The Faith Of A Philosopher

Contemporary Philosophy must begin by staring into the abyss of Nihilism. Nihilism is the absence of meaning. As Shakespeare put: “Life is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.”

It was Nietzsche who first saw that this was the ultimate problem facing Modernity with his parable of the madman in The Gay Science (1882). Science, with the last blow being landed by Darwin’s The Origin of Species (1859), had discredited religion – but there was nothing to replace it. While most people didn’t understand the implications, Nietzsche understood that unless a new and credible worldview was created the descent into Nihilism was inevitable. He spent the 1880s trying to come up with that worldview with concepts like The Eternal Recurrence, Master and Slave Morality and The Ubermensch.

But to date no replacement for Religion has taken hold in Western Culture. A shallow materialism holding nothing higher than economics and sex holds sway. The vast majority today are hedonists, trying to maximize their own consumption of pleasure in The Culture of Nihilism.

The problem of Nihilism is a serious one. The theory of evolution, that we evolved from lower life forms rather than being created by God, seems inescapable. Modern physics postulates a vast universe composed of billions of galaxies. No answers seem possible to the questions of why we are here and what we should do. Given these premises, it follows that human life has no meaning.

What are our options?

One option is to reject Science and cling to the old certainties of Religion. While this is a possibility for some, for many it is not a live option. Another option is to believe that Science will one day answer the question of meaning of life. Given its incredible progress over the last few centuries, everything will become clear in time. The problem here is the Fact/Value distinction. Science can tell us what is and how the world works but it can’t tell us what is of value or what we should do. It’s no wonder that so many have come to believe in the inevitability of Nihilism and tried to embrace it.

While there are no ultimate answers – and none will ever be possible to the human mind – my commitment is to the quest for wisdom and understanding. While the search may have no ultimate destination, I will continue to walk that path. That is The Faith of A Philosopher.