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History of Existential History of Existential ThoughtThought

Kortman Kortman

English 10English 10

(courtesy of Scott MacMillan 2006)(courtesy of Scott MacMillan 2006)

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Existential thought provides a Existential thought provides a direction for humanity, as it direction for humanity, as it highlights the possibilities of highlights the possibilities of human existence and what can human existence and what can be for individual life.be for individual life.

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OriginsOrigins ‘‘Ex-ist’ means to ‘stand out against’Ex-ist’ means to ‘stand out against’ Individuals stand out against the world, Individuals stand out against the world,

society, institutions & ways of thoughtsociety, institutions & ways of thought Dangers of belonging to the crowdDangers of belonging to the crowd Dates back to SocratesDates back to Socrates Many perspectives – subjective philosophyMany perspectives – subjective philosophy Expose ‘illusions of everyday life’Expose ‘illusions of everyday life’ Many who have contributed do not consider Many who have contributed do not consider

themselves existentialists themselves existentialists

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Endeavor to grasp reality [and] arises directly out Endeavor to grasp reality [and] arises directly out of Western man’s anxiety, estrangement, and of Western man’s anxiety, estrangement, and conflicts” (May, 1959: 19).conflicts” (May, 1959: 19).

Attempts to understand how events in life fit into understand how events in life fit into a larger context…involves the process of a larger context…involves the process of creating and discovering meaning, which is creating and discovering meaning, which is facilitated by a sense of coherence (order, facilitated by a sense of coherence (order, reason for existence) and a sense of purpose reason for existence) and a sense of purpose (mission in life, direction)” (Reker & (mission in life, direction)” (Reker & Chamberlain, 2000: 1). Chamberlain, 2000: 1).

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Existentialism, as a way of thinking about and depicting Existentialism, as a way of thinking about and depicting the world, emerged most strongly out of the tremors and the world, emerged most strongly out of the tremors and that shook modern Europe beginning in the nineteenth that shook modern Europe beginning in the nineteenth century. The inhuman, alienating implications of modern century. The inhuman, alienating implications of modern capitalist production and warfare, the unfulfilled promise capitalist production and warfare, the unfulfilled promise of science, the decline of religious certitude, the of science, the decline of religious certitude, the challenges issued by Darwin, Freud, and modern physics challenges issued by Darwin, Freud, and modern physics – all contributed to existentialism’s claim to pertinence. – all contributed to existentialism’s claim to pertinence. Sartre and Heidegger expressed, in philosophical and Sartre and Heidegger expressed, in philosophical and literary terms, the essentials of existentialism. In so literary terms, the essentials of existentialism. In so doing, they attempted to characterize aspects of the doing, they attempted to characterize aspects of the timeless nature of the human condition and to respond to timeless nature of the human condition and to respond to the quickening pace of alienation and despair in their the quickening pace of alienation and despair in their own era. (Cotkin, 2003: 3-4)own era. (Cotkin, 2003: 3-4)

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Key PeopleKey People

Rebels who questioned place of humanity in the Rebels who questioned place of humanity in the universe universe

SocratesSocrates PlatoPlato KierkegaardKierkegaard HusserlHusserl HeideggerHeidegger NietzscheNietzsche CamusCamus SartreSartre De BeauvoirDe Beauvoir Frankl Frankl

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SocratesSocrates

470 – 399 BC470 – 399 BC GreekGreek Laid foundation of Western philosophyLaid foundation of Western philosophy Socratic methodSocratic method Sought to examine Sought to examine ‘‘I know nothing’I know nothing’ Socratic problem – he wrote nothing Socratic problem – he wrote nothing

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PlatoPlato

427 – 347 BC427 – 347 BC GreekGreek Socrates studentSocrates student Wrote in ‘dialogue’Wrote in ‘dialogue’ Metaphysical dualismMetaphysical dualism Author of Author of The RepublicThe Republic

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Soren KierkegaardSoren Kierkegaard

1813 – 551813 – 55 Considered the “father” of existentialismConsidered the “father” of existentialism First to emphasize the individualFirst to emphasize the individual Believed in a higher power (unlike most Believed in a higher power (unlike most

existential philosophers)existential philosophers) ‘‘Truth is subjectivity’Truth is subjectivity’

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Edmund HusserlEdmund Husserl

1859 – 19381859 – 1938 GermanGerman Father of phenomenology-Father of phenomenology-

– primarily concerned with making the primarily concerned with making the structures of structures of consciousnessconsciousness, and the , and the phenomenaphenomena which appear in acts of which appear in acts of consciousness, objects of systematic consciousness, objects of systematic reflection and analysis reflection and analysis

Influenced Heidegger, SartreInfluenced Heidegger, Sartre

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Friedrich NietzscheFriedrich Nietzsche

1844 – 19001844 – 1900 GermanGerman ‘‘God is dead’, nihilismGod is dead’, nihilism Wrote Wrote The Gay ScienceThe Gay Science, ,

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Albert CamusAlbert Camus

1913 – 19601913 – 1960 FrenchFrench Author of Author of The RebelThe Rebel, , The Stranger, The The Stranger, The

Myth of SisyphusMyth of Sisyphus Happiness is fleeting, we are mortal Happiness is fleeting, we are mortal

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Martin HeideggerMartin Heidegger

1889 – 19761889 – 1976 Author of Author of Being and TimeBeing and Time Nature of ‘being’ - DaesinNature of ‘being’ - Daesin DeathDeath Inspired SartreInspired Sartre

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Jean-Paul SartreJean-Paul Sartre

1905 – 19801905 – 1980 FrenchFrench Author of Author of Being and Nothingness, Being and Nothingness,

Existentialism is a HumanismExistentialism is a Humanism Existence precedes essenceExistence precedes essence Bad faith – denial of freedomBad faith – denial of freedom

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Simone de BeauvoirSimone de Beauvoir

1908 – 19861908 – 1986 FrenchFrench Longtime companion to SartreLongtime companion to Sartre Wrote about feminist and existential Wrote about feminist and existential

ethicsethics Author of Author of The Second Sex, Ethics of The Second Sex, Ethics of

AmbiguityAmbiguity

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The existentialist writers hope to shatter our dogmatic beliefs and lure us into giving up blindly accepted ethical norms and ideologies. Only when we successfully shed these values that we have been conditioned to uphold by various institutions – our families, schools and universities – will we be able to reach beyond them to the genuine roots of our selves and ultimately attain authenticity. The unnecessary information we have collected during our lifetimes, the ‘facts’ postulated as an integral part of the ethos of objectivity fostered by society and its institutions, are inapplicable to the sphere of human existence in which one struggles for one’s self. There, in their stead, the notion of authenticity emerges. (Golomb, 1995: 8)

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Existentialists have asked for a life in Existentialists have asked for a life in which man continuously questions his which man continuously questions his purpose and accepts responsibility for his purpose and accepts responsibility for his actions, one which truly reflects man’s actions, one which truly reflects man’s special position in this world.special position in this world.

Breisach (1962: 4-5)Breisach (1962: 4-5)

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Viktor FranklViktor Frankl

1905 – 19971905 – 1997 AustrianAustrian PsychologistPsychologist Key figure in founding existential Key figure in founding existential

therapytherapy Logotherapy - “will to meaning” – Logotherapy - “will to meaning” –

meaning can be found in anythingmeaning can be found in anything Author of Author of Man’s search for meaningMan’s search for meaning

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Man does not simply exist, but always Man does not simply exist, but always decides what his existence will be, decides what his existence will be, what he will become in the next what he will become in the next moment.moment.

- Viktor Frankl- Viktor Frankl

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Key ConceptsKey Concepts

Existence precedes EssenceExistence precedes Essence AlienationAlienation DespairDespair DeathDeath FreedomFreedom ChoiceChoice ConsciousnessConsciousness AuthenticityAuthenticity Existential angstExistential angst Existential vacuumExistential vacuum

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Existence precedes EssenceExistence precedes Essence-Sartre-Sartre

In contrast to other entities, whose In contrast to other entities, whose essential properties are fixed by the essential properties are fixed by the kindkind of entities they are, what is of entities they are, what is essential to a human being—what essential to a human being—what makes her makes her whowho she is—is not fixed by she is—is not fixed by her type but by what she makes of her type but by what she makes of herself, who she becomes. herself, who she becomes.

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AuthenticityAuthenticity Difficult to defineDifficult to define Inauthentic – forced upon us, falseInauthentic – forced upon us, false Red pill vs. blue pillRed pill vs. blue pill Being true to oneselfBeing true to oneself Relationship to the worldRelationship to the world Development of selfDevelopment of self Being versus havingBeing versus having Eyes of beholder Eyes of beholder Meaningful existenceMeaningful existence

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A person is authentic in that degree to A person is authentic in that degree to which his being in the world is which his being in the world is unqualifiedly in accord with the unqualifiedly in accord with the givenness of his own nature and of givenness of his own nature and of the world…authenticity is the primary the world…authenticity is the primary good or value of the existential good or value of the existential viewpoint. viewpoint.

Bugental (1965: 31)Bugental (1965: 31)

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Existential AngstExistential Angst

Danish meaning ‘dread’Danish meaning ‘dread’ Condition of insecurity and despairCondition of insecurity and despair

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Existentialism TodayExistentialism Today

Humanistic psychologyHumanistic psychology– concerned with the human dimension of concerned with the human dimension of

psychology and the human context for the psychology and the human context for the development of psychological theorydevelopment of psychological theory

Used in therapyUsed in therapy Used in career counsellingUsed in career counselling

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Existential PsychologyExistential Psychology

Also known as existential therapyAlso known as existential therapy Viktor Frankl, Rollo May, Irving YalomViktor Frankl, Rollo May, Irving Yalom Therapists help patients understand Therapists help patients understand

anxiety, aloneness and make better anxiety, aloneness and make better meaningful life choicesmeaningful life choices

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If nothing else survives of all the existentialists have said, it will be impossible to forget the utter seriousness with which they have dealt with human existence. “I want honesty,” Kiekegaard is supposed to have exclaimed shortly before his death. “Truth is courage and error is cowardice,” Nietzsche added to this. And in a sense this passionate willingness to search and find and to witness for this supreme personal experiment with one’s whole personality is the core of existentialism. It forms the basis for authentic existence, is the key to the overcoming of estrangement, and gives the highest promise for the preservation of free and responsible man. (Breisach, 1962: 237)

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Freedom vs. Determinism QWFreedom vs. Determinism QW

Determinism:Determinism:– the view that every event, including human the view that every event, including human

cognition, behavior, decision, and action, is cognition, behavior, decision, and action, is determined by an unbroken determined by an unbroken chain of prior occurrenceschain of prior occurrences

Quickwrite: (1/2 page) Are freedom and Quickwrite: (1/2 page) Are freedom and determinism mutually exclusive? Why? determinism mutually exclusive? Why? What is your perspective on the issue?What is your perspective on the issue?