Existentialist thought

1
Existentialist thought

• We always find something, eh Didi, to give us
  the impression we exist?
• Estragon in Waiting for Godot

2
What is the point of life?Why do I exist?Why
is there something rather than nothing?
3
From Nausea by Jean-paul sartre

• The Nausea hasn't left me and I don't believe it
  will leave me for quite a while but I am
• no longer putting up with it, it is no longer an
  illness or a passing fit it is me I had
• this revelation. It took my breath away. Never,
  until these last few days, had I suspected what
  it
• meant to 'exist'. I was like the others, like
  those who walk along the seashore in their spring
  
• clothes. I used to say like them 'The sea is
  green that white speck up there is a seagull',
  but I
• didn't feel that it existed, that the seagull was
  an 'existing seagull' usually existence hides
  itself.
• It is there, around us, in us, it is us, you
  can't say a couple of words without speaking of
  it, but
• finally you can't touch it We were a heap of
  existents inconvenienced, embarrassed by
  ourselves,
• we hadn't the slightest reason for being there,
  any of us, each existent, embarrassed, vaguely
  ill
• at ease, felt superfluous in relation to the
  others.
• And I weak, languid, obscene, disgusting,
  tossing about dismal thoughts I too was
  superfluous
• I dreamed vaguely of killing myself, to destroy
  at least one of these superfluous existences. But
  
• My death itself would have been superfluous.
  Superfluous, my corpse, my blood on these
  pebbles,
• between these plants, in the depths of this
  charming park. And the decomposing flesh would
  have
• been superfluous in the earth which would have
  received it, and my bones, finally, cleaned,
• stripped, neat and clean as teeth, would also
  have been superfluous I was superfluous for all
• time.

4
Existentialism

• The branch of philosophy that deals with the
  problem of our existence
• Our existence as beings has no purpose
• Centers on the individual and his or her
  relationship to the universe or God
• Jean-Paul Sartre
• Leading existentialist
• French novelist and philosopher
• There is no predefined essence to humanity
  except that which we make for ourselves
• Human beings are free to do what they choose, but
  along with freedom comes responsibility and
  consequences.
• With responsibility comes profound anguish or
  dread

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existentialism

• Attempts to describe our desire to make rational
  decisions despite existing in an irrational
  universe
• Believes that the human desire for logic and
  immortality are futile
• We are forced to define our own meanings, knowing
  they might be temporary
• Only one sure thingwe will die
• Once realized people suffer great anguish
• People behave in a variety of ways to shield
  themselves from this knowledge
• Jobs, laws, rules, regulations to give us the
  sense of control
• Do things repetitively
• Create illusions of love, family, and society
• Create myths and stories to explain the world
• Only way to find truth in our existence is facing
  our mortality, determine our beliefs, and act
  from self-conviction

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What are themes in existentialism that could be
linked to the following quotes?

• ESTRAGON Nothing to be done.
• VLADIMIR I'm beginning to come around to that
  opinion. All my life
• I've tried to put it from me saying,
  Vladimir, be reasonable. You haven't yet
  tried everything. And I resumed the struggle.
• --------------------------------------------------
  --------------------------------------------------
  ------
• ESTRAGON We came here yesterday.
• VLADIMIR Ah, no, there you're mistaken.
• ESTRAGON What did we do yesterday?
• VLADIMIR What did we do yesterday?
• ESTRAGON Yes.
• VLADIMIR Why Nothing is certain when you're
  about.
• --------------------------------------------------
  --------------------------------------------------
  ------
• LUCKY Given the existence as uttered forth in
  the public works of Puncher and Wattmann of a
  personal god quaquaquaqua with white beard
  quaquaquaqua outside time without extension who
  from the heights of divine apathia divine
  athambia divine aphasia loves us dearly with
  some exceptions for reasons unknown but time
  will tell and suffers like the divine Miranda
  with those who for reason unknown but time will
  tell are plunged in torment plunged in fire