Existentialism

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Existentialism

• The Courage to Be?

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The basic meaning of Existentialism

• Human beings are what they feel.
• Life is meaningless and pointless.
• Albert Camus, the existentialist novelist, said
  that the greatest question of life is,Why should
  I not commit suicide?
• Existentialism radicalized the autonomy principle
  of the Enlightenment

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Varieties of Existentialism

• Existentialism is a diffuse and diverse
  philosophy and encompasses a broad array of
  thinkers, from both Christian and atheistic
  traditions, including Sören
  Kierkegaard Fydyor Dostoevsky
  Friedrich Nietzsche Albert Camus
  Jean Paul Sartre Martin Heidigger

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A revolt against rationalism and romanticism

• Existentialism is rooted in a rejection of
  rationalism. Rationalism failed to account
  for the real problems of society the
  limited nature of science the hopelessness of
  modern man
• Existentialism esteems non-rationality as the
  highest virtue.
• Existentialist thinkers tend not to write pure
  philosophical treatises, but rather express their
  views in art, novels, film, and plays.

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Existentialist themes

• Although it is impossible to provide a system of
  existentialist beliefs, the following are
  recurring themes
• Anxiety, dread, and death
• Being and existence
• Examination of inner states of mind
• Meaninglessness and absurdity
• Individuality
• Choice

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Meaning in a meaningless world?

• Existentialism, particularly in its popular
  forms, holds that only by asserting ones
  individuality in the face of an absurd universe
  can one obtain meaning.
• The buzzword in this regard is authenticity. The
  greatest sin, existentially speaking, is to
  become one of the crowd.

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In 20th century philosophy

• In his landmark book, Zein und Zeit (Being and
  Time), Martin Heidigger elevated the structures
  of consciousness to the level of ultimate
  concern. Dread (Angst), the feeling of being on
  the verge of nothing, is the transcendent
  instrument of knowledge

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In 20th century theology

• Building upon existentialist thought, Paul
  Tillich defined religion as ultimate concern,
  God as the ground of being, and righteousness
  as The Courage to Be, that is, the attempt to
  become an authentic person.

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In modern theatre

• In Samuel Becketts famous play, Waiting for
  Godot, the two primary characters, Gogo and Didi,
  engage in irrational and absurd dialogue while
  waiting for the nonexistent person, Godot.
  Godot, of course, is a thinly veiled reference
  for God.

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In modern film

• Woody Allen, perhaps the most influential
  cinematic director/producer of thoughtful film,
  incorporates existentialist themes in virtually
  film he produces, including Annie Hall, Bananas,
  Zelig, Crimes and Misdemeanors.