Nihilism
Nihilism is the position that some whole domain we take seriously — morality, knowledge, or meaning — has no real foundation at all.
Full definition of Nihilism →:: COMPARE ::
NihilismvsAbsurdism
The short answer
Frequently merged, explicitly opposed. Camus built absurdism specifically by rejecting nihilism — the absurd for him leads to action and participation, where nihilism concludes that no action is warranted. Treating them as synonyms erases the distinction Camus spent a book making.
Side by side
| Aspect | Nihilism | Absurdism |
|---|---|---|
| Concludes | Nothing warrants action | Act anyway, lucidly |
| Toward others | No obligation | Solidarity |
| Camus | Rejected it | Wrote it |
| Named by | Enemies | Later shorthand |
What each one means
Absurdism
Absurdism is the philosophical and literary position that meaning is something we demand and the universe does not supply. Camus, its best-known voice, added that the right response is to keep living anyway, lucidly. Lowercase, the word can also just mean absurdity, or the absurdist strand in theatre and fiction.
Full definition of Absurdism →