Apocalypse and neonihilism

The world without us in Eugene Thacker

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.34024/prometeica.2025.32.20510

Keywords:

Apocalypse, Neo-nihilism, World without us, Tao

Abstract

In this article, we'll review some of the philosopher, writer, and artist E. Thacker's reflections on neo-nihilism and the apocalypse. We'll explain how we see a renewal of nihilism, rooted in a pessimistic sentiment that has been dubbed cosmic pessimism. This renewal of disenchantment is a resignation embodied in the contingent manifestations of a world within us. Cosmic pessimism, on the other hand, is a pessimism of impersonal affects, which broadens or narrows the human point of view, a pessimism that succumbs to the indifference of the cosmos. From this emerges a post-humanist pessimism, similar to the Tao Te Ching saying that heaven and earth are indifferent to everyone and treat them like straw dogs.

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Author Biographies

  • Jesús Ayala-Colqui, Universidad Científica del Sur

    https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9059-5401

  • Karla Castillo Villapudua, Autonomous University of Baja California


    https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3693-6420

References

Alejo, J. (2020). Eugene Thacker y el horror filosófico. Reflexiones MArginales. https://revista.reflexionesmarginales.com/eugene-thacker-y-el-horror-filosofico/

Meillassoux, Q. (2015). Después de la finitud. Caja Negra.

Santamaría, A. (2023). Es mejor no ser. Entre Schopenhauer y Eugene Thacker. Numinis: Revista de Filosofía.

Plesa, P. (2024). Neonihilism: Meaninglessness and irony in neoliberal capitalism. Theory & Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1177/09593543241258471.

Thacker, E. (2017). Pesimismo cósmico. Melusina

Thacker, E. (2015). En el polvo de este planeta. El horror de la filosofía. Vol.1 Materia Oscura.

Tsé, L. (2018). Tao te Ching. Universidad de Guadalajara.

Vazquez, J. (2020). Nietzsche’s shadow: On the origin and development of the term nihilism. Philosophy & Social Criticism, 47, 1199 - 1212. https://doi.org/10.1177/0191453720975454.

Woodward, A. (2019). Nihilism, Neonihilism, Hypernihilism: ‘Nietzsche aujourd’hui’ Today?. Nietzsche-Studien, 48, 244 - 264. https://doi.org/10.1515/nietzstu-2019-0013.

Prometeica v.32

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Published

2025-10-18

Issue

Vol. 32 (2025): Prometeica - v 32 (03/2025 - 12/2025)

Section

Articles - Dossier 2

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Copyright (c) 2025 Jesús Ayala-Colqui, Karla Castillo Villapudua

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Received 2025-05-08
Accepted 2025-06-10
Published 2025-10-18

How to Cite

Ayala-Colqui, J., & Castillo Villapudua, K. (2025). Apocalypse and neonihilism: The world without us in Eugene Thacker. Prometeica - Journal of Philosophy and Science, 32, e20510 (1-9). https://doi.org/10.34024/prometeica.2025.32.20510