EXISTENTIALISM

Interesting Quote “ I stick my finger into existence - it smells of nothing. Where am I? What is this thing called the world? Who is it who has lured me into the thing and now leaves me here? Who am I? How did I come into the world? Why was I not consulted?” Kierkegaard

Existentialism What is it about? It is a philosophical movement that focuses on individuality, and the necessity of making reasoned decisions for one’s self.

Existentialists… believe that it is impossible to know anything in the world. (Editor: huh?!?) concern themselves with the problems humans face, and the place of “the human” in the universe. feel humans are what they mold themselves to be.

Who are the major thinkers? The three main philosophers behind this school are: Soren Kierkegaard Martin Heidegger Jean-Paul Sartre.

Soren Kierkegaard believed … people must move beyond judging their actions according to reason or the standards of society and become responsible only to the judgments of God. that it is through their choices people to come to know who they really are and what they value. that works of art are not real; they are meaningless and lack purpose.

Martin Heidegger … built on Kierkegaard’s ideas but rejected his religious beliefs and focus. believed that your ‘being’ is always in question; it doesn’t come ready-made. authenticity (being true to one’s self when making moral choices) is the only virtue worth striving for in existentialist theory.

Jean-Paul Sartre believed that… people can never be certain that they have made the right choices. people are free and alone. They are alone because God does not exist. human nature can by summed up in this three word sentence - Existence precedes essence.

Sartre also believed that… human beings have no particular purpose in living. there is no divine master plan; therefore nothing makes sense, all events are random, and life is absurd.

Metaphysics “Existence precedes essence” basically describes what an existentialist believes about metaphysics. They believe there is no human nature: people exist, and each creates his/her own essence. A person’s behaviour cannot be compared to someone else’s. Each individual is unique.

Epistemology Existentialists believe that knowledge is mainly gained through experience in our everyday lives. They feel that too much intellectual analysis interferes with and active participation in life.

Ethics Existentialists are ones which pick and choose their own values and morals. To them, choice is everything. Each person lives according to different choices and morals which each person alone defines. They do no believe in actual ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ choices because they believe that, for every choice made, one can assume the person has chosen what they felt was ‘right’ for them.

Weaknesses Causes anxiety for a person because it can be too much responsibility for an individual to take on themselves Do people even know what freedom really is? How can a person be free if our bodies, abilities, and environment are pre-determined for us? How can a person give meaning to their life if we haven’t yet determined what actually gives you meaning in life?

Strengths You could look at freedom as a good opportunity to express yourself and develop “your own values” in life as opposed to having to follow you parent’s teachings for example. Existentialism allows a person to see beyond your circumstances and move forth in trying to change your reality. Kierkegaard’s view on making choices based on what you think is best for you and not what society urges you to do.

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