Foundations of Nihilism and Absurdism: Meaning, Value, and the Philosophical Response to a Purposeless Universe

What if there is no ultimate meaning? What if moral values have no objective foundation? What if the universe is indifferent to human hopes and needs? These are not rhetorical provocations but serious philosophical questions with a long intellectual history. Nihilism and Absurdism represent two distinct philosophical engagements with those questions — one diagnosing the problem, the other proposing a way of living within it. This foundational course examines both traditions with rigor and care. By the end of this course you will be able to define nihilism in its major forms — moral nihilism, existential nihilism, and epistemological nihilism — and distinguish them from one another, explain Nietzsche's analysis of nihilism as a cultural crisis and his proposed response through the revaluation of values, articulate Camus's concept of the Absurd and the three philosophical responses he identifies: physical suicide, philosophical suicide, and revolt, and engage critically with the question of whether nihilism is a philosophically defensible or practically livable position. What you will learn: - Moral nihilism: the claim that moral facts do not exist and its implications for ethical reasoning - Existential nihilism: the claim that human life has no inherent purpose or meaning - Nietzsche's diagnosis: the death of God as cultural event and the resulting crisis of values - The Übermensch and the will to power: Nietzsche's proposed response to nihilistic collapse - Eternal recurrence as a thought experiment: what would it mean to affirm your life unconditionally? - Camus and the Absurd: the collision between human need for meaning and the world's silence - The three responses to the Absurd: why Camus rejects suicide and religious consolation alike - Absurd rebellion: living fully without illusion as Camus's positive philosophical proposal The course proceeds across five units, moving from the definition and varieties of nihilism through Nietzsche's analysis and proposed responses to Camus's independent formulation of the Absurdist position. Each unit provides explanatory readings, excerpts from primary texts in translation, and worked examples showing how each concept applies to recognizable human situations. Reflection prompts invite genuine philosophical engagement rather than mere comprehension. Self-assessment exercises test your ability to distinguish the positions of different thinkers on the same underlying problem. This course is designed for students of philosophy, literature, and the humanities, as well as anyone grappling seriously with questions of meaning, value, and the human condition. It is suitable for those new to nihilism and absurdism as philosophical topics. No prior philosophy background is required.