Sunday, January 22, 2012
The Fear of Nihilism
The excerpt that I chose form Pinker's article is "Finally, there’s the fear of nihilism: the fear that biology strips life of meaning and purpose. It says that love, beauty, morality, and all that we hold precious, are just figments of a brain pursuing selfish evolutionary strategies. For most people who ask the question “Why am I here,” the answer “To pass on your genes” is less than comforting". To me, this really struck true. Often times I am trying to bridge the gap between humanities & science (just like this course), while conflicting ideas from different disciplines leave me unsettled. Logic is what I know and love, so I understand things from a neurological standpoint, but yet the idea that emotions can be completely separate is frankly, scary. I think the majority of people would agree that nihilism is a very real threat. However, at the same time, I don't think that this issue is so obviously talked about. People often argue about why we're here, how we came to be here, etc, but I don't think that the issue of nihilism is particularly brought up. The idea that science can attempt to answer some of these questions in such a way, that we have no more purpose than to mate and produce offspring, should be acknowledged more because I think it is a relevant, shared fear. I think that it is something that even scientists, perhaps even especially scientists, as well as everyone else can relate to. This is definitely an underlying theme in the "science wars" and I would say that it is one of the most controversial topics out there. From my perspective as a science major, I want to explain everything in terms of biology. But yet, at the same time, these explanations often times feel incomplete. Although I know this, would I actually admit it? Admit that my field of study is unable to fully explain everything? That it is incapable in some way? Probably not. This is a difficult issue. In some ways, it is a fear of the 'unknown', because today we are still asking the classic questions of why we are here. But alternatively it is also a fear of the 'known', being that the most scientific answers and logic can be even more frightening. The idea that science will explain away "all that we hold precious" and I would argue, destroy the wall separating humans from other animals, that we would no longer be able to classify ourselves as superior, is intriguing.
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I think you introduce a very interesting point regarding nihilism. I had to reference my trusty dictionary to find a more open definition and it produced "total rejection of established laws". I wonder, however, about your claim that nihilism is a real threat. Are humans that concerned about tearing down the walls of science and all establishments? Certainly, if one were to watch the news you could easily make the argument that, yes, they are. But outside of the fringe, how much of a concern is science's answers in our lives? I appreciate, respect, and value science, much like you do and therefore appreciate your concern.
ReplyDeleteP.S. I greatly enjoyed your final line about the intrigue regarding sciences ability to break down the walls that separate us from other animals. I completely agree
I would like to address your fear of nihilism specifically pertaining to the notion that science would play a key role in sort of leveling humans with the animal kingdom. To me this is the most interesting aspect of your argument because, although I will concede the fact that nihilism is palpable, I still do not necessarily feel like science exposing our primitiveness or animal-like biological traits is a danger. As a student of theory and not scientific facts my base of knowledge on biological workings is quite limited, however from my view the leveling of humans with animals on a biological platform only increases optimism about the fruitful human mind transcending nihilistic scientific imposition. Yes, we might be almost identical to wild animals in our primitive states of mating, eating, surviving, etc., but the mere fact that one can bring into question whether or not nihilism is a threat identifies cognitive human qualities that go beyond a rigid determination of "evolutionary qualities." If humans are like animals in that all of our thoughts and emotions play into some grand scheme of mere survival and evolution, why would we question whether or not nihilism is even a threat? If a conscious life is to be stripped down to biological x's and o's by science, haven't we already proved that to be somewhat flawed by critiquing nihilism and its impact through science?
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