nihilism
ニヒリズム
解説 Definition
nihilism は、人生や価値、道徳などに本質的な意味はないと考える思想を指す語です。日本語の「ニヒリズム」とほぼ同じですが、英語では哲学的・政治的な文脈で具体的な立場として使われることがあります。
A philosophical position that denies or questions the existence of inherent meaning, objective value, or moral truth. Depending on the context, it may concern life as a whole, morality, knowledge, or established political and social institutions.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
ラテン語 nihil「無」に、思想・主義を表す -ism が付いた語です。nihilism in philosophy、moral nihilism、a loss of meaning という組み合わせで覚えます。単なる悲観や一時的な絶望ではなく、人生の意味、価値、道徳的真理などに客観的・本質的な根拠はないとする哲学的立場を指す点が重要です。
Build the word from Latin nihil, “nothing,” plus -ism, the ending used for a doctrine or system of thought. This makes “a doctrine centered on nothingness” a useful structural reminder, but the actual meaning must be read from context. Phrases such as moral nihilism, existential nihilism, and nihilism in modern philosophy identify different claims about value or meaning. Do not use nihilism as a simple synonym for sadness, pessimism, or despair. A person may feel hopeless without holding a philosophical position that denies objective meaning or moral truth. The related noun for a supporter is nihilist, and the adjective is nihilistic.
例文
The lecture introduced nihilism as a major theme in modern philosophy.
その講義では、ニヒリズムが近代哲学の主要なテーマとして紹介されました。
His essay discusses how nihilism can challenge traditional moral values.
彼の小論文は、ニヒリズムが伝統的な道徳観にどのように疑問を投げかけるかを論じています。
The novel does not praise nihilism, but it shows characters struggling with a loss of meaning.
その小説はニヒリズムをたたえているのではなく、意味の喪失に苦しむ登場人物を描いています。
nihilism の類義語・関連語
類義語
対義語
nihilism の語源・成り立ち Etymology
nihilism はラテン語 nihil「無」に、思想や主義を表す -ism が付いた語で、フランス語・ドイツ語を経て広まりました。文字どおり「何もないを基盤にする考え」で、関連語に nihilist や annihilate があり、虚無主義の感覚が見えます。
Nihilism was formed from Latin nihil, meaning “nothing,” and the suffix -ism, which marks a doctrine, practice, or system of ideas. The term developed in European intellectual and political discussion, with important transmission through French, German, and Russian usage. Its applications have varied, but the shared element is the rejection or radical questioning of accepted foundations such as inherent meaning, objective value, moral authority, or established institutions. Related English forms include nihilist and nihilistic.
同じレベルの英単語をもっと
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