Existentialism Board Note

Existentialism

Existentialism: A philosophical movement that focuses on individual autonomy and the necessity of making reasoned decisions for oneself.

Ø     Rooted in the 19^th century, existentialism is a philosophical movement that became prominent in the 20^th century and remains an important force at the beginning of the 21^st century.

Ø     Existentialists concern themselves with human existence: the problems humans face and the place of humans in the universe.

Ø     The issues of despair, depression, anxiety, meaninglessness, and nothingness recur in existentialist writing.

Ø     In philosopher Soren Kierkegaard’s world, happiness and self-fulfillment are out of the question. Life is simply not conducive to pleasure and happiness.

o       Resisting existential angst is futile. Angst is a permanent, universal feature of modern humanity.

o       Because of this bleak vision, existentialists are often described as pessimistic and gloomy.

Ø     Philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre did not agree that existentialism emphasized the darker side of human life.

o       He suggested that those who accused the movement of being too gloomy were frightened by existentialism’s emphasis on freedom and choice.

o       “Man will do nothing unless he has first understood that he must count on no one but himself; that he is alone, abandoned on earth in the midst of his infinite responsibilities; without help, with no other aim than the one sets himself, with no other destiny than the one he forges for himself on this earth.” – Jean-Paul Sartre

o       Why are people alone? Because God does not exist.

o       Every person is “condemned to be free”.