Nihilism

Name: Nihilism
ISBN: 9787100210478

诺伦·格尔茨 / 张红军The Commercial Press · ChinaFeb 2024

3.9

Word count: 96K words
Chapters: 33
ISBN: 9787100210478

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Summary

Drawing on everyday scenarios in contemporary society and lively, engaging cases, this book clarifies what “nihilism” is—and what nihilistic thinking is—by contrasting it with “pessimism,” “cynicism,” and “indifference.” It strikes at the soul of modern people, prompting resonance and reflection.

Editor's review

Nolen Gertz’s “Nihilism” is not a simple introductory history of philosophy but a precise dissection of the core predicament of the modern spirit. A prominent scholar in contemporary philosophical research, Gertz does not treat nihilism merely as a negative, destructive force; instead, he situates it within the intellectual lineage from Nietzsche to postmodernism, revealing how it has become a fundamental force shaping our era’s worldview. The book’s distinctive value lies in moving beyond simple criticism or defense to guide readers in understanding the structure and logic of nihilism and its various manifestations in daily life—from political radicalism to the weariness of consumerism. The Commercial Press edition is reliably translated, preserving academic rigor while remaining clear in language, making it suitable for advanced philosophy enthusiasts. Reading this book, you will gain not an answer but a set of thinking tools for examining the complex issues of loss of meaning and revaluation of values in contemporary society.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Upper-level undergraduates or graduate students interested in modernity and postmodern philosophical issues
Thought enthusiasts seeking a systematic understanding of the concept of nihilism and its historical evolution
Professionals in art, literature, or cultural criticism who need philosophical analytical tools
Readers experiencing a crisis of meaning who wish to reflect deeply through serious reading

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking chicken-soup-style life guides or simple answers
Complete beginners with no background in philosophy who want to start from the most basic introductory texts

Reading tips

Read alongside Nietzsche’s “Thus Spoke Zarathustra” or Dostoevsky’s novels for richer experiential material.
While reading, note the distinctions among the different types of nihilism analyzed in the book (political, moral, epistemological, etc.).
Use the reflections at the end of each chapter as key notes, and try to connect the concepts with contemporary social phenomena.

About the publisher

The Commercial Press China · Founded in 1897

The Commercial Press is a publisher known for classic works and academic publishing, with titles spanning Eastern philosophy, foreign literature, world history, social culture, and applied psychology. Its list includes classical commentaries such as Zhu Xi's Collected Commentaries on the Analects and Wang Bi's Commentary on the Zhouyi, as well as modern annotated translations like Zhuangzi with Modern Notes and Translation. In foreign literature it offers War and Peace and Crime and Punishment, while in world history it carries Braudel's The Mediterranean and the Mediterranean World in the Age of Philip II. Applied psychology is represented by Irvin D. Yalom's Existential Psychotherapy, and ethical texts include a Greek-Chinese-English edition of the Nicomachean Ethics. Its authors and translators include Zhu Xi, Wang Bi, Yalom, Braudel, and translators such as Huang Zheng, Zhang Yiling, Shen Dongyu, and Tang Jialong, balancing the editing of original texts with academic translation.

版权信息
中译本序言
第一章为什么“一切都无所谓”有所谓？
“我敬重虚无主义”
“什么都不做”
第二章何谓虚无主义的历史？
苏格拉底与洞穴
笛卡尔与二元论
休谟和双陆棋
康德与危机
尼采的诊断
第三章虚无主义（不）是什么？
虚无主义对悲观主义
虚无主义对犬儒主义
虚无主义对无动于衷
第四章虚无主义是什么？
虚无主义作为一种拒绝
虚无主义作为对死亡的拒绝
虚无主义作为对意义之死的拒绝
虚无主义作为对童年意义的死亡的拒绝
第五章虚无主义在何处？
家里的虚无主义
学校里的虚无主义
工作中的虚无主义
市政厅里的虚无主义
第六章何谓虚无主义的未来？
自由的国度和虚无主义者的家园
技术与虚无主义
以虚无主义抗击虚无主义
·词汇表
·参考文献
·延伸阅读
·索引

FAQ

How academically difficult is this book? Is it suitable as an introduction to philosophy?

The book has a certain academic depth and assumes readers have a basic understanding of Western philosophical history. It is better suited as a thematic study of “modern philosophical problems” than as a philosophy primer starting from zero. Some foundational knowledge of Nietzsche, Heidegger, or existentialism is recommended first.

Does this book mainly discuss nihilism in history or contemporary phenomena?

Gertz combines historical and systematic analysis. He traces the intellectual history of nihilism from the 19th to the 21st century, but ultimately focuses on analyzing its new forms in the contemporary technological consumer society and political discourse, with strong relevance to the present.

What are the features of this Commercial Press edition?

This is an academic translation with standardized translator’s notes, retaining the original text of key terms and an academic index for further study. The design is plain, in keeping with the consistent style of the Commercial Press academic classics series, emphasizing the presentation of the text itself.

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About the author

诺伦·格尔茨 Author

Nolen Gertz is an author about whom very little public information is available. The library currently holds only one work by this author, Nihilism, catalogued under foreign literature. From the title and the category, it can be inferred that the author writes around the intellectual theme of nihilism, possibly discussing the modern spiritual condition, the loss of value, and the search for meaning. Since no reliable records of birth and death dates, nationality, education, or writing career are available, this note makes no speculation about the author's life. On the basis of the existing information, Gertz's writing appears to be conceptual and problem-centered rather than narrative or autobiographical. The fact that the work is placed in the foreign literature category suggests that readers and cataloguers noticed not only the philosophical concept itself but also its resonance in literary expression and lived experience. For readers concerned with modern thought and the state of the spirit, Nihilism offers an entry point that begins with the question itself.

张红军 Author

Public information about Zhang Hongjun is limited. The works published under his name span several fields, including foreign literature and biography as well as legal popularization and architecture. In foreign literature, he took part in translating and introducing the illustrated series of classic biographies of great artists and produced a complete Chinese translation of Ingmar Bergman's autobiography The Magic Lantern, showing sustained attention to Western art and thought; related works include Nihilism. Among his legal titles, he has written on basic legal knowledge, marriage law, and answers to everyday legal questions for general readers, focusing on addressing practical concerns in an accessible way. Overall, his writing crosses both humanistic translation and the popularization of practical knowledge, covering a wide range of subjects with an emphasis on readability and usefulness.