Philosophy in a Meaningless Life: A System of Nihilism, Consciousness and Reality
December 17, 2015 DOI: 10.5040/9781474247696 via Semantic Scholar
Summary
Nihilism, the view that life has no inherent meaning, is neither good nor bad in itself, but can be used to address traditional philosophical questions about consciousness, time, and universals. The work argues that accepting nihilism does not lead to gloom or despair, and instead offers a way to reframe and engage with central philosophical problems.
Study at a glance
| Design | theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Key finding | Nihilism is neither good nor bad and can be used to address traditional philosophical questions about consciousness, time, and universals. |
Abstract
"A superb and original work. Tartaglia addresses head-on the question of the meaning of life — which he calls ‘the keystone of philosophy’ — and gives an uncompromising nihilist answer to it. But rather than turning to gloom and despair, he shows how nihilism is, in a certain sense, neither good nor bad; and that it can be used to address some central traditional questions of philosophy: about consciousness, time and universals. Elegantly written and very readable, this is a unique work of philosophy that deserves a wide readership." Tim Crane, Knightbridge Professor of Philosophy, University of Cambridge, UK