Existentialism What Do You Choose Essay - 2349 Words

Allow me to begin by saying that I find this particular assignment to be the universe’s idea of some sort of sick joke against me. Ironically, we are studying existentialism. What a peculiar coincidence that I have to research for myself the topic of existentialism, while I feel as though I am going through an existential crisis as of right now. It felt as though I was transported into one of those cheesy high-school-esque movies that the Hollywood machine pumps out over and over; where the books in class read by the characters always seem to connect with whatever angst-filled drama is going on in their lives. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Forgive the melodramatic tone I employ; it’ll be ever-present in this paper due to the instruction to write in first person. As we learnt in our very first lecture, existentialism means to become the individual you are – simply put, the only meaning of life is to give life a meaning. Every person born must ask themselves: â€Å"What do I choose?† and â€Å"Where do I go?† We are confronted with choices every single day, that we are required to pick between – either or. It was Sarte who said: â€Å"We are condemned to be free.† To which he meant that each individual is responsible for their very existence. We, as humans, are essentially beings that possess free will, and with free-will comes great responsibility, over one’s life that is. I believe that is why Sarte perceives this notion similarly to be ‘condemned’ – though, we are lucky to beShow MoreRelatedExistentialism1408 Words   |  6 Pages Existentialism and its facets There are many philosophies that people use in their lives. Some of the ways of thinking are linked to some prominent people. There is idealism, naturalism, experimentalism, and existentialism among others. This essay explores existentialism, which has been postulated by Sartre among others. The other proponents of existentialism include Nietzsche, Kierkegaard, martin Buber, Martin Heidegger and Martin Buber. The weakness and strengths of existentialism are going toRead MoreExistentialism And The Existentialist Ideas Behind Existentialism1186 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction Existentialism is a theory of philosophy that stepped away from ideas that there is any single unifying reality or reason to existence and that we should approach philosophy from a perspective of what we can perceive to be true, not what we think is true without being able to perceive it. In that mind set, it tries to examine what a person’s perception of reality can be, their place is in that reality, how they approach their own existence given that information, and how, based on thoseRead MoreJean-Paul Sartre’s Philosophy: Radical Freedom and Responsibility 1253 Words   |  6 Pages This is what I mean when I say that man is condemned to be free† (Sartre 32). Radical freedom and responsibility is the central notion of Jean-Paul Sartre’s philosophy. However, Sartre himself raises objections about his philosophy, but he overcomes these obvious objections. In this paper I will argue that man creates their own essence through their choices and that our v alues and choices are important because they allow man to be free and create their own existence. I will first do this by explainingRead MoreExistentialism is largely summed up in the quote â€Å"existence precedes essence.† Life is devoid of1000 Words   |  4 Pages Existentialism is largely summed up in the quote â€Å"existence precedes essence.† Life is devoid of inherent meaning aside from the human existence. Put simply, you are put on earth without any idea of what the meaning of your life is, it is up to you to create meaning for your life and each individual may find a different meaning. What are the main arguments against existentialism? Why does the preservation of life matter to us in a world devoid of meaning? In this essay I will summarize what existentialismRead MoreEssay on Existentialism in Night1014 Words   |  5 PagesExistentialism in Night In his essay â€Å"Existentialism†, Jean Paul Sartre discusses the main beliefs of existentialism. Perhaps the most important belief of existentialism is that there is no human nature, and there is no God. This means that each individual man has control of his own destiny. The definition of each individual man is the sum of his life and all he has accomplished in his life. He is also responsible for all the choices and actions he makes in his life. These typesRead MoreExistentialism, By Albert Camus, Raymond Carvers, Short Cuts And Woody Allen s Movie, Crimes And1440 Words   |  6 PagesAfter all, the Choice is Yours Existentialism is a humanism, sure, if one were so inclined, since after all it is ones’ choice to choose if they are a true existentialist. Any and all human philosophies can be used as a guide to ones’ path in life in their own morality, however, until it becomes inconvenient then it is tolerable to deviate off ones’ path to make it work for themselves. The basic foundation of existentialism is, existence precedes essence and there can be no human nature if thisRead MoreExistentialism: Existence Before Essence795 Words   |  3 PagesExistence Before Essence: Existence before essence is the existential notion of a character creating meaning for oneself. It is a part of existentialism because it centers around ones value of existence. When Andy talks to Hadley atop the roof, he negotiates a deal with him to settle his issues concerning a large sum of money. Andy also refers to his prison-mates as â€Å"coworkers†, showing that he feels they are his business companions. This demolishes the notion of them as a lower class prisonerRead MoreExistentialism And Human Emotions By Jean Paul Sartre1513 Words   |  7 PagesJean-Paul Sartre s novel Existentialism and Human Emotions discusses his philosophy that man is responsible for what he is and what he does; that man chooses his values and makes himself. At the beginning of the book, Sartre defends existentialism against several charges that had been laid against it. Throughout the book, Sartre refers to the basis of existentialism using the phrase ‘existence precedes essence . With this, phrase lies the basis for the argument that Existentialism is a Humanism. InRead MoreExistentialism and its Role Today1027 Words   |  5 PagesDaoism, Stoicism, and Existentialism. Since each person defines their happiness differently, each person has their own opinion as to whether or not what is read to be correct or not. The goal is to at least shine a light to what everyone seems drawn towards. Existentialism is an important theory to consider in order to achieve the Good Life. Although existentialism may not appeal to everyone as a reliable theory to achieve the Good Life, it does elaborate as to how existentialism can be used to attainRead MoreExistentialism : What Is It? Essay1704 Words   |  7 PagesDecember 2016 Period 6 Mr. Reidinger Existence: What Is It? One of the most persistent, haunting dilemmas is the uncertainty of the meaning of life. Although there is no single answer to this enigma, there are countless theories concerning it. For example, one philosophical approach is known as Existentialism. Jean Paul Sartre, a well-known existentialist, introduced his 3-word ideology, existence precedes essence in his lecture titled Existentialism is a Humanism which was presented during 1940’s