Against the Void: Human Nature and the Search for Meaning in Tragedy

This article examines the human impulse to seek meaning in tragedy. The classical dictum - often attributed to Aristotle - that “nature abhors a vacuum” can be recast as human nature’s resistance to explanatory emptiness. Cross-cultural cases illustrate how explanatory narratives often arise under uncertainty. These cases are illustrative rather than exhaustive, and, though often epistemically fragile, such meaning-making can sustain resilience, solidarity, and survival.