How Not to be a Nihilist: A Constructive Confrontation with Nietzsche

Our age is quite often characterized as nihilistic, but these characterizations rarely ascend above the level of a vaguely expressed dissatisfaction with modern life. This course is intended to give you a much more sophisticated understanding of this extremely important philosophical issue.

By following these lectures, you will gain a detailed understanding of the basic concepts of both nihilism and meaningful existence (anti-nihilism), an understanding of the critique of contemporary Western society as nihilistic, and a grasp of Nietzsche’s notions of The Death of God, the Overman, and the Last Man.

You will also be introduced to a critique of technological civilization and transhumanism as forms of nihilism, and the instructor’s proposals for the recovery of meaningful existence. After following these lectures, you should be well-prepared to take up further study of all these topics.

The course is conducted in five prerecorded prose lectures (approximately one-hundred pages of prepared, rough draft text) between thirty and sixty minutes each. The text of the lectures is provided as a screenshare while the instructor reads and comments.

The intent is to take you beyond narrow academic speculation. You should be able to apply these ideas to our cultural situation. To that end, each lecture is accompanied by a recommended cultural engagement including suggested works of art that will help you see how these ideas play out in our broader experience. These engagements are the "homework" for the course. Suggestions for background reading to support and go beyond the lectures are also included.

There will be opportunities to pose questions in the comments sections of the videos. There will also be opportunities for students to interact in an exclusive Facebook group.