Nihilism
Melvyn Bragg explores the history of Nihilism, a philosophy associated with Nietzsche that claims truth and morality are illusory. Has anything positive come out of the philosophy of βnothingβ?
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the history of Nihilism. The nineteenth-century philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche, wrote, βThere can be no doubt that morality will gradually perish: this is the great spectacle in a hundred acts reserved for the next two centuries in Europeβ. And, with chilling predictions like these, βNihilismβ was born. The hard view that morals are pointless, loyalty is a weakness and βtruthsβ are illusory, has excited, confused and appalled western thinkers ever since. But what happened to Nietzscheβs revolutionary ideas about truth, morality and a life without meaning? Existentialism can claim lineage to Nietzsche, as can Post Modernism, but then so can Nazism. With so many interpretations, and claims of ownership from the left and the right, has anything positive come out of the great philosopher of βnothingβ?With Rob Hopkins, Senior Lecturer in Philosophy, University of Birmingham; Professor Raymond Tallis, Doctor and Philosopher; Professor Catherine Belsey, University of Cardiff.
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Broadcasts
- Thu 16 Nov 2000 09:02ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
- Thu 16 Nov 2000 21:30ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
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