The Specter of the Absurd: Sources and Criticisms of Modern NihilismThis book is our century's most comprehensive and wise treatment of nihilism in all of its guises, comparing favorably with Rosen, Cavell, and indeed with Spengler. Crosby argues that our culture is genuinely haunted by nihilism expressing itself in the fideism of fundamentalism as well as in the debilitating alienation from all orientation. This results from a one-sided development of Western culture. Unlike most writers on this topic, Crosby acknowledges many sources colluding to frame the culture of nihilism, including "the death of God," the objectification of nature, the meaninglessness of suffering in a mechanical universe, the ephemerality of time in a world where value does not accumulate, the arbitrariness of historicized reason, the reduction of value to will, and the alienation of the Cartesian ego. These sources are reviewed in the first two parts of the book with the result that the phenomenon of nihilism becomes understandable. In its third and fourth parts, Crosby provides a critical analysis of the religious and philosophical forces leading to nihilism by discussing authors from the early modern period through Dostoyevsky, Sartre, Russell, and Derrida. He shows that these forces are skewed and impoverished and should not be allowed to determine our situation. The comprehensive attention to detail and the multi-perspectival interpretation demonstrates as well as asserts the richness of the culture that puts nihilism in its place. Part Five, finally, rephrases the criticism of the sources of nihilism in positive ways. Part Four in particular is a tour de force of philosophical argument. Its richness of nuance, plurality of views examined, and adroitness of critical interpretation provide cumulatively a powerful, non-nihilistic reading of the philosophic tradition. The force of the argument derives from its comprehensive, cumulative character. Crosby distinguishes and relates five areas of nihilism: political, moral, epistemological, cosmic, and existential. Throughout the book, he illustrates and examines these as they are expressed in literature and art, in daily life and practical affairs, and in philosophy. The book is richly erudite in its marshalling of consciousness from so many domains. |
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Contents
Experiencing the Absurd | 1 |
Types of Nihilism | 8 |
Arguments About God Nature Suffering and Time | 38 |
Arguments About Reason Will and Other Persons | 76 |
Anthropocentrism Externality of Value and Religion As Theism | 122 |
Gods AllSeeing Eye Search for Certainty and Deprecation of the World | 137 |
CorrespondenceSubstance and the Hegemony of Science | 174 |
Truth Through Method and Seeds of Nihilism in the Thought of Descartes | 200 |
The Subjectivist Turn in Epistemology Philosophy of Language and Ethics | 241 |
SocialPolitical Individualism Fact Value Dichotomy and Primacy of Will | 288 |
The Case Against Nihilism Lessons and Refutations | 352 |
Notes | 381 |
417 | |
439 | |
448 | |
Other editions - View all
Specter of the Absurd, The: Sources and Criticisms of Modern Nihilism Donald A. Crosby Limited preview - 1988 |
The Specter of the Absurd: Sources and Criticisms of Modern Nihilism Donald A. Crosby No preview available - 1988 |
Common terms and phrases
absurd action already alternative argues argument aspects assumed assumption awareness basis become belief calls certainty Chapter character choices Christian claims completely concept concern conclusion connection context continue criticism culture death Descartes Descartes's determinism discussed distinction ethical example existence experience explain expression fact feelings final follows freedom fundamental future give given human Hume idea ideal important individual insistence interpretation Kant kind knowledge least lives matter meaning metaphysical method mind moral nature nihilism nihilistic objective one's particular past persons perspectives philosophy physical position possible present principles problem purely question radical rational reality reason regarded relations religious requires response role Sartre scientific seems seen sense significance simply social society suffering theory things thinking thought tradition true truth turn understanding universe whole