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Interpretation of The Phenomenon of Nihilism in Research by Western Scholars
Interpretation of The Phenomenon of Nihilism in Research by Western Scholars
Interpretation of The Phenomenon of Nihilism in Research by Western Scholars
Markhabo Safarova
Under The President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Academy of Public Administration, senior
teacher of the "Management Skills" department
markhaboj@gmail.com
Abstract: Nihilism is a philosophical concept that has been debated for centuries, and its
interpretation has evolved over time. In this scientific article, we explore the phenomenon of
nihilism and its interpretation by Western scholars. We examine the historical context of nihilism
and the various interpretations of the concept by Western scholars. We also discuss the impact of
nihilism on contemporary society and the implications for future research.
Our analysis reveals that nihilism has been interpreted in different ways by Western scholars,
ranging from a rejection of traditional values and beliefs to a more radical rejection of all
meaning and purpose in life. We find that nihilism has had a significant impact on contemporary
society, particularly in the areas of politics, culture, and religion.
The article provides a comprehensive analysis of the phenomenon of nihilism and its
interpretation by Western scholars. We argue that a deeper understanding of nihilism is
necessary to address its impact on contemporary society and to inform future research in this
area. Our article contributes to the ongoing debate on nihilism and provides a valuable resource
for scholars interested in this topic.
Keywords: nihilism, value, subculture, destructiveness, egoism, pessimism, atheism,
libertarianism, solipsism, anarchy, terror.
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INTRODUCTION
The phenomenon of nihilism has existed for centuries, and today it is becoming a complex and
multifaceted phenomenon. From this perspective, without understanding the essence of nihilism,
it is impossible to understand the essence of the processes associated with this phenomenon and
to predict its future. For this, we need to pay attention to the thoughts of the French researcher
Alain Badiou while studying the socio-historical types of the phenomenon of nihilism. The
scholar's opinion that "nihilism has its own form in each period, which is no better than the
other". [1], requires their categorisation by examining the history of the origin of the term, its
essence, the forms of manifestation of the phenomenon in each period and the established
approaches.
LITERATURE REVIEW
The interpretation of various philosophical and religious foundations of nihilism as a worldview
can be found in the works of ancient Indian and ancient Chinese representatives of Buddhism.
The works of F.Braudel, H.Hegel, A.Camus, J.-J. Rousseau contain analysis of influence of
historical consciousness on the system of values and its interpretation, as a result of which it can
lead to formation of nihilistic thinking of society. Studies by E. Husserl, E. Heller and A.
McIntyre have studied the connection between the crisis of European humanity and the problems
of freedom.
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The link between nihilism and individualism, which plays an increasing role in modern society,
was discovered by N. Elias and J. I. Dumont. “Critical Thinking and its Role in the Structure and
Content of Nihilism” by Aron R., Popper K., Winch P., Evola J., Sartre J.-P., Putnam H.,
Luhmann N., Walzer M., Fuhr W-N. , Chukin G.S. Camus A., Baudrillard J., R. Darendorf
raised existential questions in their works and considered them as possible grounds for a
nihilistic attitude to the world.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
In view of these processes, the need to study the phenomenon of nihilism and to develop a
methodology and technologies to combat its socially dangerous forms increases the relevance of
this topic. The study makes extensive use of hermeneutic and comparative analysis.
ANALYSIS АND RESULTS
When examining the terminological history of "nihilism" we turn to the research of our
contemporary, Professor Will Slocombe of the University of Wales [2], who pointed out that in
the history of European thought it was used in the social-scientific tradition. within solipsism and
idealism, on the other hand, in the philosophical movements of atheism, pantheism, scepticism
and materialism, and often the term was used to refer to religious, political and literary
currents[3].
The German scholar O. Spengler concluded that "Socrates was a nihilist"[4] as he rejected
traditional norms and customs like the sophists, questioned religion and as a result the Athenian
court accused him of disrespecting the gods. This phenomenon indicates that the first nihilistic
sentiments and attitudes were awakened in ancient Greece at this time.
Later German scholars refer to nihilism as "the most terrible of guests" and in its first form it
manifests itself in the clarification of man's relationship with society, in his critical perception of
the justice of norms and demands. In general, with the growth of human self-consciousness, the
individual's claim to independent thinking increases, leading to an increase in nihilistic
sentiments, i.e., as Nietzsche pointed out, "the exaltation of nihilism".
In fact, the etymological origin of the word is Latin "nihil" which means "nothing" and the term
refers to various worldviews (religious, philosophical, ethical, aesthetic) currents, worldviews
and as applied to social and psychological institutions. [5]
The term 'nihilist' in relation to man first appeared in the writings of the Christian bishop
Aurelius Augustine (354-430), and the term was later cemented in the Western literature of the
medieval Christian world.
According to W. Kraus, while Augustine used the term "nihilists" ("nihilisti") to refer to those
who do not believe in anything, "nihilianista" was the same name given to Catholic atheists
(godless), false believers or those who do not believe in "nothing". [6]
According to another scholar, Wolfgang Müller-Lauter (1924-2001), the word "nihilism" was
first used by F.L. Gecius in his theological treatise "De nonismo et nihilism in theologia"
published in 1733 as "terminus used as novus". [7], but these ideas were of little importance in
the revival and development of the concept of nihilism.
By the 80s of the 18th century "nihilism" was fixed in a new interpretation, and now it began to
occur not only in a religious context, but also in publicistic and philosophical dictionaries in
France and later in Germany.
V. Savchuk's studies consider 'nihilism as a European phenomenon, while in French literature
the term 'nihilist' emerged as a result of well-known historical events (the bourgeois revolution)
in the late 18th century and was used negatively to polish social, political and mental institutions.
In addition, the term of the German intelligentsia emphasised that it was “inconsistent with a
philosophical and methodological interpretation of the environment". [8] Nihilism in French
culture was first expressed in the statements of Anaracharsis Cloots, chairman of the Jacobin
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Club, that "the republic is neither deistic nor atheistic, it is nihilistic". [9].
Elsewhere the term was conceptualised in a 1787 study by F. G. Jacobi, a member of the
Bavarian Academy of Sciences, who gave new impetus to the debate on nihilism by equating
moral egoism with nihilism in "The Essence of Man" [11].
At this point, A. Camus judged nihilistic views as a position of "absolute rebellion" and as a
prime example of this he put forward atheism and immorality in his views, rejecting the
existence of God as well as all moral standards and rules set by the church principles of universal
human behaviour in family and society can be seen in the idea of "freedom without limits" by
Francois de Sade (1740-1814), an eccentric writer of the time who refused.
In the writer's view, everyone, despite the prohibitions on satisfying their personal needs, should
have no boundaries to their absolute freedom, and should be allowed to abuse others, commit
crimes, even murder, and evaluate the social institutions that stand in the way of any freedom.
Above all, he rejected the Christian religion, which promoted strict moral standards, God as the
embodiment of goodness, and finally the state, which set limits to certain actions and severely
punished those who broke them.
At first glance, his rebellion as a writer was certainly of an aesthetic nature, but the views he
promoted in society a few centuries ago have now become the priority ideas of the subculture of
modern society, promoting "debauchery" among young people (debauchery is primarily an
ethical, accepted in society, is a nihilistic philosophy that rejects moral and spiritual standards,
and the debauched as free and independent thinker is those who “despise restrictions, follow
their natural desires for truth”.
At the end of the eighteenth century in Europe, and later in Russia, a peculiar world view
emerged out of the ideas of enlightenment and revolution, due to despair. Some young people
develop a mood of despair, while others develop a critical attitude towards the existing social
order. Sensing the danger arising from this social and moral phenomenon, the older generation in
Russia calls this process volternism or freethinking.
CONCLUSION/RECOMMENDATIONS
The author has analysed the phenomenon of nihilism, in which worldview attitudes are
manifested:
№ Nihilism is the subject of manifestation The author’s of ideas
1. Idealism F. G. Jacobi, [12] F. K. von Baadera
Skeptical rationalism, agnosticism, Prokopeva M.Yu, Yu. I. Davydov, F. F.
2. skepticism, apophatic theology, [14] Kuznetsov, T. V. Sholomova, A. B.
philosophy of moral and epistemological Shulyndina et al., [15] M. Bakunin, [16] A.
skepticism I. Herzen, [17] F. Boas, R. Benedict, M.
3. Cultural relativism Mead, F. de Laguna, M. Herskovits, T.
Northrop [18]
4. Amoralism L. Frank, W. S. Solovev [19] A.V.
Novikov [20]
5. Cynicism, [21] successor to ancient S. N. Bulgakov
hedonism [22]
Is synonymous with anarchism, nihilism M. G. Kolokoltsev [23]
6. being more ethical and anarchism more
political in nature
7. Immoralism Ya. Kuchinski [24]
In the table below, the author classified nihilism into three groups according to the scale of
manifestation and compared the approaches.
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