The Study Of Nietzsche’s Nihilism

According to Nietzsche,nihilism has rich connotations,which is better to be understood a historical movement rather than a single concept.In this movement,Nietzsche began with criticizing negative nihilism,underwent the reflection of complete nihilism,and finally developed positive nihilism.Thus,this positive nihilism is not a complete denial of negative nihilism,but an outcome of the historical development of the latter,and is affirmative in conclusion.Firstly,this paper analyzes how modern nihilism was developed,and makes a conclusion that it was an inevitable result of modern European civilization.Nietzsche’s slogan God is dead is the most direct expression of the European nihilism.Secondly,this paper expounds Nietzsche’s diagnosis of nihilism: it originated in the nihilistic nature of metaphysics;moreover,he traced the origins of nihilism in religion and psychology.Finally,this paper deals with Nietzsche’s therapy for European nihilism,that is,by means of the reflection of complete nihilism,nihilism develops from a negative form into a positive one.Nietzsche’s ideas of Power will,Superman and Eternal reincarnation are all manifestations of this positive nihilism.At the last part,the paper draws a conclusion that positive nihilism,though replacing those highest values with the will of power,is still subject to value nihilism,which manifests as relativism,subjectivism and individualism.Nietzsche used positive nihilism to overcome and cure negative nihilism,but the former is still the development of nihilism,so Nietzsche’s positive nihilism does not go beyond the barrier of nihilism,and fails to get rid of the value nihilism.In some degree,this positive nihilism can do nothing but revaluate nihilism,reaffirming relativism,subjectivism and individualism that are contained in nihilism,and with which overthrows the absolutism and objectivism of traditional morality.