Moral Nihilism Explained: Why Morality May Be an Illusion

Moral nihilism is the philosophical position that there are no objective moral facts — no ultimate right or wrong built into the fabric of reality. It doesn’t mean you can’t have moral values. It means those values are human inventions, no more universally true than the rules of a board game.

In other words:

• Murder isn’t “wrong” in some cosmic sense — it’s wrong because humans agree it is.
• Helping others isn’t “good” in some ultimate moral order — it’s good because we’ve decided it should be.
• Without human agreement, the universe itself doesn’t care.

That’s moral nihilism in one hard, cold sentence: morality is a story we tell ourselves.

Where the Idea Comes From

Moral nihilism isn’t a modern internet edgelord invention — it has a serious intellectual pedigree.

• Friedrich Nietzsche didn’t call himself a moral nihilist, but he ripped into the idea of absolute moral truth, famously declaring that “God is dead” — and with Him, the metaphysical foundation for morality.
• J.L. Mackie, in the 20th century, famously argued for error theory: the claim that all moral statements are systematically false, because they pretend to describe objective facts that don’t exist.
• Ancient skeptics, from Pyrrho to certain strains of Buddhism, hinted that moral rules were cultural conventions, not universal truths.

Why People Find It Disturbing (and Liberating)

Moral nihilism is unsettling because it takes away the cosmic referee.

• No karma.
• No divine justice.
• No “moral arc of the universe” bending toward anything.

But that same absence of higher law can feel like radical freedom. If there’s no built‑in meaning, you’re free to invent your own. You can choose your principles instead of inheriting them without question.

Common Misunderstandings

“Moral nihilists think anything goes.”
Not quite. You can reject objective morality and still hold personal or societal values — you just recognize they’re chosen, not handed down from on high.

“It’s the same as moral relativism.”
Relativism says moral truth depends on culture or perspective. Nihilism says there’s no truth at all — it’s turtles all the way down.

“It’s just being edgy.”
Serious philosophers and psychologists explore moral nihilism to understand why humans fight over values, why cultures clash, and how we might live together without pretending there’s one absolute moral law.

Why It Matters Now

In a polarized world, people cling to their moral beliefs as if they’re cosmic laws. Moral nihilism asks a dangerous question:

What if the other side isn’t “wrong”… just different?

That perspective can dissolve some conflicts — or, if misunderstood, spark chaos. Understanding moral nihilism helps us navigate the cultural, political, and ethical fractures of the modern age.

If This Shook You, Read This

If the ground under your moral worldview feels less solid right now, you’re exactly where deep philosophy begins. My book, You Are Not Alive, takes the sledgehammer of moral nihilism and swings it further — into consciousness, free will, and the illusion of the self itself.