This thesis explores the question of meaning by comparing the thought of Friedrich Nietzsche and classical Daoism, in particular the teachings of Laozi and Zhuangzi. Its starting point is the fundamental question of the reason for human existence, which goes beyond individual, self-chosen goals and addresses the meaning of existence as such, independent of personal orientations. However, this transpersonal meaning in Nietzsche or Zhuangzi and Laozi should not be understood as a transcendentally determined, objective, or teleological goal, since both reject any predetermined purpose of the cosmos. For them, transcending, ego-centric goals, as well as those dictated by society are not achieved through submission to external, objective truths, but through a departure from human individualism. The thesis highlights the capacity for introspection as the basis of human awareness of one’s own finitude, which constitutes one possible source of the problem of meaning. It first draws parallels between Nietzsche’s philosophy and Daoist thought, even though they arise from entirely different cultural and historical contexts. Their central point of convergence is a critique of anthropocentrism, which leads to a rupture in the connection between nature and humanity. The paper then analyses Nietzsche’s concept of herd mentality, the loss of individual creativity in society, and the role of intellect and value judgement in distancing humans from their animality. In parallel, it presents fundamental Daoist concepts such as dao, de, wu wei, and the idea of uncarved wood (pu), as well as Zhuangzi’s understanding of suffering as a consequence of the human tendency to categorise and evaluate the world. The central section is devoted to the danger of nihilism and the necessity of re–evaluating values as part of the deeper existential crisis of modern humanity. It highlights the symbolism of childhood innocence and a return to childhood as a path to lost spontaneity and creativity, the doctrine of the eternal return of the same, and the relationship between nature and humanity, including the motif of horror and fear of natural truth. This is followed by an explanation of the solution and the cause of the transformation of the human perspective on existence and concludes with a comparison of the findings of both traditions regarding our free and easy wandering on the world.
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