I have read most of the Discworld novels.
While he certainly has a great sense of humour and sharp wit, you cannot get away from his underlying mockery of religion and the greater meaning of life.
The way Death is parodied, the way Small Gods depicts the small mindedness of the gods and the way the meaning of everything is fooled around with with the so called "auditors" being in charge of everything, is far too reminiscent of Douglas Adams's nihilistic masterpiece, the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, for my liking.
Actually, this modern trend of relativism leading to the ultimate message of "nothing really has meaning" strikes me as very similar to Ishamael's supposed philosophical views as depicted in his Age of Legends writings "The Absence of Meaning" and so on.
I far prefer the affirming themes found in Dean Koontz's later books to the nihilistic satirizing of the Meaning of Life found in the works of authors like Pratchett and Adams.
Though I disagree that Pratchett is nihilistic. That's like saying Nietzsche is nihilistic, it's a reversal of the truth. Nihilism is a concept Nietzsche despised, and it involves maintaining the same moral ideals imposed by religion without the religious belief, thus following a morality that isn't justified by your beliefs. It is slave morality with religion replaced with a belief in nothing. I disagree that TP being an Atheist means he is s nihilist. Vetinari may be one, but whilst TP can show the worse aspects of human nature, he also frequently highlights how good it can be too.
For without a Greater Purpose behind the physical, material world there can be no meaning.
If everything is just here by accident then there is no meaning to our existence other than "enjoy this tiny bit of existence while you can before the Great Nothing arrives".
To me, therefore, atheism equates to nihilism, as it robs our existence of all meaning.
I truly don't understand how ANYTHING can have meaning if we only have 7 decades or so and then Nothing.
Anyway, thanks for respecting my opinion.
Sir Terry Pratchett
- 07/01/2011 05:42:34 PM
1261 Views
I'm torn between my love of Pterry and my inherent laziness.
- 07/01/2011 05:55:25 PM
817 Views
Why do think you don't like unseen academicals as much as the others? *NM*
- 08/01/2011 05:41:30 PM
382 Views
Re: 
- 07/01/2011 05:58:54 PM
969 Views
- 07/01/2011 05:58:54 PM
969 Views
What do you particularly enjoy about Pyramids?
- 08/01/2011 05:44:31 PM
919 Views
Re: It is self contained, it examines its themes and then moves on, it is packaged to my tastes.
- 08/01/2011 07:45:23 PM
983 Views
*NM*
Re: Sir Terry Pratchett
- 07/01/2011 08:21:35 PM
938 Views
Heh. I forgot Good Omens.
- 07/01/2011 10:15:01 PM
827 Views
Humorous. But his underlying nihilism always leaves me somewhat disturbed after finishing a book..
- 08/01/2011 09:21:56 AM
997 Views
Interesting
- 08/01/2011 12:18:56 PM
938 Views
To me atheism = nihilism...
- 08/01/2011 12:47:04 PM
877 Views
Ok, I fundamentally disagree with you, but I respect your opinion
- 08/01/2011 12:49:54 PM
875 Views
Fair enough. However...
- 08/01/2011 12:54:24 PM
905 Views
To quote the Angel line that is in the quotes here...
- 08/01/2011 03:29:33 PM
811 Views
A lovely word confusion (not quite a paradox but I'm not sure what to call it)
- 08/01/2011 05:38:38 PM
737 Views
re: Death
- 08/01/2011 01:33:10 PM
785 Views
What nihilism?
- 08/01/2011 04:28:59 PM
809 Views
not really a big fan
- 08/01/2011 04:25:33 PM
1091 Views
A couple of new questions;
- 08/01/2011 06:03:15 PM
764 Views