Whats the diffrence?

[Moorish guy]

What is the difference between Nihilism and Atheism?

[Monarchist]

There are many atheists who believe in, say, Buddhism. I believe that's the one with Karma and such, and I do believe Karma intimates some idea of morality. Nihilists, on the other hand, actively disinherit all ideas of morality, meaning, or even underlying philosophical structure to the Universe. An atheist is not necessarily nihilistic, but nihilists are practically always atheists.

[mrcrusty]

Hah. Would be funny if Nietzsche replied to this thread.

In any case, there are completely different in meaning, though it can be argued that they are linked.

Nihilism:

Nihilism is the belief that all values are baseless and that nothing can be known or communicated. It is often associated with extreme pessimism and a radical skepticism that condemns existence. A true nihilist would believe in nothing, have no loyalties, and no purpose other than, perhaps, an impulse to destroy.

That in itself, sets it far apart from Atheism. Atheism is merely the disbelief in the existence of God and/or deities.

Atheism:

The term “atheist” describes a person who does not believe that God or a divine being exists. Worldwide there may be as many as a billion atheists, although social stigma, political pressure, and intolerance make accurate polling difficult.


For the most part, atheists have presumed that the most reasonable conclusions are the ones that have the best evidential support. And they have argued that the evidence in favor of God’s existence is too weak, or the arguments in favor of concluding there is no God are more compelling.

Atheism is a position taken because the individual Atheist is not sufficiently satisfied with the level of knowledge, or evidence, that would prove the existence of God. Although it may imply or indicate things about their personality and their world view, Atheism in itself is merely one position, taken on one issue and it might not influence their opinions on other issues such as morality, societal values, or even existence itself.

Nihilism, the belief (unlike Atheism, which is a lack of belief) that all morals, societal values are merely temporal human constructs, and therefore, inherently pointless and worthless dictates every single aspect of the Nihilist's life. Anything and everything has no value and no purpose.

They are very different on the face of things, as Monarchist said however, not many Atheists may be Nihilists, but by and large, Nihilists are mostly Atheists. Though most Atheists tend to be existentialists.

[Scorch]

What is the difference between Nihilism and Atheism?

Miles and miles and miles of philosophical thought. They are not two intrinsically related doctrines and I would venture to say that atheism is a far more liberating mode of interpretation.

[Monarchist]

Nihilism is the road to murder, theft, rape, robbery, and Metalocalypse, for it says that nothing matters at all. Somehow, self-professed nihilists tend to restrain themselves... usually out of laziness.

[Tankbuster]

Ah, the difference between nihilism and atheism is quite simple really: it has to do with the perceived meaning of life. Some people believe that life has an instrinsic meaning, in other words that merely being alive and breathing fulfills a certain cosmic purpose that usually has to do with either a God or some life force. However, many people also believe that life can be given meaning not by life itself, but by what you do in your life i.e. extrinsic meaning: things like music, knowledge, beauty, art, education, love, sports, achievements, or making the world a better place,... can all make life worth living.
(N.B. The two are not necessarily mutually exclusive: many people who believe in a divine intrinsic purpose also fill their life with all kinds of extrinsic meaning:

Now, nihilists essentially reject both ways to give life meaning: they reject the intrinsic meaning (in other words, life is not worthy because it's divine or has a purpose in and of itself) and the extrinsic meaning: they don't believe there's anything you can do in life to make it worth living.

Due to the way they think about life, nihilists are usually atheists (i.e. there's no instrinsic meaning to life because they don't believe in a God to give it any), but the opposite is not necessarily true.
Besides the nihilistic atheists (a minority), some atheists (a small minority as well) actually do believe in an intrinsic meaning to life and have this kind of buddhistic idea that life has some innate purpose after all, though it doesn't have anything to do with God.
And then there's the majority of atheists, who are quite happy to recognise that life might not have a vast cosmic significance, but we ourselves can make it significant through some of the actions I listed above.

To take me as an example: I do not believe in intrinsic meaning (in fact I think that's an enormously presumptuous and arrogant illusion to have) but I'm very engaged and I have lots of interests, hobbies and goals that make my life worth living for me: I want to learn things about the world we live in, I want to make the world a better place than when I entered it, I want to experience various lifestyles, I want to find someone to spend the rest of my life with, I compose music, I have various long-term goals, etcetera etcetera.
I am an atheist, but clearly I'm not a nihilist, who would say that all of this is a waste of time and that life is completely and utterly worthless.

And now we play the waiting game until someone comes along to say that this is just a small difference

[Fiyenyaa]

I would say that the major difference is that Nihilism is a belief system whilst Atheism is not.
There is no dogma, no way of thinking, no rules to Atheism - it is simply a position on Theistic claims. Beyond "I do not believe in a god or gods" there is nothing - hence non-religious philosophies like Humanism.
Nihilism on the other hand has certain ideas you must hold in order to be a Nihilist. I personally think that the whole idea of it de-values life, but that's just my crazy way of thinking that you make your own meaning in life.

[Lysimachus]

Nihilism is the road to murder, theft, rape, robbery, and Metalocalypse, for it says that nothing matters at all. Somehow, self-professed nihilists tend to restrain themselves... usually out of laziness.

LIES LIES LIES!!!

To answer the thread though, i've gone from a modest Christian (a few years ago) to a complete Nihilist. There is no God, life has no pre-defined meaning and once i'm dead there's nothing beyond it. I simply have to make the most of what I have

[Tankbuster]

To answer the thread though, i've gone from a modest Christian (a few years ago) to a complete Nihilist. There is no God, life has no pre-defined meaning and once i'm dead there's nothing beyond it. I simply have to make the most of what I have

And do you think that makes your life worth living?

If you answer yes (which I hope you do), then you are not a nihilist.

[Lysimachus]

If you answer yes (which I hope you do), then you are not a nihilist.

if i answer yes is there a cash prize involved

[Monarchist]

So, Lysimachus, would you mind if I killed you and ate your entrails?

[Lysimachus]

So, Lysimachus, would you mind if I killed you and ate your entrails?

Speaking from my perspective now, then of course I would! () But then, if you're on about how I would feel once you had done it, I guess I wouldn't really care since I would no longer have consciousness

[ED.]

Actually Atheist have several Detites they worship themselves,the flying spaghetii monster and charles darwin.

[persianfan247]

Yes we do worship the tits, but those arn't tits I would ever worship.

[empr guy]

Yes we do worship the tits, but those arn't tits I would ever worship.

?

Actually Atheist have several Detites they worship themselves,the flying spaghetii monster and charles darwin.

i find that offensive, i dont worship charles darwin

[Elfdude]

Actually Atheist have several Detites they worship themselves,the flying spaghetii monster and charles darwin.

Say what? O_o

[Arch-hereticK]

Actually Atheist have several Detites they worship

Was that on purpose?
'Cause that's hilarious.

[ED.]

Im sorry If I offened anybody I forgot Atheistm's highest god Nietzsche! or would that be for the Nihilist?

[empr guy]

Im sorry If I offened anybody I forgot Atheistm's highest god Nietzsche! or would that be for the Nihilist?

well it used to be nihilists, but they realized they were good christians angrey at god for something that happened in the past. Yet during the alien invasion, the words of a dieing loved-one saved them and their families. After the invasion had been defeated, they returned to their previous jobs as preachers, and spread faith to all the good folk.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[43rdFoot]

Atheism is a faith. There is no evidence that god or gods don't exist, but atheists simply believe that they don't.


Nihilism is the belief that there is nothing to believe in. It's kind of funny in that way.