Relationship With Existentialism and Nihilism
Basic relationships between existentialism, absurdism and nihilism
|
Atheistic existentialism |
Monotheistic existentialism |
Absurdism |
Nihilism |
| 1. There is such a thing as meaning or value: |
Yes. |
Yes. |
Maybe. |
No. |
| 2. There is inherent meaning in the universe: |
No. |
Maybe, but the individual must have faith in God to believe that, yes, there is. |
Maybe, but humans can never know it. |
No. |
| 3. The pursuit of meaning may have meaning in itself: |
No, meaning can only be individually constructed, not pursued. |
Yes. |
Yes (but not for certain). |
No. |
| 4. The individual's construction of any type of meaning is possible: |
Yes, thus the goal of existentialism. |
Yes, thus the goal of existentialism, though this meaning must incorporate God. |
Yes, though it must be personal and face the Absurd; moreover, there is no way to verify whether one's constructed meaning conforms to any inherent meaning. |
No, because there is no meaning to create. |
| 5. There is resolution to the individual's desire to seek meaning: |
Yes, the creation of one's own meaning. |
Yes, the creation of one's own meaning involving God. |
Maybe the creation of one's own meaning, but not with regard to the inherent meaning of the universe (if one exists). |
No. |
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