the desire to resist fate. Thus, Nietzsche essentially identifies the entire worldview of modern times with Christianity, since it only changed the old Christs. ideals, but left the main thing untouched: the desire to realize the highest goal of humanity. Nietzsche speaks in this sense about “the continuation of Christianity by the French Revolution” (see ibid., p. 59), about the transformation of Christ. ideas into the doctrine of the progressive development of society, about the “modern form of Christianity” - socialism. To put an end to Christianity - with its “division of the world into and meaning” - means, according to Nietzsche, to put an end to N., which will lead to the triumph of a new era, the era of the “superman”, for whom there is no longer “good and evil”, for there is no bifurcation of the world into “true” and “false” (the immoral Nietzsche later served as one of the sources of the ideology of German fascism). The same spiritual phenomenon, which Nietzsche designated as N., was also noted by Kierkegaard, calling it “despair.” Unlike Nietzsche, Kierkegaard expresses the emerging crisis of the worldview of modern times in the form in which it is perceived by religion. consciousness, and sees the source of N. not in the “spirit of Christianity,” but, on the contrary, in the absence of truly Christ. worldview. Characterizing “despair” as a “deadly disease” of the era, Kierkegaard, for clarification, compares it with “... an intellectual disease - doubt... Despair - something deeper and more independent... It is an expression of the whole personality, but only thinking "("Entweder - Oder", Köln, 1960, S. 769–70). “Despair,” according to Kierkegaard, like N. in Nietzsche, paralyzes a person, because in this state it is revealed that all of it has no meaning. However, unlike Nietzsche, Kierkegaard declares that the source of “despair” is not religious, but “” worldview, which he characterizes as: 1) natural in moral (spiritual); 2) pagan as opposed to true Christian; 3) natural attraction as opposed to free choice; 4) preference for nature. the beginning in man - the mind, the supernatural principle - the will; 5) the desire for unity. the goals are pleasure and confession of unity. religions – religions of beauty. Within the framework of the “aesthetic”, i.e. “natural” attitude to life, according to Kierkegaard, the question of freedom cannot be raised (the edge is finding oneself through choosing oneself by decision of the will), because the “aesthetician” who makes the main. the motive of his behavior is aesthetic. , only loses himself and as a result comes to “despair” (ibid., pp. 747–48). Although the model is aesthetic. attitude to life, Kierkegaard chooses the worldview of the Jena romantics (see Romanticism); he considers all modern life essentially “aesthetic.” culture (new philosophy - see "Die Krankheit zum Tode", Fr./M., 1959, S. 76 - and even Protestant), including that historical. the tradition that led to its emergence. The term "aestheticism", therefore, is the same symbol as the Nietzschean term "". (Thus, Kierkegaard calls even the representative of the “ethical” trend in ancient Greek philosophy, Socrates, “aesthetician,” since the latter did not understand that the basis of ethics should be the “will, self-will” introduced by Christianity.) As, according to Nietzsche, all previous ones. culture leads to N., and, according to Kierkegaard, “pagan aestheticism” always carries within itself a “deadly disease” - despair. However, overcoming the socio-political and the spiritual crisis, both thinkers are looking in opposite directions: if Nietzsche calls for a return to “true paganism” (“eternal return”), interpreting it as a force, as a “worldview of inequality,” tragic. “love of fate,” then Kierkegaard proposes to look for “true Christianity,” which has never yet been achieved and can be reached only through the deepest despair. Attempts by modern bourgeois bringing Kierkegaard and Nietzsche together is justified only in the sense that both of them expressed the crisis of the bourgeoisie. culture and tragedy the position of an individual who grew up in the bosom of this culture.

The term "N." used by the reaction to characterize all revolutionaries. Russian forces in the 60s and 70s. 19th century, to the Crimea was attributed to vulgar materialism, anarchism. denial of civilization. In this meaning the term "N." used in official documents [reports of the 3rd department (see I. S. Turgenev, Central Archive, M., 1923), materials of the Nechaev trial], reaction. journalism ("Russian Herald"), in "anti-nihilistic" novels (Leskov, Krestovsky, Pisemsky, Dostoevsky). Since the 70s term "N." used in foreign bourgeois. historiography for tendentious characterization of advanced Russian. society thoughts (Oldenburg K., Der Russische Nihilismus von seinem Anfängen bis zur Gegenwart, Lpz., 1888; Jarmolinsky A., Road to revolution. A century of Russian radicalism, L., 1957).

Lit.: Lenin V.I., Persecutors of Zemstvo and Annibals of Liberalism, Works, 4th ed., vol. 5; him, About "Milestones", ibid., vol. 16; his, Another Campaign for Democracy, ibid., vol. 18; [Katkov M.], About our N. Regarding Turgenev’s novel, “Russian Vestn.”, 1862, ; Herzen A.I., Letter to I.S. Turgenev April 21 (1862), in the book: Complete. collection op. and letters, vol. 15, P., 1920; Alekseev A.I., On the history of the word “N.”, in the book: Sat. Art. in acad. A.I. Sobolevsky. Art. in Slavic philology and Russian. literature, M.–L., 1928; Saltykov-Shchedrin N., Street philosophy, Complete. collection op. in 20 vols., vol. 8, M., 1937; Antonovich M., Asmodeus of our time, in his book: Izbr. articles, L., 1938; Kozmin B.P., Two words about the word “N.”, “IAN USSR. Department of Literature and Language,” 1951, vol. 10, no. 4; Chernyshevsky N. G., Lack of money, Complete. collection soch., t. 10, M., 1951; Batyuto A.I., On the question of the origin of the word "N." in the novel by I. S. Turgenev “Fathers and Sons”, “IAN USSR. Department of Literature and Language,” 1953, vol. 12, no. 6; Belinsky V., [Rec. on ] Provincial nonsense..., Complete. collection soch., vol. 2, M., 1953; Turgenev I., Lit. and everyday memories, Collected. soch., t. 10, M., 1956; Pisarev D.I., Realists, Soch., vol. 3, M., 1956; Pustovoit P. G., Roman I. S. Turgenev “Fathers and Sons” and the ideological struggle of the 60s. XIX century, M., 1960; Demidova N.V., D.I. Pisarev and N. 60s, "Vestn. Leningrad State University. Ser. Economics, Philosophy and Law", 1965, No. 5; Cyževskyj D., Literarische Lesefrüchte, "Z. für slavische Philologie", 1942–43, Bd 18, Η. 2.

A. Novikov. Leningrad.

Philosophical Encyclopedia. In 5 volumes - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia. Edited by F. V. Konstantinov. 1960-1970 .

NIHILISM

NIHILISM (from Latin nihil - nothing) - in a broad sense - a state of mind associated with the attitude of negating generally accepted values, ideals, moral norms, culture. The term “nihilism” is found in European theological literature already during the Middle Ages. In the 12th century One of the church heresies, which came out from the position of denying the dogma of the divine-human nature of Christ, was called “nihilism.” In the 18th century the concept of “nihilism” as an analogue of the denial of generally accepted norms and values ​​is fixed in European languages ​​(in particular, a similar term “nihypism” is recorded in the “Dictionary of New Words of the French Language,” published in 1801).

In Western philosophy, the term “nihilism” appeared in the 2nd half. 19th century and became widespread thanks to the conceptual constructions of A. Schopenhauer, F. Nietzsche, O. Spengler and a number of other thinkers and philosophers. Schopenhauer created a nihilistically colored doctrine of “Buddhist” indifference to the world. Spengler considers nihilism as a distinctive feature of his contemporary era, characterized by the decline of European culture, which is experiencing a period of its own decline, its transformation into a standardized, impersonal civilization. In Nietzsche's philosophy, nihilism grows into a comprehensive concept that sums up the entire European historical and cultural development, starting with Socrates, who put forward the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bthe values ​​of reason, which, according to the philosopher, was the first reason for zhigilism, which then developed on the basis of a “moral-Christian interpretation of the world " “The most dangerous attempt on life” Nietzsche considers all the basic principles of reason formulated in European philosophy - purpose, truth, etc. Under “slander against life” he includes Christianity and its entire history, leading to its self-denial through the development of a kind cult of intellectual honesty. Thus, a stable nihilistic culture in Europe is formed due to the fact that the “true world” of traditional religions, philosophy and morality loses its vitality, but at the same time life itself, the earthly world does not find its own values, its real justification. Nihilism, which corresponds to this global situation, is not, according to Nietzsche, an empirical phenomenon of culture and civilization, even if it is a very stable one. Nihilism is deep within the entire history of Europe, a kind of fatal “anti-life” that has paradoxically become the life of its culture, starting with both its rational Hellenic and Judeo-Christian roots. The incredible decline in the dignity and creative power of the individual in the modern mechanized era only radicalizes this logic and forces us to pose the cardinal question of overcoming nihilism. Nietzsche emphasizes that nihilism is not limited to the “death of the Christian God,” for all attempts to replace Him with the help of conscience, rationality, the cult of the public good and the happiness of the majority, or the interpretation of history as an absolute end in itself, etc. only strengthen the alarming symptoms of nihilism, “this very the creepiest of all guests.” I-biiiuie decisively exposes the attempt to escape from the “collapse” of higher values ​​by restoring their secularized imitations, pointing to the “physiological” and life-anthropological roots of nihilism. In this regard, modern, according to Nietzsche, is only the apogee of the indicated crushing and fall of the human type, bringing the nihilistic tendency to its extreme forms.

In the concept of nihilism in Nietzsche, one can discern features of both its formal similarity with the idea of ​​communism in Marx (even the metaphors of the “ghost” wandering around Europe coincide), and its substantive echo with the theme of “oblivion of being” in Heidegger, who gave his interpretation of the concept of nihilism in Nietzsche . Both the “oblivion of being” (Heidegger) and the decadence of the vital force (Nietzsche) similarly begin with Socrates and develop in parallel in Platonism and in the tradition of metaphysics in general. In both cases, the common marker of overcoming this “fate of Europe” is the prophetically preached return to mystic-Dionysian and pre-Socratic Greece. Heidegger’s originality in his interpretation of nihilism, this frightening “fate of the Western peoples,” is that he considers it in the light of the problem of nothingness as “the veil of the truth of the being of beings.” According to Heidegger, Nietzsche’s interpretation of nihilism is that he is “not able to think about the being of Nothing” (European nihilism - In his book: Time and Being. M., 1993, p. 74). And therefore, secularization together with unbelief is not the cause of nihilism, Heidegger believes, but its consequences. Nietzsche cannot understand nihilism independently of the metaphysics he criticizes, because in his analysis he himself proceeds from the idea of ​​value, which thinks “the being of being... in its breakdown” (ibid., p. 75). As a result, he remains within the confines of nihilism and metaphysics, being, however, the “last metaphysician.” Unlike Nietzsche, Heidegger links nihilism to the project of the New Age with its idea of ​​an autonomous self-legislating subject leading to the Cartesian mechanism necessary to assert the dominance of nihilistic man over the Earth.

What is better – to be categorical in your judgments or to remain democratic and try to understand and accept other people’s opinions? Each of us chooses our own, what is closer. There are many different currents expressing a person’s position. What is nihilism and what are the principles of nihilism - we suggest you figure it out.

Nihilism - what is it?

All dictionaries say that nihilism is a worldview that questions generally accepted principles, norms and values. You can find a definition of denial, complete denial of a social and moral phenomenon and state of mind. It becomes obvious that the definition of this term and its manifestation at different times was different and depended on the cultural and historical period.

It is important to talk about nihilism and its consequences. In the modern world, one can often hear discussions regarding whether a given course is a disease or, conversely, a cure for an illness. The philosophy of supporters of this movement denies the following values:

• moral principles;
• Love;
• nature;
• art.

However, human morality is based on these fundamental concepts. Every person must understand that there are values ​​in the world that cannot be denied. Among them is love for life, for people, the desire to be happy and enjoy beauty. For this reason, the consequences of such denial can be negative for supporters of this direction. Alternatively, after a while a person realizes the incorrectness of his judgments and refuses to accept nihilism.

Who is a nihilist?

Nihilism is understood as a life position of denial. A nihilist is a person who denies accepted norms and values ​​in society. In addition, such people do not consider it necessary to bow before any authorities and have little faith in anything or anyone at all. Moreover, even the authority of the source does not matter to them. It is interesting that this concept first appeared in the Middle Ages, when there was a denial of the existence and faith in Christ. Over time, new types of nihilism emerged.

Nihilism - pros and cons

The concept of nihilism as a denial of modernity expresses the negative attitude of a certain subject to certain values, views, norms, and ideals. It represents a form of sensation of the world and certain social behavior. As a current of social thought, nihilism arose a long time ago, but gained its popularity in the last century in the countries of Western Europe and Russia. Then he was associated with the names of Jacobi, Proudhon, Nietzsche, Stirner, Bakunin, Kropotkin. This concept has its pros and cons. Among the benefits of nihilism:

1. A person's ability to express himself.
2. An opportunity for an individual to express himself and defend his own opinion.
3. Searches and the likelihood of new discoveries.

However, nihilism has many opponents. They name the following flow disadvantages:

1. Categorical judgments that harm the nihilist himself.
2. The inability to go beyond one's own views.
3. Misunderstanding from others.

Types of nihilism

The concept of nihilism in modern society is divided into many types, the main ones being:

1. Mereological is a specific position in philosophy that states that objects made up of parts do not exist.
2. Metaphysical - a theory in philosophy that says that the existence of objects in reality is not necessary.
3. Epistemological – denial of knowledge.
4. Moral is the metaethical view that nothing can be immoral or moral.
5. Legal – active or passive denial of the responsibilities of the individual and the rules and norms established by the state.
6. Religious – denial and sometimes even rebellion against religion.
7. Geographical – denial, misunderstanding, incorrect use of geographical directions.

Legal nihilism

Legal nihilism is understood as the denial of law as a certain social institution, as well as a system of rules of behavior that successfully regulates relationships between people. This legal nihilism consists of the denial of laws, leading to illegal actions, chaos and inhibition of the legal system. The reasons for legal nihilism may be as follows:

1. Laws do not correspond to the interests of citizens.
2. Historical roots.
3. Various scientific concepts.

Moral nihilism

Scientific literature says what nihilism means and what its types are. Moral nihilism is the metaethical position that nothing can be immoral or moral. A supporter of this type of nihilism assumes that murder, regardless of the reasons and circumstances, cannot be called a good or bad act. Moral nihilism is close to moral relativism, recognizing that statements have a certain possibility of being both true and false in the subjective sense, but at the same time does not allow their objective truth.

Youthful nihilism

The younger generation is also aware of the concept of nihilism. Often in adolescence, children want to better understand themselves and choose their own. However, there are often cases when a teenager denies a lot. This behavior is called youthful nihilism. Youthful nihilism, like youthful maximalism, is an ardent and sometimes even accompanied by vivid emotions denial of something. This type of nihilism can be characteristic not only of teenagers and young men, but also of emotional people of different ages and manifests itself in a variety of areas:

• in religion;
• in culture;
• in public life;
• in knowledge;
• in rights.

Mereological nihilism

One of the common types of such a concept as nihilism in our time is mereological. It is usually understood as a certain philosophical position according to which objects consisting of parts do not exist, but there are only basic objects that do not consist of parts. An example would be a forest. The nihilist is sure that in reality he does not exist as a separate object. This is a lot of plants in a limited space. The very concept of “forest” was created in order to facilitate thinking and communication.

Geographical nihilism

There are many different forms of nihilism. Among them is geographical. It consists of denial and misunderstanding of inconsistent usage:

• geographical directions;
• geographical features of parts of the world;
• substitution of geographical directions;
• parts of the world with cultural idealism.

This type of nihilism is a new concept. It is often called incorrect, saying that by denying the meanings behind natural conditions and trying to tear human society out of the material world, one can come to idealism. In other words, this disadvantage is that ignoring the natural environment can lead to underestimation of these conditions. Taking into account their influence, it is necessary to realize that at different stages the same combination of natural conditions can have different meanings and at the same time not provide the same attention.

Epistemological nihilism

Epistemological nihilism is understood as a radical form of skepticism that asserts the doubtfulness of the possibility of achieving knowledge. It arose as a reaction to the ideal and universal goal of ancient Greek thinking. The Sophists were the first to support skepticism. Over time, a school was formed that denied the possibility of ideal knowledge. Even then, the problem of nihilism was clear, which consisted in the reluctance of its supporters to obtain the necessary knowledge.

Cultural nihilism

Popular modern nihilism is cultural. It manifests itself in the denial of cultural trends in all spheres of society. Back in the sixties, a powerful “counterculture” movement arose in the West. Then it was based on the views of Rousseau, Nietzsche and Freud. The counterculture completely rejected the entirety of Western civilization and bourgeois culture. The harshest criticism was directed against the cult of consumerism of mass society and mass culture. Supporters of this trend were confident that only the avant-garde was worthy of preservation and development.

Religious nihilism

It would be fair to say that nihilism is a modern phenomenon. One of its most popular types is religious nihilism. This term is usually understood as an uprising, rebellion against religion from the position of an egoistic personality, denial and negative attitude towards the spiritual values ​​of society. Such criticism of religion has its own specificity, expressed in a lack of spirituality and a pragmatic attitude towards life itself. Without exaggeration, a nihilist can be called a cynic for whom nothing is sacred. Such a person may desecrate religion for his own selfish purposes.

Social nihilism

Social nihilism is a trend expressed in a variety of manifestations, including:

1. Failure of certain sections of society to accept the existing course of reforms.
2. Refusal to accept a new way of life and new values.
3. Dissatisfaction with innovations and changes.
4. Social protests against various shock methods and transformations.
5. Disagreement with various political decisions.
6. Hostility (sometimes hostility) towards government institutions.
7. Denial of Western patterns of behavior.

NIHILISM (from the Latin nihil - nothing) is a term used to designate various ideological trends and socio-psychological attitudes, which are characterized by the denial of generally accepted values, norms, traditions and foundations.

The source of this nihilism can be seen in the work of Gor-gias “On that which is not there, or on nature”, in which he is in le-mi-ke with the concept of being Par-me-ni-da came from po-nya-tiya nothing.

In the 12th century, nihilism (nihilianismus) was an appraised heretical doctrine that derived from the human nature of Christ, in the end In the 18th century, “nihilism” was used for ha-rak-te-ri-sti-ki fi-lo-so-phia by I. Kant and I.G. Fikh-te (letter from F. Jacob-bi to Fikh-te with an assessment of his “ab-so-lute-no-go ideal-liz-ma” as nihilism-lo-lived on-cha- lo dis-kus-sii around this po-nya-tiya in German fi-lo-so-fii).

In fact, “nihilism” is found in the es-te-ti-ke of Jean Paul, in the is-to-ri-ko-philosov lectures of F. Schle-ge -la (application to pan-te-iz-mu), in the religious-philosophical so-chi-ne-ni-yahs of F.K. von Baa-de-ra (atheistic “sci-en-ti-st” nihilism), etc. The broad cultural meaning of it is lu-cha- F. Nietzsche has the same idea of ​​the historical fate of European culture, its general crisis and decline ( décadence), to overcome someone Nietzsche is supposed to do by “re-evaluating all values”: “What does it mean?” no ni-gilism? - that the highest values ​​lose their value. There is no goal. There is no answer to the question “for what?”” (Will to Power. St. Petersburg, 2011, p. 27).

In Russia, the term “nihilism” was first used by N.I. On-de-zh-di-nym (article “Son-mi-sche ni-gi-listov” with cri-ti-koy ro-man-tiz-ma, including in the poetry of A.S. . Push-ki-na, magazine "Bulletin of Europe", 1829, No. 1-2), it was used by S.P. She-you-roar, V.G. Belinsky, N.A. Do-ro-love-bov, etc., he received one wide-spread-of-country (sometimes bla-go-da-rya M .N. Kat-ko-vu) after you were published in 1862 by Ro-ma-na I.S. Tur-ge-ne-va “Fathers and children” with the central image of “ni-gi-li-sta” student Ba-za-ro-va - man -ka, “someone who is not inclined to do anything before ka-ki-mi av-to-ri-te-ta-mi, who doesn’t accept-ma- There is not a single principle of faith, no matter how respected this principle may be” (Fathers and children. St. Petersburg ., 2008. P. 25).

Neither-gi-li-sta-mi began to call the ra-di-cal-nu-lo-day, from-the-establishment of the establishment to-and to-re-for-men -noy Russia - co-word-series, re-li-giu, norm-we mo-ra-li and ka-no-ny idealistic es-te-ti-ki and pro-po-ve-to-vav-shyu es-te-st-ven-but-na-scientific ma-te-ria-ism and athe-ism. The magazine “Russian Word” became the source of these ideas in the early 1860s, in which D.I. played a leading role. Pi-sa-rev, ig-no-ri-ro-vav-shiy at the same time the term “nihilism” and calling himself and his one-but-mouse-len-ni- kov "rea-li-sta-mi." If M.A. Ba-ku-nin, S.M. Kravchinsky, P.A. Kro-pot-kin's contributions to the term “nihilism” are correct. co-holding, then in the con-serv-va-tiv-noy pub-li-tsi-sti-ke, etc. an-ti-ni-gi-lee-stitch. ro-ma-nah A.F. Pi-sem-sko-go (“Vzba-la-mu-chen-noe sea”, 1863), N.S. Les-ko-va (“Ne-ku-da”, 1864), F.M. Dos-to-ev-sko-go (“Demons”, 1871-1872) he acquired a social meaning. By the beginning of the 1870s, the word “ni-gi-list” almost disappeared from Russian pub-li-ci-sti-ki, however, in Western European literature it became was used as a designation of the Russian revolutionary movement. Subsequently, the phenomenon of Russian nihilism was interpreted in the works of S.L. Frank (article “Eti-ka ni-gi-liz-ma” in the collection “Ve-khi”, 1909) and N.A. Ber-dyae-va (“Is-to-ki and the meaning of the Russian com-mu-niz-ma”, 1937).

In the cyclical philosophy of the culture of O. Shpeng-le-ra, nihilism is op-re-de-la-et-sya as “a purely practical world -on-the-building of the established inhabited-ta-te-leys of a large city, having a complete culture behind them and not those who already have no internal future” (“Za-kat Ev-ro-py.” M., 1993. T. 1. P. 543). In the ek-zi-sten-tsi-al-noy fi-lo-so-phia M. Hai-deg-ge-ra, nihilism, following Nietzsche, is seen as “basic” -new movement in the history of Za-pa-da", which is in the meta-fi-zi-ke, is-that-ki-swarm they go back to the ancient Greek phi-lo-so-phia (pre-everything to Pla-to-nu) and which-paradise with its dis-of-the-world on “ existing" and "valuable" and the production from this "forgetting of being" op-re-de-li-la all the time tie of the European ci-vi-li-za-tion (“European ni-gilism” - in his book “Time and Being.” M., 1993. P. 63-176). For A. Ka-mu, nihilism is associated with the awareness of the complete ab-surdity of man’s existence , “rebellion” against something is the only one you but-sti. Describing nihilism as “growing in lack of faith,” K. Yas-Persian gives him “fi-lo” -sophical faith" in trans-principal-tion.

Additional literature:

Strakhov N.N. From the is-to-rii li-te-ra-tur-no-go ni-gi-liz-ma 1861-1865. St. Petersburg, 1890;

Alek-se-ev A.I. On the history of the word “ni-gilism” // Sat. sta-tey in honor of aka-de-mi-ka A.I. So-bo-lev-skogo. L., 1928;

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Nihilism is a philosophical concept, but psychology, which has emerged as an independent science from philosophy, is also actively studying the features of this phenomenon and the consequences of nihilism. A nihilist denies values ​​and ideals. It is obvious that it is not easy to live in society with such opposition.

There is no unambiguous understanding of the essence of the phenomenon and a theoretical approach to it:

• For some people, this is a way of life and a style of thought, self-realization, manifestation of individuality, defending one’s point of view, and searching for something new.
• For others, nihilism is caused by disturbances in personality adaptation.

Nihilism is most often found in and environment. What unites these categories? The need for self-expression, self-actualization, independence and opposition (separation from parents). For some, nihilism goes away with age, while others retain a rebellious spirit throughout their lives. What are these: features or consequences of psychological problems?

Nihilism is classified and viewed in a narrow sense, for example, in matters of denial of religion or state-established rights. In addition, there are social, moral, cultural and other types of nihilism. In the context of this article, it is not appropriate to consider the classification in detail; it is important to talk about the problem itself in a broad sense and its consequences for the individual. From the perspective of psychology, one type is interesting - demonstrative nihilism.

Demonstrative nihilism (youthful, teenage)

The psychological syndrome of demonstrative nihilism occurs in adolescence, but due to the characteristics of personality development, its signs can manifest themselves in more mature years.

Demonstrative nihilism involves the cultivation of originality and uniqueness, the purposeful creation of an image of “not like everyone else,” the blind denial of all norms and standards of behavior and thinking. A demonstrative nihilist is poorly oriented in his own way, he does not know his own characteristics at all, but he knows that he always needs to go against society. In this case, nihilism can hardly be called a worldview and personal philosophy. This is a deviation in behavior, a violation of socialization and self-identification.

A demonstrative nihilist openly and covertly enters into disputes and polemics. Most often, a nihilist presents himself in a negative image; disputes from the everyday level move to the level of ideas, culture, and values.

Every movement, deed, element of clothing, word of a nihilist is demonstratively opposed to those around him. The behavior is not only demonstrative, but also extravagant. Extravagance often borders on asociality. Those around them, in turn, fix attention only on these aspects of the personality, which further consolidates in the self-awareness of the nihilist the image he demonstrates of “not like everyone else,” a provocative, shocking person.

Without correction and the help of a psychologist, such behavior turns into crimes, alcohol addiction, sexual promiscuity, etc. Each time it will be more and more difficult for a person to shock, the boundaries between social and antisocial behavior will become increasingly blurred.

Who is a nihilist

The term "nihilism" is more often used in the field of politics, where it means "recognizing nothing." But in a broad sense it is used in relation to youth movements, and in relation to teenagers, and in relation to the worldview of a particular individual.

A nihilist denies public moral norms and values ​​(love, family, health), patterns of behavior, and the established civil legal regime. Sometimes a nihilist finds like-minded people, but with them (or without them) he finds himself cut off from real life in society.

The nihilist denies everything, even the very value of human life. He does not recognize, does not trust anyone and does not obey. Nihilism presupposes non-acceptance of modern laws and standards of life, but at the same time, a nihilist may well be guided by the orders of other communities. However, even more often the nihilist promotes his own standards of life.

A nihilist is characterized by cynical thinking, grins, sarcastic statements and ridicule, provocations, irony, and impudent behavior. He often talks about how “infuriated” he is by humanity and the very structure of the world.

Causes of Nihilism

A nihilist is one who feels pressure, the need to obey, an unsatisfied need for self-realization. All people live in the same society, why then are some able to declare themselves within the framework of classical principles, while others enter into confrontation with society?

The roots of nihilism go back to childhood, in which the child was greatly offended by someone. So he gets angry at everyone, hates the whole world, denies and despises everything in the world. But in fact, he is angry and offended only at one specific person (someone from childhood), but...

Disappointment in the world and growing up, lack and misunderstanding of one’s existence are additional reasons for nihilism. It is worth noting that they follow from previous reasons.

Denial is a protective mechanism of the psyche, with the help of which a person tries to maintain health in a traumatic situation. What kind of parents raise a nihilist:

• demanding and prohibitive;
• overprotective;
• passive, distant, emotionally cold.

Any childhood that is perceived by a child as difficult and dangerous has the potential to create a nihilist. An adult nihilist occupies a borderline position: on the one hand, he tries to escape from the past, denies it; on the other hand, he relies on the experience of the past and negatively evaluates the present and the future (he sees the same evil and danger in them).

Awareness of the conditionality of human freedom, which occurs in adolescence, provokes the existential beginning of nihilism. When a person understands that he simultaneously feels the need for freedom and individuality, but at the same time wants to be involved in society, then an internal conflict develops with attempts to find a middle ground, to be a free and independent person within the framework of society, a group of people. With an inadequate resolution of this conflict, a desire arises to destroy oneself and the world through denial, that is, nihilism.

Afterword

A nihilist, as a rule, is not understood by the people around him, which is why he withdraws into himself. He becomes a hostage to his own conservatism and categoricalness, fixation on his own. Personality develops only in the process of social activity; accordingly, a nihilist does not develop.

Nihilism is a philosophical movement that does not recognize the rules and authorities established by society. A person who shares this worldview and questions any generally accepted norms is a Nihilist. This term is becoming increasingly popular in many areas: religion, culture, law, social sphere.

By considering nihilism as a component of the public sphere, we can find out why this trend arose and at what time. It is important to analyze the principles and views of nihilists and the goals that they usually pursue.

A nihilist is someone who believes that life has no purpose, value or meaning, including his own.
Nihilists do not believe in the existence of any objective morality, and any rules/laws they follow, if any, are superficial or are followed by them only for practical reasons.

Nihilist and nihilism - meaning

The meaning of the word "nihilist" is defined as the denial by an individual of certain things, such as the meaning of personal existence, the presence of authorities and the worship of religious idols.

The lexical meaning of the word “nihilist” implies a certain person who is a supporter of radical democratic reasoning and expresses his rejection of generally accepted laws, rules and traditions.

In modern society, the meaning of the word nihilist has acquired a deeper and broader meaning. But the views and beliefs of such people have not changed as before. Nihilists of the 21st century also adhere to worldviews that allow them to question the rules and standards of society, and also deny any ideals, moral and ethical norms and natural forms of social existence.

The direction within which nihilistic principles are adhered to has acquired the name nihilism. This movement characterizes a way of thinking and life that implies non-acceptance of everything. A more specific meaning and its manifestation in a given situation depends on the specific circumstances and time frame.

In most sources, nihilists are characterized as negative and negative individuals. According to the majority, these individuals are constantly in a state of protest and rebellion, who are not happy with the established rules and laws of society. Supporters of nihilism are found in many areas of society. Each participant in the movement denies the direction that is convenient for him: politics, culture, religion.

The first mention of nihilism appeared in the Middle Ages by Alexander III. German philosopher F.G. Jacobi also used the term nihilism.

It is also known that Nietzsche was a nihilist. He adhered to a statement based on the denial of God and the failure of Christianity as a religion.

A nihilist, if only he is logical, doubts the existence of his interlocutor and is not sure of his own existence.
Victor Hugo. Les Miserables

Traditional nihilism is the basis for the emergence of deeper and new types of this trend. Participants in the nihilistic movement are not always unanimous in their reasoning and conclusions. Even more disputes arise between society and representatives of nihilism. Ordinary members of society cannot understand nihilists and their beliefs.

It is even more difficult to understand a nihilist who does not accept any interaction and does not believe in anything. Nihilists have a hard time understanding a society that idealizes and gives meaning to things without good reason. With their protest they are trying to prove that the existence of the world does not depend on people and their ideals. The world and the universe functions separately from everything and does not need cultivation and worship.

Thus, nihilism is characterized by a worldview that is based on progress and rationality.

Basic principles and views of nihilists

The views of nihilists are always clear and concise. Their statements are subject to specific principles and statements in which they believe.

The most common statements of nihilists are considered to be the following:

• There is no main ruler or creator, i.e. God does not exist, since there is no reasonable and understandable evidence of this fact.
• Morality and morality do not exist in an independent form.
• Life has no truth and any objective action is not more important than another.

The principles of nihilists are always close to reality and their reasoning is always based only on facts. A nihilist is a person who treats everything with skeptical distrust and suspicion and in many ways seeks a non-standard explanation.

Types of nihilism

1. Philosophical, which states that existence does not carry a specific meaning, truth, factor or value.
2. Mereological. According to this type, objects and objects created from individual parts do not exist.
3. Metaphysical. The basis here is a position based on the theory of denying the existence of objects in real time.
4. Epistemological a type of nihilism denies any kind of knowledge.
5. Moral The view argues, taking into account the metaethical view, that there is no such thing as moral or immoral.
6. Legal nihilism. Here the norms and rules of behavior established by the governing body are called into question. In this thinking in the public environment there is an active and passive denial of individual rights. This is an obstacle to the normal development of society and can lead to illegal actions.

What does a nihilist and nihilism look like in real life and in literature?

On the territory of Russia, the definition of nihilism appeared in 1829. The first to use this term was Nadezhdin N.I. At a later time, nihilism was indicated in the work of Bervy V.V. Nihilism in the form in which we know it became more widely known in Turgenev’s novel I.S. "Fathers and Sons". The popularity of this work allowed the term nihilism to become a popular expression.

In modern society, a nihilist can often be found in real life, as well as in literature. Undoubtedly, in literature the term nihilism was most vividly and fully described by Turgenev in his work. With the help of the main character as a nihilist, the author conveyed to the reader the whole meaning of this concept, and the consequences of such behavior. This novel became very popular and gained its fans. As time passed, the meaning of the word nihilism began to include more and more meanings. To the previously established principles is added the denial of authorities and doubt in the legal capabilities of citizens.

Nihilism is a person’s despair about his inability to do a job to which he is not at all called.
Vasily Vasilievich Rozanov. Apocalypse of our time

Nihilism as a trend is mainly found in Russia and other countries of the post-Soviet space. In Western countries, nihilism as a philosophical movement almost does not exist and manifests itself in isolated cases. Nihilism in Russia appeared in the early 60s of the 19th century. Prominent representatives of this trend were Chernyshevsky, Pisarev and Dobrolyubov. Later representatives of the nihilistic movement include V.I. Lenin. Certain features of his behavior and views make it possible to classify him as such a follower.

Besides the representatives of Russian nihilism, the most famous is the German philosopher Nietzsche. He was an ardent nihilist in every way. His worldview and beliefs are based on the devaluation of high values ​​and the denial of God. In addition to all this, he denied the need for a person to have compassion for another and took the presence of such a quality for weakness. By his definition, the ideal is an angry and selfish person who is incapable of empathy and sympathy.

Conclusion

Although nihilism is not a new phenomenon, many questions regarding this term still have no answers. This concept is interpreted differently for everyone. Some perceive this position as a disease that prevents them from existing normally in society. For others, on the contrary, it is a panacea for all diseases.

A nihilist denies family values, spiritual life, moral principles, i.e. he does not recognize these fundamental concepts on which society rests and exists. Everyone should realize that all these fundamentals are important and without them normal functioning among people is not possible.

Do you think nihilism is a death sentence, or is it still possible to change a person’s worldview? Are nihilists born or made?