Existentialism

Existentialism
-The word “existential” combines the two words

“existence” and “essence” (exist-ential”), and
this etymology tells us what an “existential
question” is: a question concerning the essence
of what it means to be alive, such as:
What is the meaning of life = What is the
meaning (essence) of existence?
Who am I (essentially)?
What is my true nature/essence?
What is my true identity?
What is my greater purpose?
How should I live my life?
What is death?
What happens when we die?
Is there a god, and, if so, what is her/his nature?
The Pillars of Existentialism
Individualism and Subjectivity

-Absolute concentration on the individual. One
size fits all is of NO HELP.
Freedom and Responsibility

-With Freedom comes the responsibility to
choose and accept what follows.
Existence and Essence

-We are born with a blank slate and it’s up to us
to fill it.
Anguish and Absurdity

-We feel anguish when we realize our direction is
up to us.
Authenticity
-To realize that you are the only one responsible
for yourself.
The Existentialist
Soren Kierkegaard
1813-1855
The Father of Existentialism
“In the Crowd, the opposite of the individual,

there is danger of the individual.”
The Core Teachings of Kierkegaard’s Philosophy
Fideism
-“The notion that religious belief is grounded in
faith, not reason” (Vaughn, p. 323)
Individuality
-“…a crowd of humble people or of superior
people, of rich or of poor, etc. –a crowd in its
very concept is the untruth, by reason of the fact
that it renders the individual completely
impenitent and irresponsible, or at least
weakens his sense of responsibility by reducing it
to a fraction.” (S. Kierkegaard, the point of view,
trans. W. Lowrie (London, 1939). 1114.)
The Leap of Faith

-a “reasoned Christianity” (making Christianity
conform to reason) is doomed to fail. Humans
cannot base their lives on probabilities. Christian
belief is “absurd”. It requires a radical,
passionate, and “leap of faith” (Vaughn, p. 326)
From Objective to Subjective

-“For what would it profit me if I found the so-
called ‘objective truth’, if I worked through all
the system of philosophy and were able to
analyze them and expose their inconsistencies…
-“…what would it profit me if I developed the
correct interpretation of Christianity in which I
resolved all the internal problems, if it had no
deeper significance for me and my life.” (S.
Kiekegaard, journal, trans. Louis P. Pojman, in
the Classics of Philosophy and Lewis Vaughn
(New York: Oxford University Press, 2011), 942.
Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche
1844-1900
“He who has a why to live can bear almost any

how”.
The Core Teachings of Nietzsche’s Philosophy
The Will to Power

-Every person has the innate drive to dominate
and control. All human struggles start here.
(Vaughn p. 347)
Master Morality/Slave Morality

-Masters create morality by their interpretation
of “right and wrong”
Martin Heidegger
1889-1976
“The most thought-provoking thing in our
thought-provoking time is that we are still not
thinking” (What is Called Thinking p. 6)
The Core Teachings of Heidegger’s Philosophy
Phenomenology
-“Phenomenology is a way of painstakingly
describing the data of consciousness…” (Vaughn,
p.334)
Being
-Three “existentials” characterize “Being”
1. Throwness
2. Projection
3. Fallenness
Jean-Paul Satre
1905-1968
“Freedom is what you do with what’s been done

to you.”
The Core Teachings of Sartre’s Philosophy
Radically Free
-“Man is condemned to be free; because once
thrown into the world, he is responsible for
everything he does. It’s up to you to give your
life meaning.” (Being and Nothingness, ch 4)
Albert Camus
1913-1960
“But in the end one needs more courage to live
than to kill himself.”
The Core Teachings of Camus’ Philosophy
Absurdity
-“A central existentialist theme is that our
existence is absurd: There is an unbearable
conflict between our need for meaning, and
meaningless universe”. (Vaughn, p. 348)

Existentialism

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Existentialism

-The word “existential” combines the two words

The Pillars of Existentialism

Individualism and Subjectivity

Freedom and Responsibility

Existence and Essence

Anguish and Absurdity

“In the Crowd, the opposite of the individual,

The Leap of Faith

From Objective to Subjective

“He who has a why to live can bear almost any

The Core Teachings of Nietzsche’s Philosophy

The Will to Power

Master Morality/Slave Morality

The Core Teachings of Heidegger’s Philosophy

“Freedom is what you do with what’s been done

The Core Teachings of Camus’ Philosophy

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