Nietzsche's nihilism can be overcome when Godhood is seen as a naturalistic theological goal

Can we know the ultimate cause, the final cause, or purpose, of all things? We can't have the wisdom that evolved Gods have but we can know the ultimate cause in a general sense. Yet even saying that we can be accused of arrogance or pseudo-philosophy, especially by those who believe that man is fallen from grace and is sinful, or by those who have an exaggerated view of a non-material god, or by those who believe that evolution is totally random and goalless.

For Nietzsche, life seeks power, goalless power, amorally or immorally if need be, or creates its own morality. Theology and metaphysics were a spent force for Nietzsche mainly because Nietzsche dismissed direction and purpose to power and evolution. But when Godhood is seen as a naturalistic and theological goal, the goal of evolution, then biology and theology need not settle for the empty spiritualism that Nietzsche detested. Nature and philosophy can be seen as life materially evolving to Godhood.

Nietzsche at one point wanted philosophy to ally itself with natural science, with what would today be called sociobiology, and Nietzsche thought this would finally do away with God and religion. But with sociobiology, altruism, or being for others, which Nietzsche saw as only weakness, is seen as advancing the power of group survival and reproductive success, with religion helping to bond that altruism.

When sociobiology is seen teleologically then religion re-enters the world. The vitalism and teleology of the activating material will, or Tirips, can save Godhood and religion while affirming the naturalization of philosophy which Nietzsche championed. But we need to affirm that evolution moves inevitably in a pattern, even though it has its random elements, and the pattern has a discernible direction, in spite of instances of stagnation and retreat, toward higher and higher more effective living forms, all the way up the levels of Godhood.

Nietzsche remains a nihilist, and his preference for naturalism in philosophy doesn't change his nihilism because Nietzsche saw no direction, no order, no goal to evolution, other than amoral, directionless power. This purposelessness seems to be another fiction to replace the old fiction of a material-free, evolution-free spiritualism.

Theology needs to join with a new natural philosophy that sees direction and purpose in material evolution. Godhood becomes the goal of evolution in the philosophy of theological materialism. Nihilism can only be legitimately overcome this way. At this point it is a “faith” that there is no purpose to the will-to-power in evolution, against the faith that there is purpose in evolution. I believe the science which Nietzsche at his best preferred will one day affirm the purpose, direction, and material/supermaterial goal of attaining the supreme survival and reproductive success of Godhood in evolution. This will then give us the best of both faith and reason.