Existence & Meaning of Life · The source of meaning in life

Nihilism (Cosmic Nihilism)

On a cosmic scale, nothing ultimately matters.

What it claims

Cosmic nihilism holds that life lacks ultimate meaning, where 'ultimate' means independent of our attitudes and desires. Two arguments recur: the universe contains no agent that confers meaning, and human projects leave no lasting difference at the scale of cosmic space and time. Nietzsche is often called a nihilist, but more precisely he diagnosed nihilism and sought to overcome it.

Nearby positions

Goes together with
Antinatalism

Key thinkers

Arthur Schopenhauer · Friedrich Nietzsche · David Benatar · James Tartaglia