Unit 1: What Is Existentialism?
Existentialists are concerned with existence, the human condition, human existence, and their own existence in particular. Existence is the starting point for philosophical reflection. Rather than "What is the fundamental substance of the universe?", an existentialist asks, "What does it mean to be?". An existentialist is interested in authentic existence. They are concerned with how to answer this question in the context of a universe that is not orderly, such as rationalists like Plato (428–348 BC), René Descartes (1596–1650), and Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770–1831) would have it.
Existentialism refers to the philosophical and literary movement that Jean-Paul Sartre (1905–1980) and Albert Camus (1913–1960) first popularized in post-war France. While the term emerged with these and other 20th-century philosophers such as Martin Heidegger (1889–1976), W.E.B. Du Bois (1868–1963), and Simone de Beauvoir (1908–1986), we can trace its roots to Søren Kierkegaard (1813–1855). While these "proto-existentialists" did not use the term, their philosophical concerns were direct precursors to the existentialist movement that took shape after World War II.
Completing this unit should take you approximately 1 hour.
Upon successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- define the term existentialism;
- identify the key figures associated with the existentialist movement.
1.1: Overview of Existentialism
Existentialists believe the universe is not a rational place and that human reason is inferior to emotion. We cannot understand existence through rational thought. For an atheistic existentialist, the universe is devoid of meaning, which can cause considerable anxiety. Navigating this complex world requires confronting yourself as a human being and the world as it is. Consequently, existentialism is deeply concerned with the choices we make in the face of our own finitude in a meaningless world.
Existentialists are concerned with several problems, such as what it means to be an individual, choice, freedom, dread, anxiety, meaning, absurdity, and death. An existentialist considers these concerns in terms of our individual situation: the condition of the world and our relationship with others.
One way to consider these concerns is to think in terms of embodiment and what it means to exist. A rationalist, such as Plato or Descartes, distinguishes the mind (or soul) and the beyond. On the other hand, an existentialist thinks about how the individual exists as a whole, situated in time and place.
We will also discuss the difference between theistic (or religious) existentialism and atheistic existentialism. While both focus on the significance of the individual, a theistic existentialist is concerned with the individual's choices concerning divinity. An atheistic existentialist is concerned with an individual's choices in a Godless universe.
Read this overview of existentialism. As you read, consider how existentialists view essence, freedom, and authenticity. Also, consider the origins and evolution of existential thought throughout history. Can you imagine these prominent existential figures conversing with one another across time, space, and place? Noting the sections "existentialism in psychotherapy" and "popular existentialism", have you unwittingly engaged in existential thought without realizing it? What was the outcome of these endeavors – did it leave you with more questions?
Watch this video. Consider how existentialism, as a philosophy, is frequently fraught with confusion about its very definition. How have politics, cultural biases, and misinformation contributed to the fragmentation and underutilization of existential themes? How can we emphasize the importance of existential theory not only for the discipline of philosophy but also for everyday life?
1.2: Key Existentialist Figures
We associate existentialism with the philosophers Søren Kierkegaard (1813–1855), Fyodor Dostoevsky (1821–1881), Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900), Martin Heidegger 1889–1976), Jean-Paul Sartre (1905–1980), Simone de Beauvoir (1908–1986), W.E.B Du Bois (1868–1963) and Albert Camus (1913–1960). These thinkers lived across Europe and Asia: Sartre and de Beauvoir were French, Kierkegaard was Danish, Dostoevsky was Russian, Nietzsche and Heidegger were German, Du Bois was American, and Camus was French-Algerian.
Existentialism became a prominent movement after World War II when Jean-Paul Sartre, the French philosopher, coined the term. We include Simone de Beauvoir, Martin Heidegger, and Albert Camus in the taxonomy of existentialist philosophers, although Heidegger and Camus explicitly rejected Sartre's definition of the label "existence precedes essence".
Blaise Pascal (1623–1662) was a "proto-existentialist" because he anticipated the existentialist movement. His concern with human existence (finitude) and an individual's choice to believe or not believe in God (Pascal's wager) put him squarely in the existentialist context.
Many consider Søren Kierkegaard, the Danish religious philosopher who emphasized subjectivity, the "founding father" of existentialism. He believed we could find truth subjectively rather than objectively, as Plato would have it. Subjectivity is a "passionate inwardness" where one finds a relationship with God. Pascal and Kierkegaard asked us to confront, rather than turn away from, the uncertainties of life and what it means to be an individual.
While we can consider Pascal and Kierkegaard to be optimistic theistic existentialists, Fyodor Dostoevsky emphasized the dissonance between suffering and the concept of a loving and benevolent God. Through his literary works, Dostoevsky examined the nature of religious belief in the face of suffering, nihilism, and human freedom. With Pascal and Kierkegaard, Dostoevsky also criticized faith in reason and championed the individual over other values associated with society.
Consider the links between various philosophers while you watch this video. Consider some of the major existential questions they sought to answer. What role do religion and science have in existential thought? How could engaging in existential contemplation aid in developing your life potential? What role does it have in your pleasure or unhappiness?
Unit 1 Assessment
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