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Nihilism vs Asceticism - What's the difference?

nihilism | asceticism |

As nouns the difference between nihilism and asceticism

is that nihilism is a philosophical doctrine grounded on the negation of one or more meaningful aspects of life while asceticism is the principles and practices of an ascetic; extreme self-denial and austerity.

nihilism

English

Noun

  • (philosophy) A philosophical doctrine grounded on the negation of one or more meaningful aspects of life.
  • (ethics) The rejection of inherent or objective moral principles.
  • (politics) The rejection of non-rationalized or non-proven assertions in the social and political spheres of society.
  • (politics, historical) A Russian movement of the 1860s that rejected all authority and promoted the use of violence for political change.
  • The belief that all endeavors are ultimately futile and devoid of meaning.
  • "...the band members sweat hard enough to earn their pretensions, and maybe even their nihilism " (rock critic Dave Marsh, reviewing the band XTC's album Go )
  • Contradiction (not always deliberate) between behavior and espoused principle, to such a degree that all possible espoused principle is voided.
  • The deliberate refusal of belief, to the point that belief itself is rejected as untenable.
  • Derived terms

    * (l) * (l)

    Synonyms

    * (belief that all endeavours are void ) fatalism

    asceticism

    Noun

  • The principles and practices of an ascetic; extreme self-denial and austerity.
  • Antonyms

    * hedonism