Essay On Existentialism

existentialism Essay
Existentialism provides a moving account of the agony of being in the world. The spirit of existen–
tialism has a long history in philosophy. But it be– came a major movement in the second half of the
20th century. Existentialism is not a systematic body of thought like Marxism or psychoanalysis.
Instead, it is more like an umbrella under which a very wide range of thinkers struggled with ques–
tions about the meaning of life.
Much of the appeal and popularity of Existential– ism is due to the sense of confusion, the crisis, and
the feeling of rejection and rootlessness that Euro– peans felt during World War II and its aftermath.
Existentialism's focus on each person's role in cre– ating meaning in their life was a major influence
...show more content...
His being does not emerge from necessity. If a human being rejects the false pretensions, the
illusions of his existence hav– ing a meaning, he encounters the absurdity, the fu– tility of life. The
human being's role in the world is not predetermined or fixed; every person is com– pelled to make
a choice. Choice is one thing the human being must make. The trouble is that most often the human
being refuses to choose. Hence, he cannot realize his freedom and the futility of his existence.
Basically existence is of two types: authentic and inauthentic forms of existence. Authentic existence
is contrasted with dynamic and is the being–for– itself, rising from the human being's bad faith, by
which the human being moves away from the bur– den of responsibility, through this beliefs in
dogma and by regarding himself as subject to outside in– fluences and his actions to be
predetermined.
There is a striking contrast between the authentic and the inauthentic forms of being; the authentic
being is the being of the human being and the inau– thentic being is the being for things. Yet,
authentic being is only rarely attained by the human being; still it is what the human being must
strive to gain. The inauthentic being–in–itself is characteristically distinctive of things; it is what the
human being is diseased with for his failure to see himself as and act according as a free agent and
his impotency to
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Existentialist Views on Death Essay
Existentialist Views on Death
What is Existentialism?
Existentialism is a philosophy developed chiefly in the 20th century that attempts find meaning in a
seemingly meaningless world. The central theme of existentialism is that an individual must
assume all responsibilities for his or her acts of free will without any absolute knowledge of what
is right or wrong. Existentialism analyzes this somewhat dismal situation mankind has been thrown
into, and produces a model for how an individual should live his or her life. However, why should
someone attempt to live a life of morals and meaning in a cold and indifferent world? An analysis of
existentialist views on death may lead to an answer to this question.
A Brief History of...show more content...
He postulated that feelings of dread and anxiety are God's way of calling each individual to make a
commitment to a personally valid way of life (Akram).
A major contributor to modern existentialism is Martin Heidegger. His philosophy developed out of
a reaction to the rationalistic ideas of Edmund Husserl. Heidegger maintained that humanity finds
itself in a complicated and indifferent world, and an individual will never know why they exist.
Instead, humans need to find a goal and follow it with passionate conviction, knowing that life is
meaningless and that they will eventually die. Heidegger emphasized the idea of "being,"
particularly in his book Sein und Tode. He expandedKierkegaard's idea of dread, by asserting that
anxiety leads to an individual's confrontation with nothingness and the impossibility of justifying
one's actions (Kemerling).
Jean Paul Sarte popularized the term existentialism by using it for his own philosophy, which began
in France and became internationally popular after World War II. Sarte's philosophy is explicitly
atheistic and pessimistic, declaring that human beings need a rational basis for their lives but are
unable to achieve one. He defined nausea as an individual's recognition of pure contingency of the
universe, and anguish as the recognition of the total freedom of choice that an individual is
confronted with continuously. He strongly emphasized the freedom of choice and the

Existentialism : A Philosophical Theory Essay
What is existentialism? Existentialism is a philosophical theory that emphasizes the existences of
one against it 's freedom of choice and will. It is also interpreted that humans come into the world
without a nature. Humanity has no universal established in advance principles or ethics common to
all of humankind. Since there is no preformed essence or definition exists of what is means to "be
human," a person must form its own conception of any existence by maintaining the actions of and
responsibility for its actions and choices. Consequently, a human being gains his/her essence
through individual choices and actions. It is simply through the process of living life that one can
define only itself. Existence in one does not include the consequence one will make.When we are
created in the world we are created without knowledge , we are produce to learn things throughout
life and chose the way and how we are going to live our lives. We have no choice but to make our
decisions for ourselves even if they are morally incorrect. The acceptance of one's decision will
maintain on what happened to and how one interpret the outcome. Though when humans are morally
incorrect, we are unlikely to admit it.Another concept of existentialism is resentment , the resentment
of one of it 's past cannot be ignored though one future can change. In No exit by Jean– Paul Sartre
each character is placed in the same room with no way out, it introduces existentialism in many ways.

Existentialism Essay example
In his 1946 essay Existentialism, Jean–Paul Sartre undertakes the task of defending existentialism
against what he defines as "charges" (341) brought against it. Sartre begins to outline the "charges"
brought against existentialism and further, existentialists. Following the medieval quaestio–form,
Sartre begins with the statement of the objection, a short discussion, and then his reply to each. The
first of the charges is that of quietism. "First, it has been charged with inviting people to remain in a
kind of desperate quietism because, since no solutions are possible, we should have to consider
action in this world as quite impossible" (341). Historically, quietism was a Christian philosophy that
advocated withdrawal from worldly...show more content...
Before I begin to discuss the replies Sartre provides for each objection raised, it is important to
establish what Sartre believes existentialism to be. That is, it is important to understand exactly what
Sartre is defending. Sartre begins his definition by defining the two groups of existentialists:
Christian existentialists and atheistic existentialists. Sartre aligns himself with the atheistic
existentialists for the remainder of the essay. What the existentialist philosophers have in
common, and where Sartre begins his definition, is the idea that existence precedes essence. The
reader is provided the example of a paper cutter. A designer has a plan for a paper cutter in his/her
mind and sets about creating it with the preconceived notion of its function. This preconceived
notion is the essence of the object and thus for the object (a paper cutter) essence precedes
existence. That is to say the paper cutters being is predetermined. It would follow that for essence
to precede the existence in a person, there must be an individual to conceive of the beings essence
and thus bring about its existence. However, Sartre declares that there is no God and

Essay on Existentialism in Night
Existentialism in Night In his essay "Existentialism", Jean Paul Sartre discusses the main beliefs
of existentialism. Perhaps the most important belief of existentialism is that there is no human
nature, and there is no God. This means that each individual man has control of his own destiny.
The definition of each individual man is the sum of his life and all he has accomplished in his life.
He is also responsible for all the choices and actions he makes in his life. These types of choices and
actions can be seen in the book "Night" by Elie Wiesel. This book is a story about a boy, Wiesel, who
is taken to a concentration camp with his family. It follows him and his father through their trials
and movement from Auschwitz...show more content...
The poor man Moshe the Beadle helps him; they would sit for hours and talk. Sartre would call this
existentialism. Wiesel took control of his own destiny and future, despite his father's wishes. He
doesn't let his father's efforts discourage him. He begins to learn the cabbala, which is an
existentialist decision since the main idea of existentialism is creating your own self.
Another example of an existentialist decision occurs in the concentration camp of Buna, when a
young boy is to be hanged with two adults. Many of the Oberkapos had little boys that they liked
and had hang around for sexual purposes. Someone at the camp was suspected of blowing up the
electric station, and eventually they found it to be the Dutch Oberkapo, and he was arrested.
This Oberkapo had a little boy (not his son), and he would not say whether or not the man had
done it, so they decided to hang him. Many of the men are thoroughly disturbed by the fact that
the boy being hanged was so young. Many of the young boys grew meaner than some adults, but
"the Dutchman's little servant was loved by all. He had the face of a sad angel" (60). The
Lagerkapo who is supposed to do the hanging refuses, and SS officers have to step in and perform
the execution. This Lagerkapo shows an existentialist decision because he takes control of his own
life. He does not want his life to include the hanging of a small boy. Remember, according to Sartre,
a man's life includes

Existentialism : What Do You Choose? Essay
Allow me to begin by saying that I find this particular assignment to be the universe's idea of some
sort of sick joke against me. Ironically, we are studying existentialism. What a peculiar coincidence
that I have to research for myself the topic of existentialism, while I feel as though I am going
through an existential crisis as of right now. It felt as though I was transported into one of those
cheesy high–school–esque movies that the Hollywood machine pumps out over and over; where the
books in class read by the characters always seem to connect with whatever angst–filled drama is
going on in their lives. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Forgive the melodramatic tone I
employ; it'll be ever–present in this paper due to the instruction to write in first person.
As we learnt in our very first lecture, existentialism means to become the individual you are – simply
put, the only meaning of life is to give life a meaning. Every person born must ask themselves:
"What do I choose?" and "Where do I go?" We are confronted with choices every single day, that we
are required to pick between – either or. It was Sarte who said: "We are condemned to be free." To
which he meant that each individual is responsible for their very existence. We, as humans, are
essentially beings that possess free will, and with free–will comes great responsibility, over one's life
that is. I believe that is why Sarte perceives this notion similarly to be 'condemned' – though, we are
lucky to be

Essay about The Philosophy of Existentialism
'The most dangerous follower is he whose defection would destroy the whole party: that is to say,
the best follower.' – Friedrich Nietzsche
Being recognizable and distinctive nowadays is something most individuals seek after. To become
important or standing out in any community is not something today's individuals have created or
whatsoever! Ever since the twentieth century and even before, that belief and eagerness to prove
your existence has been noticeably present. Not only between common people has this been there,
also philosophers had sincerely thought about that humanly keenness to prove that one is different
and essential, and tried to philosophically explain it.
The term used for that theory is existentialism; as explained by...show more content...
Another observation is that most of these philosophers were either religious moralists (a
philosopher who specializes in moral issues related to religion), agnostic relativists (who are
people that believe the existence of a higher power can't be proven or disproven, as well as
believe that some elements of experience are relative in terms of what they depend on, for
example), or the last and most common type are amoral atheists (who are people that don't believe
in the existence of a higher god, however don't have their own sets of morals and ethics that they
follow).
This, we can most clearly regard in the two most famous philosophers of the 19th century that have
been one of the first; SГёren Kierkegaard and Friedrich Nietzsche. Later on during the 20th century,
Martin Heidegger (a German philosopher) influenced other existentialist philosophers like Albert
Camus, Sartre, and Simone de Beauvoir. Kierkegaard, the Danish philosopher, was a religious
philosopher that believed in god however was interested in the individual silent struggle of humans
with their so seeming meaningless life, and the way they used diversion to escape this world's
boredom.
Nietzsche on the other hand, the German philosopher, was a pure anti–Christian that argued that
"God is dead" (according to the change that has happened in the European churches at that

Essay about Existentialism
"The world is, of course, nothing but our conception of it."
This quote, by Anton Chekhov, seems obvious and easy to relate to. However, it perfectly describes
the concept of existentialism, which is neither obvious nor relatable. Existentialism is "a modern
philosophical movement stressing the importance of personal experience and responsibility and the
demands that they make on the individual, who is seen as a free agent in a deterministic and
seemingly meaningless universe" ("Existentialism"). Existentialism is a difficult philosophy to
grasp, but by exploring examples in literature and art, one can come to a better understanding of its
basic tenets.
The first tenet of existentialism is individualism and alienation, which is revealed...show more
content...
Before his metamorphosis, his days were mindless, and since all he did was work, he was alienated
from his family, who did not appreciate him; also due to his obsession with work, he did not partake
in society, either. After his metamorphosis, no one understood Gregor, making him entirely alone.
Just as The Metamorphosis demonstrates the alienation tenet of existentialism, "A Hunger Artist,"
also by Franz Kafka, describes the theme of individualism. The hunger artist is a man who
"performs" for his audiences by locking and displaying himself in a cage where he then proceeds
to starve himself. His fasts last for long periods, stretching for forty days at some points. He is
obviously alone and isolated in the cage, but he is also alienated from society. This is because he
rejects the practice of eating, which he does because he just does not like food. The hunger artist
represents famous musicians, writers, painters, and other artists, who are alone because they are
misunderstood and essentially isolated from the realm of society. This perfectly describes the
existential tenet of individualism and alienation. "The Yellow Wallpaper," by Charlotte Gilman also
shows this tenet. "The Yellow Wallpaper" is about Jane, a woman suffering from what one might
interpret as postpartum depression. Her husband, John, who is a doctor, prescribes

Existentialism Is Humanism Essay
How to live authentically is a question that arises when speaking of existentialism and humanism.
Authenticity describes the mode of being true to one self, living an honest and free life. Both
Nietzsche and Sartre propose ideas and perspectives on the nature of human life and their existence.
As human beings, Sartre and Nietzsche identify how we, possibly unknowingly, alienate ourselves
from the modes of living authentically instead of accepting into authentic practices. In Sartre's
"Being and Nothingness" and "Existentialism is Humanism", the philosopher discusses the
importance of achieving freedom and characterizing one's identity. In Nietzsche's "Gay Science
Excerpts" and "History Essay", he discusses the emergence of individuality...show more content...
First, she reduces anything the man says down to only facticity and fails to transcend any further,
secondly, she postpones her responsibility of deciding towards the man, "The young woman leaves
her hand there, but she does not notice that she is leaving it." (p.56) She is so occupied in
conversation that she has disconnected herself physically from her emotional being, which as Sartre
states, she neither consents this action or resists it. This example portrays a paradox between the
two personages involved in bad faith to be the same person; the deceiver is the one that is deceived,
the contradiction of knowing the truth and yet denying it. It is to say, that to live authentically you
must take responsibility towards being sincere and truthful to oneself.
Sartre recognizes the importance of freedom and individuality through his ontology. He differs
human beings' actuality through a comparison between human and an object. An object is produced
with the intention of having a purpose behind it, where as humans are defined by the first principle
of existentialism, "...man first of all exists, encounters himself, surges up in the word

Existential Nihilism Research Paper
Now sometime ago, I wrote in a post that I would be studying up on Eastern religions and their
concept of God; because, typical arguments against God in the West only really work towards the
monotheistic Western deity of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Now, I have been reading up quite a
bit between my studies at university. I can't say that I'm finished studying up on these interesting and
highly complex religions, but I will go over where I am, personally, at the moment.
Let me start out by saying, I was always leaning more towards existential nihilism to begin with and
less towards humanism. Humanism sounds great, but for various reasons I found it problematic.
Maybe I just don't share Humanism's optimism, but I digress.
So let's talk about Buddhism. Buddhism, unlike many religions...show more content...
Why? Well, for one there is no better and easier way to learn about areligion than to go to their
religious service. Secondly, I seek to mediate properly, as mediation has many beneficial effects.
Thirdly, and most importantly, I am an open minded person.
I am starting to realize that the Buddhist view of human nature seems to be quite accurate. Human
beings are not "fallen." Still, every intentional action has moral significance, and we would all be
happier if we learn to control are mind. In a nutshell, it's not the situation that's the problem, it's what
we think about a given situation that's a problem. If you think a situation is horrible, terrible, or
unlivable it is. If you think the situation isn't that bad after all you won't suffer as much. Now, if you
don't believe me about the thinking part, consider asking any psychologist. I have.
The Western monotheistic deity I, certainly, see as false. (See many of my other posts.) Still, I am
playing around and toying with different ideas. I am not saying I am converting to Buddhism, but so
far, it's been

Existentialism : A Very Short Introduction Essay
"Authenticity is a collection of choices that we have to make every day. It 's about the choice to
show up and be real. The choice to be honest. The choice to let our true selves be seen" (Brown). In
the book Existentialism: A Very Short Introduction, Thomas Flynn writes about one of the leading
philosophical movements in the twentieth century: existentialism. This theory emphasizes that each
individual is entirely free, making them responsible and accountable for their actions or choices.
With this idea, your choices are solely based on your own judgment, not anyone else's. The book
focuses on seven leading figures, Jean–Paul Sartre, Friedrich Nietzsche, Martin Heidegger, Soren
Kierkegaard, Simone de Beauvoir, Maurice Merleau–Ponty, and Camus who contributed to and
greatly influenced the movement (Flynn). The seven individuals were popular philosophers who
studied many topics, as well as contributed to and founded different theories with a great focus on
existentialism. The book discusses key themes of free will and personal responsibility as well. Free
will is the ability to choose from among various alternatives and options. Throughout life, each
individual has the ability to choose how they live their life because of their position as a
self–determining agent, although making them responsible for the authenticity of their decisions.
Authenticity can be defined as something that is original or genuine, not a copy of anything else. It
resides in one of the themes of

Subjectivity in Existentialism is a Humanism
In Existentialism is a humanism, French philosopher and existentialist Jean–Paul Sartre defends
existentialism from 20th century critics who believed that its overly subjective nature promotes
anguish, abandonment, and despair. Sartre explains these common misconceptions about
existentialism and argues that it is not a pessimist point of view, but the complete opposite. In what
follows, I will explain how Sartre not only invalidates the surging misconceptions, but how he also
turns his explanation into an optimistic and humanitarian work.
During the 20th century, many philosophers including Communists and Christians were criticizing a
surging attitude commonly known as "existentialism". Communists, for example, argued that the
emphasis that existentialism has on individual choice leads to contemplation rather than to action.
Christians reproached the way that existentialists overlook the dignity that originates from being
created from the image of God. Also, publics viewed subjectivity in existentialism as a bad thing
because if human values originate from subjective human choices, then all human action is arbitrary.
They argued that from one 's own subjective point of view, whatever one does is the right thing.
Therefore, this creates the notion that life does not have predetermined values. In other words: to an
existentialist, there is no such thing as a standard of values because there is no God or perfect being
to

Existentialism, By Jean Sartre Essay
Existentialism is an entity unable to be coined to a simple term or phrase; it is the embodiment of
many topics, but all coexist under these similar themes – man is a conscious, absurdity, nothingness,
death, alienation, and anxiety. Jean–Paul Sartre was a prominent existentialist from Paris, France; in
his existentialist works, he held strongly to the ideal people do not have to continue with the
ailments in their lives. He also believed capitalism enslaves humans , stopping them from reaching
their full potential. He was a self–proclaimed communist, who spread subliminal anti–capitalist
messages in his novels, such as Nausea. He primarily focuses on the themes anxiety and
meaninglessness in his writings; such as in Nausea, where Antoine, Anny, and The Self
–Taught Man
all face their own solitude and undergo a transformation, resulting in the realization, the world is
strange and somewhat meaningless. Jean Sartre's character , Antoine, a French writer goes through
life being scared of his own existence, and expresses his peculiar experiences and interactions
through the form of a diary. Antoine interacts with many other characters, and experiences an entity
he calls "nausea", which is a representation his anxiety. This feeling captivates him the most when
he is in uncomfortable settings or forced to interact with others. Antoine is in the process of writing
a novel about Marquis de Rollebon. At one time we was excited to finish the novel, but he quickly
loses all

Essay about Existentialism
Existentialism
Existentialism is a philosophical movement that stresses individual existence. Human beings are
totally free and responsible for their own acts. Another main idea of existentialism is the limitation
of reason and the irreducibility of experience to any system. Man is not a detached observer of the
world; rather, he "exists" in a special sense – he is "in the world." Stones, trees, and other objects do
not share this existence, and man is open to the world and the objects in it. There is no set limit to
how many choices man must make, and no particular set of rules or values one must follow.
Rather, there is simply a framework in which action and choice are to be viewed, implying that there
are right and wrong ways of...show more content...
From the Christian standpoint, existentialists are charged with denying the reality and seriousness of
human undertakings, since, if they reject God's commandments and the eternal verities, there no
longer remains anything but pure caprice, with everyone permitted to do as he pleases and
incapable, from his own point of view, of condemning the points of view and acts of others.
In any case, what can be said from the very beginning is that by existentialism we mean a doctrine
which makes human life possible and, in addition, declares that every truth and every action implies
a human setting and a human subjectivity.
As is generally known, the basic charge against existentialists is that they put the emphasis on the
dark side of human life. Consequently, existentialism is regarded as something ugly; that is why
existentialists are said to be naturalists; and if they are, it is rather surprising that in this day and
age we cause so much more alarm and scandal than does naturalism, properly so called. The kind
of person who can take in his stride such a novel as Zola's The Earth is disgusted as soon as he
starts reading an existentialist novel; the kind of person who is resigned to the wisdom of the
ages–which is pretty sad–finds us even sadder. Yet, what can be more disillusioning than saying "true
charity begins

Essay Existentialism
Existentialism
Existentialism refers to the philosophical movement or tendency of the nineteenth and twentyth
centuries. Because of the diversity of positions associated with existentialism, a precise definition is
impossible; however, it suggests one major theme: a stress on individual existence and, consequently,
on subjectivity, individual freedom, and choice {3}. Existentialism also refers to a family of
philosophies devoted to an interpretation of human existence in the world that stresses its
concreteness and its problematic character. Existentialism is often seen as an irrationlist revolt
against tradiational phylosphy. Although this may be true to a certain point, existentialism has
played a key role in the way...show more content...
Nineteenth–century Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard
{4, 333} reacted against this tradition, insisting that the individual's highest good is to find his or her
own unique vocation. In terms of moral choice, existentialists have argued that there is no objective,
rational basis for decisions; they stress the importance of individualism in deciding questions of
morality and truth. Most existentialists have held that rational clarity is desirable wherever possible
but that life's most important questions are not accessible to reason or science. The first to anticipate
existentialism's major concerns was seventeenth–century
French philosopher Blaise Pascal, who denounced a systematic philosophy that presumes to explain
God and humanity. He saw life in terms of paradoxes: The human self, combining mind and body, is
itself a contradiction. Later, Kierkegaard rejected a total rational understanding of humanity and
history, stressing the ambiguity and absurdity of the human situation. Nineteenth–century German
philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche espoused tragic pessimism and life–affirming individual will.
Heidegger argued that human beings can never hope to understand why they are here; instead, each
individual must choose a goal and follow it with passionate conviction, aware of the certainty of
death and the ultimate meaninglessness of one's life. Twentieth–century French philosopher Jean

Reaction Paper On Existentialism
The world we live in is an odd one; some cope with its absurdities through intensive faith, others
through utter disregard of all its meaning. Existentialism, however, leads us down a peculiar path
that blurs these concepts into one unique belief system. While we might be faced with situations
beyond our complete control, we do have the power to control how we handle said situations and
whether or not we choose to cultivate significance from them. The search for significance is very
primitive and so are the answers that have accompanied it throughout human history. Obviously,
life doesn't have a clearly stated purpose to it; it is up to each individual to create their own
relative purpose and find their own happiness in a life of suffering. This is exactly what
Existentialism proposes, that it is not possible to know the truth, so it is up to the individual to
create his or her own, and then create their own purpose. Merriam–Webster defines the philosophy
theory of Existentialism as a "...philosophical movement embracing diverse doctrines but centering
on analysis of individual existence in an unfathomable universe and the plight of the individual who
must assume ultimate responsibility for acts of free will without any certain knowledge of what is
right or wrong or good or bad." But Existentialism is not a concept that can simply be defined in one
fell swoop. Throughout our studies of philosophy, I found there to be two main concepts that act as
the foundation for the basic

In Existentialism is a Humanism, Sartre defines existentialism and explains his belief of "existence
before essence." He says that human beings don't have a pre–established purpose or something that
we have to be. He goes in more detail by saying, "... man first of all exists, encounters himself,
surges up in the world – and defines himself afterwards. If man as the existentialist sees him is not
definable, it is because to begin with he is nothing. He will not be anything until later, and then he
will be what he makes of himself." (Sartre 4) We havefree will and choose what we become and
how we define ourselves, not anyone else. The other argument is that we were pre destined to live
a certain way. An example of this would be that a pencil was made with the purpose to write. In this
case essence comes before existence. In addition, he goes into the role abandonment plays in
existentialism.
By "abandonment," Sartre means specifically abandonment by God. He isn't saying that God
existed and went away. Sartre uses the word "abandonment" in a metaphorical way that
emphasizes the sense when we realize that there is no God to warrant our moral choices, and to
give us guidelines for how to achieve salvation. By choosing this word he is showing how human
beings are alone in the universe with no external source of guidance. The consequence of this is
because there can be no guide, there are no values and no morality whatsoever. He says, "The
existentialist, on the contrary, finds

Jean Paul SartreВґs Existential Philosophy Essay
Jean Paul Sartre's Existential philosophy posits that is in man, and in man alone, that existence
precedes essence. Simply put, Sartre means that man is first, and only subsequently to his "isness"
does he become this or that. The implication in Sartre's philosophy is that man must create his own
essence: it is in being thrown into the world through consciounsess intent, loving, struggling,
experiencing and being in the world that man is alllowed to define itself. Yet, the definition always
remains open ended: we cannot say that a human is definitively this or that before its death and
indeed, it is the ultimate nothingness of death that being is defined. The concepts that Sartre
examines in Being and Nothingness exist as part of a...show more content...
There is no pre–programmed destiny, no inherent meaning in our lives. Instead, meaning arises from
the individual's impetus to will freely, to do what we choose in any given moment, and to then
reflect upon those choices and the ways in which they alter reality and the lives of others. Being and
Nothingness defines every individual as just that: a lone individual. The nature of our being is truly
isolated from the nature of other beings and the world around us – while our actions and essence
contain an implicit interconnectedness with the world, while meaning can only come from the
existence of external phenomena, our true self is like an island surrounded by impenetrable
nothingness – pregnant with the potential for possibility, but always empty in–itself.
There is no universal essence that can define every being, there is no divinely–inspired archetype for
the human to aspire to (called the adam–kadmon in Hebrew mysticism), as the existence of such a
blue–print for our essence would preclude freedom and bind us to an average, everyday
homogeneity. Considerations of freedom and choice are the crux of existential philosophy, and being
that Sartre is one of the primary philosophers of Existentialism, he examines both concepts with a
critical eye in Being and Nothingness. Sartre states plainly that authentic choices are wholey and
fully undetermined; if we choose and decide based merely upon the edicts of a religious code or
some sort of secular ethical

Existentialism Paper
Existentialism Paper Existentialism is a very broad subject in which there are many philosophers
who have studied it and what it means. Some of whom are Franz Kafka, Soren Kierkegaard, and
Friedrich Nietzsche. They all had specific views on life and what it means. The characters that we
read, and watch show some of the aspects of this philosopher's ideas on existentialism. Claudius
shows Kafka's idea that all actions will come back and hurt you somehow. Ophelia shows Sorens
idea of that love is all, it gives, and it takes all. Phil Connors shows Nietzsche's idea that you should
do the right thing in life.This is how I believe that each character represents the philosopher's idea.
Franz Kafka wrote that " ...they are hopelessly caught, not...show more content...
In the beginning of the movie Phil was a selfish prick who didn't care for anyone but himself.
During his time he would commit crimes, use women, and be rude to his new's team. But later
one in his time he started to be a little bit nicer he Rita and others in the community. Finally he
found his way out of the loop by giving back to the community and devoting his entire time in the
loop to helping others and finding actual love in Rita and treating her and others with the respect
they deserve. Existentialism is a huge concept that covers things from love to revenge and so
many people have tried to find its meaning. Franz Kafka, Soren Kierkegaard, and Friedrich
Nietzsche are just 3 of the many philosophers who find their meaning of existentialism. Franz
Kafka talks about how setting up a plan may come back with the gravest of consequences, Claudius
represents this idea. Soren Kierkegaard Says that love gives all and takes all Ophelia represents this
idea. Finally Friedrich Nietzsche says that one should devote their lives to charity, Phil Connors
represents this

Existentialism Essay
Jean–Paul Sartre says "man is nothing else but what he makes of himself" (762). This
existentialist view depicts the idea that one is not based on the essence of a soul, but rather, based
on decisions made throughout life. Sartre also believes that every man is responsible for all men.
One may choose his marriage partner, however, inchoosing to marry, one chooses monogamy.
Decisions that individuals make will collectively create a set of principles and beliefs for all of man.
Many people believe that a person's decisions are a reflection of his soul and personality. However,
it is more likely that the conclusion a person reaches is due to the influence of different ideas, as well
as the circumstances surrounding the choices....show more content...
There is no longer the sense of "God judging man" so one must make his own decisions
and based on them he is "condemned to be free" (765–766). Sartre believes that man is
condemned because he did not choose to exist, but is also free because he is completely responsible
for his actions.
Existentialism does not allow room for mistake. A person has no one to blame for bad decisions or
misunderstandings. One cannot say, "I have had bad luck" because existentialism does
not believe in fortune or misfortune, but only in personal decisions. This enhances the true reality
of life. Situations create the future and therefore hopes and dreams are a mere loss of reality. The
future is produced by a person's decisions and so one should not dream but rather, make decisions
that will lead to a beneficial life in the future.
Sartre also says "a man who lies and makes excuses for himself by saying 'not everybody
does that,' is someone with an uneasy conscience, because the act of lying implies that a universal
value is conferred upon the lie" (764). This further illustrates the concept that there is an
unwritten law for man, and creates the idea of good and bad. There are choices that are universally
made when a person is placed in the same situation, with the same circumstances. Sartre believes that
man should base his decisions on the thought that all of mankind is watching and will guide

Essay On Existentialism

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