Philosophy For Dummies By Tom Morris Nihilism

Tom Morris’s book Philosophy for Dummies, especially chapter 22 focusing on the question, “what is the meaning of life?” He discusses three approaches/views on how to answer this powerful question. The first view being Nihilism, then the do-it-yourself-approach, and finally the theist view. I believe that being a theist, a believer in God, makes it easier to recognize that life is meaningful. All theses approaches that are mentioned in Philosophy for Dummies answer the underlying questions, does life even have a meaning and if so what is the meaning. First looking at Nihilism, according to Morris “Nihilism is the ultimate negativity.” Nihilist view that nothing has meaning. There is no reasoning behind anything. Basically nothing is significant. According to nihilism you could try hard your whole life become someone important or you could do nothing with your life but in the end none of it matters. The nihilism view to answer the question does life have meaning would be an absolute NO. As a firm believer in God I do not see the view as valid. Being a Nihilist you would always be pessimistic and have a negative outlook on life. Nothing good will ever come of that. Living a life of nihilism would
What this means is life is what you make it, if you want your life to have meaning then give it meaning. This is Morris’s do-it-yourself-approach. The do-it-yourself-approach to the meaning of life does not include if there is a God or if there is not a God. It focuses merely on the outlook that “nothing has meaning unless it is given meaning.” (Morris, 288) Although I do agree with Morris’s view on the do-it-your-self approach I do not agree with the part that it excludes God from the picture. I believe people who believe in God can understand life’s meaning