Philosophy

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Philosophy

Philosophy is a discipline that explains the meaning behind certain ongoing practices in this world. Likewise, it also explains the purpose behind the human reception of natural objects and the holy deities. In the same manner, it discusses man's relation with his creator, God, and the natural world surrounding him. Nowadays, after technological advancement, everything can be answered through scientific theories; however, there are some questions that can be best understood through the medium of philosophy. Many philosophers have given their theories and ideas regarding God and natural balance in different eras. Among these philosophers, a noticeable name is of Frederick Nietzsche; he was an atheist and gave many theories on the central idea of the absence of God. Similarly, he advocated the idea of nihilism as a popular philosophical belief. Another philosopher from contemporary times is Slavoj Zizek, and his work explains the ideological reasoning behind human and his relation with the world. This essay discusses the announcement of “God is dead” by Nietzsche and compares it with Zizek’s declaration “there is no Nature." This comparison essay will discuss the ideas of God as an absent figure, morality, knowledge, and catastrophe concerning the philosophical believes of both philosophers.

When Nietzsche announced that God is dead, he meant that this death was caused through scientific advancement and technological revolution since science gave all the answers to man. Similarly, man is a curious creature by nature, and he prefers to receive factual knowledge over unresearched facts. Scientific advancements have helped men in getting to know his surroundings, and he now knows that every natural phenomenon occurring near him is based on the principles of physics or cosmology. In this lieu, he no longer believes in the scriptures and the guidelines provided by God in it. In Nietzsche’s opinion, the above reason constitutes the ideological death of God. In a similar manner, Zizek advocates the idea that man explores the meaning behind a naturally occurring phenomenon. He proclaims that ideology is something that aids man in associating reason with every natural occurrence. Besides, man has attached the idea of nature with morality. For example, the ongoing situation of climate change has occurred as an aftermath of scientific advancements since the experiments produce heat and damage the ecological habitat. According to Zizek, man is not accountable by the religious laws if he throws trash on the ground since the Earth utilizes this trash, and it is capable of reproducing. In this lieu, man and his actions are part of the naturally occurring phenomenon; although he is part of nature, there is no nature. The philosopher argues that everything man views is a result of a big catastrophe.

Nietzsche proclaims that from the onset of human life, man’s knowledge of the world has come through the medium of religion and theology. For instance, he is taught that if he obeys God, the natural order will remain balanced. On the other hand, if he disobeys God, the natural balance will be disrupted. According to this logic, the ideology of God manifests itself as a moralizing agent that is used as a central figure to encourage man towards good deeds and abstain from the misdeeds. Besides, when God becomes an absent figure in the lives of human beings, they lose a sense of good and bad. They make decisions based on logic and according to their self-interest. In the same manner, the man views transition in his belief towards the notions of ethics, virtue, and kindness. He believes that these concepts are baseless since they are abstract. Quite on the contrary, his self-interest becomes the vital force that pushes him to make decisions a bit selfishly because he prioritizes his gains over the collective gain of the natural world. Morality is a debatable point in Zizek’s declaration as well since he is of the view that nature is going through a state of decomposition.

Zizek states that the current deteriorating state of nature and ecology is a big catastrophe that is created by man and his dangerous use of technology to explore this world. Man wants to believe that this catastrophe is instigated by him, and he will be punished by God. Likewise, this idea of a divine sense of judgment makes it easier for him to make himself guilty. However, on the other hand, he does not refrain from the practice of technology used to explore the environment around him. In Zizek's point of view, modern man is although reliant on technology and considers it a reason behind the moral decline of humanity; however, he does not stop damaging ecological order. In his opinion, the contrary debate about climate change and ecological threats have established itself as another ideology. This ideology makes human beings certain of getting punished for disrupting the divine balance because the human world is the only balanced world. Moreover, ecology is the contemporary ideology for today’s human beings, whereas, in reality, it is a catastrophic occurrence. Quite similarly, Nietzsche positions with the idea of nature as another attempt directed towards human beings as a measure of becoming self-righteous. Besides, his nihilist ideas reject nature and God since earlier they were considered to know the secrets behind this world and various occurrences in it.

Philosophy explores the meaning behind human actions and deconstructs multiple divine notions since they propagate the popular beliefs of sin and virtue. Both the philosophers, Zizek and Nietzsche, support the view that God and nature no longer exist as moralizing forces in the life of a modern man. After the technological revolution, science has provided all the meanings to him, and everything that occurs differently in this world is because of a big catastrophe and not because of man’s virtue.