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Dec 23, 2021 · Free access. Research article. First published online December 23, 2021. Critical remarks on existence theory: Between existentialism and phenomenology. Simon Susen https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0643-1891 View all authors and affiliations. Volume 22, Issue 1. https://doi.org/10.1177/1468795X211051514. Contents. PDF / ePub. More. Abstract.
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Apr 27, 2023 · Existentialism is a philosophical movement that asks fundamental questions about morality and the meaning of life, like “how should I live?” and “what is it all for?” Founded in the nineteenth century, existentialism took shape mainly in the first half of the twentieth century.
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Dec 23, 2021 · ‘Existence theory’ is at root a ‘theory of social behaviour that centres around the temporality of existence in society’ (p. 8). A central contention is that ‘people have the ability to reflect on their lives as a perceived whole from the perspective of projected trajectories – that is, they can and sometimes do conceive of their personal biographies as “accomplished projects.”
- David Inglis
- Key Themes of Existentialism
- Key Existentialist Philosophers
- The Influence of Existentialism
- References and Further Reading
Although a highly diverse tradition of thought, seven themes can be identified that provide some sense of overall unity. Here, these themes will be briefly introduced; they can then provide us with an intellectual framework within which to discuss exemplary figures within the history of existentialism.
a. Søren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) as an Existentialist Philosopher
Kierkegaardwas many things: philosopher, religious writer, satirist, psychologist, journalist, literary critic and generally considered the ‘father’ of existentialism. Being born (in Copenhagen) to a wealthy family enabled him to devote his life to the pursuits of his intellectual interests as well as to distancing himself from the ‘everyday man’ of his times. Kierkegaard’s most important works are pseudonymous, written under fictional names, often very obviously fictional. The issue of pseud...
b. Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) as an Existentialist Philosopher
“I know my lot. Some day my name will be linked to the memory of something monstrous, of a crisis as yet unprecedented on earth…” (Nietzsche 2007:88). Remarkably, what in 1888 sounded like megalomania came some years later to be realized. The name ‘Nietzsche’ has been linked with an array of historical events, philosophical concepts and widespread popular legends. Above all, Nietzsche has managed somehow to associate his name with the turmoil of a crisis. For a while this crisis was linked to...
c. Martin Heidegger (1889-1976) as an Existentialist Philosopher
Heideggerexercised an unparalleled influence on modern thought. Without knowledge of his work recent developments in modern European philosophy (Sartre, Gadamer, Arendt, Marcuse, Derrida, Foucault et al.) simply do not make sense. He remains notorious for his involvement with National Socialism in the 1930s. Outside European philosophy, Heidegger is only occasionally taken seriously, and is sometimes actually ridiculed (famously the Oxford philosopher A.J. Ayer called him a ‘charlatan’). In 1...
a. The Arts and Psychology
In the field of visual arts existentialism exercised an enormous influence, most obviously on the movement of Expressionism. Expressionism began in Germany at the beginning of the 20th century. With its emphasis on subjective experience, Angst and intense emotionality, German expressionism sought to go beyond the naiveté of realist representation and to deal with the anguish of the modern man (exemplified in the terrible experiences of WWI). Many of the artists of Expressionism read Nietzsche...
b. Philosophy
As a whole, existentialism has had relatively little direct influence within philosophy. In Germany, existentialism (and especially Heidegger) was criticised for being obscure, abstract or even mystical in nature. This criticism was made especially by Adorno in The Jargon of Authenticity, and in Dog Years, novelist Gunter Grass gives a Voltaire-like, savage satire of Heidegger. The criticism was echoed by many in the analytic tradition. Heidegger and the existentialist were also taken to task...
a. General Introductions
1. Warnock Mary. Existentialism(Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1970) 2. Barrett William. Irrational Man: A Study in Existential Philosophy(New York: Anchor House, 1990) 3. Cooper E. David. Existentialism(Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, 1999) 4. Reynolds Jack. Understanding Existentialism(Stocksfield: Acumen, 2006) 5. Earnshaw Steven. Existentialism: A Guide for the Perplexed (London: Continuum, 2006)
b. Anthologies
1. Kauffman Walter. Existentialism from Dostoevsky to Sartre(New York: Penguin, 1975) 2. Paul S. MacDonald. The Existentialist Reader –An Anthology of Key Texts(Edinburgh: Edinburg University Press, 2000) 3. Solomon C. Robert.Existentialism(USA: Oxford University Press, 2004)
c. Primary Bibliography
1. Beauvoir de Simone. The Ethics of Ambiguity(New York: Citadel Press, 1976) 2. Beauvoir de Simone. The Second Sex(London: Jonathan Cape, 2009) 3. Camus Albert. The Myth of Sisyphus(London: Penguin, 2000) 4. Camus Albert. The Rebel(London: Penguin, 2000b) 5. Camus Albert. The Fall, (London: Penguin, 2006) 6. Heidegger Martin, Introduction to Metaphysics(New Heaven & London: Yale University Press,2000) 7. Heidegger Martin. Letter on Humanism: in Heidegger Martin. Basic Writings, (London: Rout...
Aug 21, 2023 · Wikimedia Commons. Contrary to Aristotle’s conception of eudaimonia, the existentialists regard acting authentically as the highest good. This means never acting in such a way that denies we are ...
- Oscar Davis
Abstract. ‘Authenticity’ considers how to live a ‘free’ life. Authenticity comes from owning up to our self-defining choices and transcending one's situation to make something of oneself. To deny one's condition of freedom and ongoing development is to be in bad faith. Bad faith is a flight from freedom and can manifest itself in self ...
Existentialism is a philosophical movement that believes that the human existence cannot be completely described simply by rational, idealistic or scientific terms and that individual freedom, responsibility and experience are what define it. At its essence, existentialism is a rejection of the idea of predetermined essence or universal truths.
