Are You An Existentialist ?
Existentialism in a nutshell :
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The universe is meaningless and chaotic .
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We need meaning and structure in our lives .
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We will therefore create this meaning and structure the best we can.
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Despair makes us noble if we accept it?
No philosophers at Newstalkers?
Personally, I'm not an existentialist, but I also think that is an oversimplification of what existentialism really is.
I do enjoy aspects of existentialism in my life though.
Dear Friend John Russell: I concur with our good friend Peter-asks ---.
This is an over simplification of existentialism.
It also overlooks religious existentialism.
It is fairly accurate in the case of say, Jean Paul Sartre.
It doesn't touch religious existentialists such as Martin Buber, Franz Rosenzweig (Jewish), and Christian (Catholic) existentialists. A good example here is Jacques Maritain.
Classically secular existentialists claim that the essence of man is not predetermined (by G-d, genes or otherwise). The allow that we may be predisposed, theologically, biologically or otherwise. That we are caused but not compelled. That we create our own essence by choices in our life experiences, and our learning from them.
In Sartre's "Being and Nothingness" he says we can choose to do something. Choose not to do it. Even choose not to choose.
But even that is a choice. We cannot avoid choosing. That we all have choice in life. What choices we make created our essence.
Religious existentialists believe that our essence is determined by G-d. That we are created by Him, in His image. Further, that we discover our true essence as reflected by the choices we make. How we live our lives.
Our true essence is is revealed to us by how we elect to use our time in this life. For good. For evil. For repentance, atonement. Just as when the snows of winter melt, and the first bulbs of floral life come to us they are green hard and closed. With the warmth of sun, the hydration of rain, and the nutrient of soil the flower ultimately blossoms. It reveals its inner beauty. It was there all along. It needed time and certain other factors to come to the fore.
Does any of this about our essence being made by our Creator negate free will for us?
No!
Be on the look out for an article I will write soon on free will vs. determinism.
It will probably be entitled, "Divine Vs. Human Time. Chronology and Free Will".
Good article John.
You keep us thinking.
Good on you.
Enoch.
I picked a couple videos and quotes that were by their delivery and their length going to be a "simplification" . I don't think a long dissertation from an 'egghead' philosopher would go over that well here. Then again the 'simplified' version didnt get but a couple comments anyway, so who knows.
What I like about philosophy is that none of it is ever "wrong" . Philosophers ask and try to answer questions. And that leads to more questions as others interact with their ideas. Good general books on philosophy can lift most people's spirits, I believe.
Enoch, or anyone, would you comment on this conclusion?, which I borrowed from a philosophy page on existentialism
Society is unnatural and its traditional religious and secular rules are arbitrary
Dear Friend John Russell: Society is unnatural.
Decreasingly little in our lives is to be fond in nature.
Religion isn't all arbitrary.
Not as I see it.
Rather I see revelation as a diversified process.
A little at a time.
About all we can handle, while we digest it.
For some, that is still too much at once.
E.
Religious existentialists believe that our essence is determined by G-d. That we are created by Him, in His image. Further, that we discover our true essence as reflected by the choices we make. How we live our lives.
Our true essence is is revealed to us by how we elect to use our time in this life. For good. For evil. For repentance, atonement. Just as when the snows of winter melt, and the first bulbs of floral life come to us they are green hard and closed. With the warmth of sun, the hydration of rain, and the nutrient of soil the flower ultimately blossoms. It reveals its inner beauty. It was there all along. It needed time and certain other factors to come to the fore.
How do you reconcile a predetermined essence with the existential precept that existence precedes essence?
Dear Friend John Russell: Will get to the in a forthcoming article.
Great question.
E.
I haven't read any existential philosophy since my philosopy classes in the mid 70's. It has a certain, gut depression what is the meaning of this?, attraction. I enjoyed reading Sartre's and Camus's plays, but that was it. Seems to me that if you want to create meaning through action, there are better philosophies out there.
If you enjoy philosophy, or research the Stanford Encycolpedia of Philosophy is a good place to start: