Nihilism and philosophy : nothingness, truth and world /

Baker (Griffith Univ., Australia) has written a historical tour de force, a meaty analysis of the development of nihilism as an approach to philosophical truth throughout the history of the great Western search for meaning. As his subtitle indicates, Baker is interested in seeing how the question of truth when sensing the world has led some to an answer of nihilism and an exhortation to parrhesia (courage in the face of this awful truth). Baker's historically based analysis begins with the ancient Cynics and proceeds thorough chapters on St. Paul, Nietzsche, and Heidegger, and a conclusion drawing on Foucault. Baker takes a serious look at the similarities between these thinkers, which leads to a final question of how to respond. The language and references assume a familiarity with the background texts, making this an ideal resource for scholars. The book is certainly a must read for those interested in historical philosophy and nihilism and its relation to Christianity. Those interested in similar in-depth analysis of these writers might consult Henri de Lubac's The Drama of Atheist Humanism (1950). Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty.--Jeremy Sienkiewicz, Benedictine College