Nothing Rather than Something: A Zhuangzian Reappraisal of Nihilism

ABSTRACT Nihilism comes from the Latin nihil , meaning “nothing.” It is the belief that nothing inherently governs existence: no values, principles, or ultimate meaning. Many philosophers treat this as an existential crisis: If there is no meaning to our lives and actions, why bother? This work challenges the assumption that nihilism is terrifying. I adopt a broader, more neutral framing: life lacks inherent meaning, but this lack is not necessarily tragic. Drawing on the Daoist philosopher Zhuangzi, I develop an alternative view of nihilism that contrasts with the Anglo‐European “death of God” narrative and the moral chaos it supposedly unleashes. For Zhuangzi, nothingness is not a threat. He does not mourn the loss of meaning, nor does he attempt to overcome it by creating new values. Instead, Zhuangzi challenges the ultimacy of meaning, highlights its contingency, and offers a distinctive way of inhabiting purposelessness—opening new possibilities for ethical and political thought across traditions.