Psych 406 Unit 8 Existentialism

Front 1

aloneness (isolation)

Back 1

We are ultimately alone and must find out own meaning in life. If we do, our relationships will expand us. If we don't, we will cling to our relationships. This is, according to existentialists, an uncurable condition.

Front 2

courage to be

Back 2

Rollo May: it takes courage to be, and our choices are what define who we will become.

Front 3

death (nonbeing)

Back 3

Realization of this is a critical part of human existence. Frankl: death is not a threat but a motivator to live life fully. If we do so, we will be obsessed with life, not death.

Front 4

existential anxiety

Back 4

the result of facing the four givens of existence: death, freedom, existential isolation, and meaninglessness

Front 5

existential guilt (inauthenticity)

Back 5

outcome or consciousness of refusing to commit to choosing for ourselves. In other words, the result of blaming others for the consequences of our own actions.

Front 6

freedom, responsibility

Back 6

Permanent part of the human condition. We author our lives and are responsibily for own destinies. We are accountable for our actions.

Front 7

I/Thou relationship

Back 7

I/it is relation to time and space. I/Thou allows connection of the self to the spirit. It requires direct, meaningful, present interaction.

Front 8

meaninglessness (existential vacuum)

Back 8

Personal condition of emptiness due to a meaninglessness in life.

Front 9

restricted existence

Back 9

State of mind and action with limited awareness of self; being vague about nature of one's problems.

Front 10

self-awareness

Back 10

We must become aware of ourselves. Some key realizations: we have a finite amount of time, we must choose to act, increased self-awareness increases our chance at freedom (which implies we may not be so entirely free to start), realize that anxiety is consciousness of freedom,

Front 11

the human condition

Back 11

We live in a lone and meaningless world. The aloneness and the recognition of freedom creates anxiety due to uncertainty. We must create meaning for ourselves through projects, depending heavily on making our own choices, taking responsibility, and self determination.

Front 12

bad faith

Back 12

Satre: I couldn't control how I was thrown into the world, nor can I control my own actions.

Front 13

xii. Basic dimensions/6 Core Propositions:

Back 13

a) We can be self aware
b) We have freedom and responsibility
c) We must create own identity and establish meaningful relationships.
d) We search for meaning, purpose, values, and goals.
e) Anxiety is a conditions of living
f) Awareness of death and non-being
g) AFC SAD

Front 14

ii. Proposition 1 We can be self-aware. Must realize:

Back 14

a) We have a finite amount of time. Not enough time to do everything we want.
b) Can act or not, but inaction is also a decision
c) Increasing self awareness increases possibility for freedom and therefore, capacity to live.
d) Anxiety: consciousness of freedom, is essential to life. We are basically alone, but have opportunity to relate to other beings.
e) Implications for therapy:
Decision to expand our consciousness is fundamental to growth.
We may become aware that:
We keep selves prison to past decisions, but can realize we can make new decisions.
Cannot change events, but can change how we react to them.
Can learn from past and fix future with the knowledge.

Front 15

iii. Proposition # 2 We are basically free, and must accept accompanying responsibility

Back 15

a) Sartre: bad faith is when we say "I couldn't control how I was thrown into the world, therefore I could not control my actions." This is false.
b) Existential guilt: awareness of having chosen not to choose. Result of inauthentic living.
c) We are our choices. Authentic living is faithfulness to our subjective evaluation of what is a valuable existence.Being human and free are identical. We author our lives, and assuming responsibility is a condition for change.
d) Must risk freedom, or will become dependent on therapist.
e) Therapist must place the owness of change on the client

Front 16

iv. Proposition #3: We must preserve our uniqueness: we know self through interaction with others

Back 16

a) Often, we search for connectedness with others.
b) Sometimes we try to be what others want us to be, rather than looking inward.
c) The Courage to Be
d) The Experience of Aloneness
e) The Experience of Relatedness
f) Identity Struggle

Front 17

v. Prop 4: Search for Meaning. Significance of our existence/meaning is never fixed. We recreate selvesthrough projects

Back 17

a) The Big Questions bring people to counseling.
b) Old Values: cannot ditch them without finding new ones.
c) Must trust the clients to do it themselves.
d) Meaninglessness: No preordained design for living. If we feel hollow as a resilt of this, it is Frankl's "existential vacuum"
e) Existential guilt: we are not what we might have become. Not neurotic
f) Logotherapy: find a meaning in life.
g) People can find meaning even in suffering by triumphing over it.
h) Frankl: meaning cannot be found by direct search. Must pursue obliquely by building, working, loving, etc.

Front 18

vi. Proposition #5 Anxiety is part of human condition

Back 18

a) Givens of existence (death freedom , existential isolation, and meaninglessness) cause anxiety.)
b) Normal, existential anxiety is natural response to problems. Neurotic anxiety is out of proportion.
c) Noticing anxiety when we make changes can indicate we are ready for change.
d) We can only eliminate anxiety by constricting our life and reducing choices.
e) Success in therapy requires courage to live with anxiety.
f) May: freedom and anxiety are two sides of same coin.
g) Existential therapy doesn't try to reduce anxiety, but encourage us to embrace it, because it means we are taking courageous steps in our lives.
h) Anxiety from expected catastrophe as life changes diminishes with time.

Front 19

vii. Proposition 6 Death is also basic to human condition. Awareness of it gives life greater significance.

Back 19

a) Frankl: death is not a threat, but motivator to live life fully.
b) Yalom: confront death with clients.
c) If we affirm life and live in the present as fully as possible, we will not be obsessed with the end of life.

Front 20

Goals

Back 20

a) Recognize things that block freedom
b) Reverse thoughts: "you are acting, not being acted upon." You contribute to your problems, decide to shape them instead.
c) Accept freedom and responsibility tied to action.