Existentialism

Overview

Existentialism is a philosophical movement that emphasizes individual existence, freedom, and choice. It is the view that humans define their own meaning in life, and try to make rational decisions despite existing in an irrational universe. It focuses on the question of human existence, and the feeling that there is no purpose or explanation at the end of existence. It holds that, as there is no God or any other transcendent force, the only way to counter this nothingness (and hence to find meaning in life) is by embracing existence.

History

Existentialism is generally considered to have originated with the 19th century Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard, and was later adopted in Germany by the influential philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. It became popular in the mid-20th century, thanks in large part to the French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre.

A black and white photograph of a man sitting alone in a café, lost in thought. He is surrounded by empty chairs, symbolizing existential isolation.

Key Concepts

Existentialism revolves around a few key concepts. These include:

Existence precedes essence: This means that the most important consideration for individuals is the fact that they are individuals—independently acting and responsible, conscious beings ("existence")—rather than what labels, roles, stereotypes, definitions, or other preconceived categories the individuals fit ("essence"). The actual life of the individual is what constitutes what could be called their "true essence" instead of there being an arbitrarily attributed essence others use to define them.

The Absurd: The notion of the Absurd contains the idea that there is no meaning in the world beyond what meaning we give it. This meaninglessness also encompasses the amorality or "unfairness" of the world. This contrasts with "karmic" ways of thinking in which "bad things don't happen to good people"; to the world, metaphorically speaking, there is no such thing as a good person or a bad person; what happens happens, and it may just as well happen to a "good" person as to a "bad" person.

Facticity: This is a concept defined by Sartre in Being and Nothingness as the in-itself, which delineates for humans the modalities of being and not being. This can be separated out for analysis into two things, the factual and the transcendental.

Authenticity: In existentialism, authenticity is the degree to which an individual's actions are congruent with their beliefs and desires, despite external pressures to conform.

Despair: In existentialism, despair is a loss of hope. More specifically, it is a loss of hope in reaction to a breakdown in one or more of the defining qualities of one's self or identity.

Existentialism and Art

Existential themes of individuality, responsibility, and the daunting awareness of death have been prominent in art long before the advent of existentialism as a formal philosophical doctrine. In the 20th and 21st centuries, existentialist ideas have been commonly expressed in works of literature, drama, and film.

Existentialism and Religion

Many existentialists have also regarded traditional systematic or academic philosophies, in both style and content, as too abstract and remote from concrete human experience. Although they did not completely denounce the existence of God, they proposed that God is distant and abstract, making it impossible for humans to have a personal relationship with Him.

Criticisms

Existentialism has been criticised for inviting people to remain in a quietism of despair, to fall back into a the middle-class luxury of a merely contemplative philosophy. Many critics argue it has not sufficiently defined individuality, describing it as a negative rather than a positive phenomenon.