Existentialism is the [[Philosophy|philosophical]] movement that emphasizes individual existence, freedom, and responsibility. It holds that ==humans are not defined by predetermined essence or purpose, but instead must create meaning for themselves through choices and actions==. This condition produces both the anxiety of radical freedom and the possibility of authentic living. ## Core Problem - Humans exist in a world without inherent meaning or fixed essence - Traditional sources of certainty (religion, metaphysics) cannot provide ultimate justification - Each person must define their own values and identity through action ## Key Ideas of Existentialism - **Existence precedes essence**: individuals are not born with a given nature or purpose; they must construct it - **Freedom and responsibility**: with absolute freedom comes absolute responsibility for one’s choices - **Authenticity**: to live authentically is to embrace freedom, resist self-deception, and act in accordance with self-chosen values - **Anguish and despair**: awareness of freedom creates anxiety; failure to find meaning may result in despair - **Interpersonal dynamics**: the presence of others shapes [[selfhood]] and can become a source of conflict or recognition (e.g. Sartre’s notion of “the gaze”) ## Existentialism in Literature and Art - Literature often depicts characters confronting the burden of freedom and meaninglessness - [[Jean-Paul Sartre]]’s _Nausea_ - [[Albert Camus]]’ _The Stranger_ - [[Fyodor Dostoevsky]]’s _Notes from Underground_ (precursor to existential themes) - Artistic motifs: alienation, absurdity, and the quest for authenticity ## [[Philosophy|Philosophical]] Context - Emerged in 19th and 20th century Europe - Precursors: [[Søren Kierkegaard]] (religious existentialism), [[Friedrich Nietzsche]] (atheistic existentialism) - Key figures: - [[Jean-Paul Sartre]]: atheistic existentialism, radical freedom, and responsibility - [[Simone de Beauvoir]]: existential feminism, emphasis on lived experience and oppression - [[Martin Heidegger]]: focus on _being_ and authenticity (_Being and Time_) - [[Albert Camus]]: often associated but identified himself as an absurdist rather than existentialist - Historical context: WWII, loss of faith in rationalist and universalist philosophies, rise of individualist focus ## Practical Implications - Encourages individuals to embrace freedom rather than flee into conformity or external authority - Promotes authenticity: honesty about one’s condition and choices - Challenges avoidance strategies such as: - **Bad faith**: self-deception to escape responsibility - **Appeal to external systems**: reliance on religion, ideology, or tradition to absolve choice - Inspires existential ethics: responsibility not just to oneself, but to others (e.g. Beauvoir’s emphasis on freedom as interdependent) ## References - [Existentialism - Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy](https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/existentialism/) - [Existentialism - Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy](https://iep.utm.edu/existent/) - [Existentialism - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Existentialism) - [Jean-Paul Sartre’s Existentialism - Philosophy Break](https://philosophybreak.com/articles/jean-paul-sartres-existentialism-explained/) - [Existentialism and Humanism by Jean-Paul Sartre](https://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/sartre/works/exist/sartre.htm)