1 / 14

Existentialism

Existentialism. Definition:. Philosophical movement that deals with human freedom Requires individuals to posit their own subjective values. Proposition1: Existence before Essence. i.e. an individual exists (physically) before his or her life has value or meaning (substance)

alodie
Download Presentation

Existentialism

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Existentialism

  2. Definition: • Philosophical movement that deals with human freedom • Requires individuals to posit their own subjective values

  3. Proposition1: Existence before Essence • i.e. an individual exists (physically) before his or her life has value or meaning (substance) • Each of us have a unique identity • We all have unique experiences • A person is the sum total of his actions in life • You are what you are at any given moment

  4. Proposition 2: Meaning is created by human beings actions and interpretations i.e. The individual is in control of the universe

  5. Proposition 3: Freedom • You are solely responsible for what you become • Only you can create an image of yourself

  6. Proposition 4: Man’s Encounter with Nothingness • We realize that external abstractions are worth nothing • We only have our own personal freedom • Man is alienated and estranged from others

  7. Existentialism Throughout History • Buddhism • Socrates • The Bible • John Locke: individualist politics • Individual autonomy • Self-Deterination

  8. 20th Century Existentialism:Fear and Trembling • Began after WWII: Old order of the world challenged • Atom Bomb: Man can be totally annihilated • Paranoia • Kierkegaard, Dostoevsky, Heidegger • Popularity from Jean-Paul Sarte and Simone de Beauvoir

  9. Sartean Existentialism • Existence Precedes Essence • The individual constructs his or her identity • Values are subjective • The Preceperi: Watching one’s being or insight • Bad faith: people lie to themselves which negates their being • Being for others • Responsibility for choices • Condemned to be free

  10. Notable Works: • The Stranger • Myth of Sisyphus: Greek myth demonstrates the futility of existence • Futility of this existence, but Sisyphus ultimately finds meaning in this task

  11. Other Existential Beliefs: • The existentialist starts with experience first • Only when man fulfills himself he exists • Our state of existence is full of dread and anxiety • Choice is always possible, you must always choose • Each man is isolated with his own freedom • Man is absurd: Generates the Theater of the Absurd

  12. The Theater of the Absurd • Waiting for Godot • Plots deviated from normal episodic structure, and became circular • Meaningless plots, repetitive or nonsensical dialogue and dramatic non-sequiturs

  13. The question is: Do I exist?

More Related