Nietzsche, Kierkegaard, and the Problem of Nihilism: An Exegesis on the Philosophical Psychology of Belief through a Critical Interpretation of the Philosophies of Kierkegaard and Nietzsche

Author

Jonathan C. Reid, Western Michigan University

Date of Defense

3-24-2000

Department

Philosophy

First Advisor

Dr. Quentin Smith

Second Advisor

Dr. John Martell

Third Advisor

Dr. Edward Jayne

Abstract

Kierkegaard and Nietzsche were writing in the mid-to-late nineteenth century, but their concerns about nihilism are still pertinent today.l Because both philosophers defined nihilism as despair resulting from the apparent meaninglessness of existence, it seems apparent to me that the most obvious and effective method for countering this dangerous trend would be through the establishment of a self-evident and intersubjectively valid value schema.

Recommended Citation

Reid, Jonathan C., "Nietzsche, Kierkegaard, and the Problem of Nihilism: An Exegesis on the Philosophical Psychology of Belief through a Critical Interpretation of the Philosophies of Kierkegaard and Nietzsche" (2000). Honors Theses. 1893.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/honors_theses/1893

Access Setting

Honors Thesis-Campus Only