Existentialism,

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Existentialism, Albert Camus, and The Stranger
Albert Camus (1913 - 1960), a French philosopher
of the absurd, novelist, and dramatist
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Albert Camus

• born in Algeria in 1913
• settled in Paris and studied philosophy and
  literature
• one of the principal persons of the
  existentialist movement
• writings often considered controversial
• Writings affected by the time period, especially
  the horrors of WWII

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Camus, cont.

• Work is characterized by simple plots,
  effectiveness of dialogue and dramatic effects,
  extreme of racism, political corruption, the
  exploitation of women, and, above all, the
  hypocrisy of American life.

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A Poem by Stephen Crane

• A man said to the universe
• Sir I exist!
• However, replied the universe,
• the fact has not created in me a sense of
  obligation.

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EXISTENTIALISM

• A body of ethical thought centering about the
  uniqueness and isolation of individual experience
  in a universe indifferent or hostile to man,
  regarding human existence as unexplainable, and
  emphasizing mans freedom of choice and
  responsibility for the consequences of his acts.
• Take a minute with a partner and break down
  this definition. Write your own version of the
  definition.

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What is Existentialism?

• The word first appeared in 1941

• Branch of philosophy based on the situation of
  the
• individual in an absurd or meaningless universe
• where humans have free will

• Existentialists argue that people are responsible
  
• for and the sole judge of their actions as they
  affect
• others.

• Individuals must not allow their choices to be
• constrained by ANYTHING -- not even reason or
• morality. One has the ultimate freedom to
  choose,
• which leads to the notion of nonbeing, or
  nothingness

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BACKGROUND

• Sartre, in his lecture Existentialism and Human
  Emotions, formed the slogan Existence precedes
  Essence. He illustrated this slogan with four
  points
• We have no predetermined nature or essence that
  controls what we are, what we do, or what is
  valuable for us.
• We are radically free to act independently of
  determination by outside influences.
• We create our own human nature through these free
  choices.
• We also create our values through these choices.

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The Basic Existentialist Standpoint

• Existence precedes essence.
• Essence the basic, real, and invariable nature
  of a thing or its significant individual feature
  or features
• Man exists without a predetermined purpose
• Man is a conscious subject rather than a thing to
  be predicted or manipulated.
• Man exists as a conscious being, and not in
  accordance with any definition, generalization,
  or system.

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More Existentialist Themes

• Identities are constructed by the individual
  consciousness only.
• Values are subjective- no preset right or wrong.
• We are all condemned to be free.

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Death According to Existentialists

• Simply put Life is short, then you die. Death
  is the final nothingness.
• According to Sartre, death is an absurd birthit
  is nothing but the wiping out of my existence as
  a conscious being.
• Death shows the absurdity of the human
  existence.

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Moral Individualism

• There are no universal, objective standards for
  right and wrong.
• No objective, rational basis exists for moral
  decisions.
• The individual must decide which situations are
  to count as moral situations.
• The individual is responsible for all of the
  consequences of ones actions.

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Choice and Commitment

• Humanitys primary distinction is the freedom to
  choose the choices an individual makes create
  his or her nature.
• Choice is inescapable even the refusal to choose
  is a choice.
• Freedom of choice involves commitment one must
  accept the risk and responsibility of following
  that commitment.

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Absurdity

• The doctrine that human beings live in essential
  isolation in a meaningless and irrational world.
• Absurdists do not believe suicide is the answer.
  You should choose to make the most of what you
  have while youre living.
• I am my own existence, butthis existence is
  absurd.
• The human situation is ambiguous, rather than
  rational or something that can be understood or
  explained.
• Existentialists usually believe in the absurd.

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