Nihilism

You'll understand nihilism as the philosophical view that life, meaning, and values lack inherent purpose or objective foundation.

You'll distinguish between nihilism (denying objective meaning) and pessimism (believing life is fundamentally bad), recognizing they're separate worldviews.

You'll see how nihilism emerged as a radical movement rejecting tradition, authority, and established values in 19th-century Russian intellectual culture.

You'll learn how existentialists like Sartre countered nihilism by arguing humans create their own meaning through freedom and authentic choice.