Existentialism Essay

This paper is going to discuss the differences between Hegel and Sartre. It is going to discuss the difference between the Idealists and the Existentialists. It will also tackle my own comprehension of the said authors, and will discuss who I find more compelling. Lastly, it is going to conclude. Hegel and Sartre are two very powerful and convincing authors. Their voices in their writings can be heard loud and clear. However, their views clash most of the time. There are also some points…

Unlike many other perspectives, Humanism/Existentialism is person-centered and less complex. Believing phenomenology and holism is essential to understanding that man is both conscious and unconscious, more subjective than objective. While directing the person to look inside for solace, inner peace, and self-empowerment. Humanism emphases goodness of humankind and employs features of positive psychology for inconstancies of personality and behavior. Aspects of positive psychology promote…

Is philosophy expressed in images? I don’t know because I have no facts or evidence, but I think Existential and absurdist beliefs are expressed in images within novels through emotions and descriptive features that allow the reader to imagine the situation. This is highly demonstrated in the book: the stranger, by Albert Camus, because the protagonist is an existentialist with absurdist beliefs. Meursault has an absurdist outlook on life and also in events that are “supposed” to be really…

four themes of Existentialism that I found to be the most significant and recurring in the works of the existentialists are as follows: the individual, God, being, and truth. The individual is a theme prevalent in every existential philosopher as pondering one’s own individual existence is the core essence of the movement. Furthermore, being is often an accompanied attribute to the self and is pondered alongside the self. God is necessarily pondered in the philosophies of existentialism because…

Are we anything more that our physical selves? Meursault is strongly against believing in anything more than his physical life. He lacks emotions, and refuses to accept a divinity. The book plays on the idea of existentialism as means to show that life is nothing more that the physical world we see. Apathy: Can one be truly apathetic in humanity? Meursault doesn't have interest in the emotional world around him. He detaches himself from the emotional aspects of the…

Stranger and Sartre’s No Exit, allow us to reexamine our concepts of life and death with an existentialist mindset. Merriam-Webster defines Existentialism as a philosophical movement embracing diverse doctrines, but centering on analysis of individual existence and the individual who must assume ultimate responsibility for acts of free will (“Existentialism”). It has seven key concepts, namely, absurdity, anxiety, alienation, existence precedes…

The Metamorphosis: Kafka’s Existential Irony. Existentialism is the fulcrum of twentieth century philosophy; the never ending collation of angst, authenticity, and the absurd which rotates around the existential crisis’ axle; the quintessential literary phenomenon that influenced generations to come; the godfather of Kafka’s The Metamorphosis. Known purely through reputation and influence, Franz Kafka, the Jewish Czech author, was born in 1883. Although formally educated in the constituents of…

Becoming a teacher has always been something I had to work hard for; it has constantly felt that it has always been a long-term goal that was being pushed further and further into my future. I have been through a community college, a university, and now graduate school and it was not until this year that I realized now I am making progress towards my goal. A great teacher is one who has had life experiences and takes them in stride. They have to constantly place themselves in the position of…

Albert Camus’ The Stranger is a brilliantly written novel that shows what it truly means to make one’s own decisions. This existentialistic novel emphasizes the power of choice and what it means to take full responsibility for one’s own actions. The main character Meursault illustrates how one who lives his life day by day by simply understanding the power of choice can be labeled as a true individual. True freedom of choice can challenge a society’s moral expectations. However, for that reason…

critic of communist theory, eventually leading to a rift with Sartre. One of the dominant philosophical contributions of Camus's work is absurdism. While he is often associated with existentialism, he rejected the label, expressing surprise that he would be viewed as a philosophical ally of Sartre. Elements of existentialism and absurdism are present in the most celebrated writings of Camus. Many writers have addressed the meanings of Absurd, each with his or her own interpretation of what the…