A Response to Bills Existential Predicament



A Response to Bills Existential Predicament

Introduction

Existentialism emerged and achieved its greatest popularity during the years following World War II, chiefly because of the persona and literary works of French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre. In the realm of philosophy, existentialism is best seen not as a new or distinct philosophy but rather as a revolt against traditional philosophy. Moreover, the word existential is used as an adjective to identify styles in art, dance, literature, theater, poetry, spirituality, and even sculpture (Berger & Luckmann, 1997). Some of the writers, philosophers, and artists identified with this movement have explicitly rejected the label existential. Given this complexity, it is best to see existentialism as a sensibility, a passion for living, an orientation to the emerging drama of actual lived experience.

Discussion

Kotarba & Johnson (2002) mention Sartre's existentialism is a humanistic philosophy that attempts to explain man's freedom and how he should live with the knowledge that this freedom exists. It is based upon the idea that "existence precedes essence", Sartre explains this by saying "it means, first of all, man exists, turns up, appears on the scene, and only afterwards, defines himself." In the text "Free will, self construction and Anguish" (Kotarba & Johnson, 2002), Sartre defends a number of claims bought against existentialism, and it is in this text that we are able to acknowledge inconsistencies and flaws in his argument. In this essay I will explain Sartre's position on how a person ought to live according to existentialism and the problems associated with these ideas. I will conclude with a brief summary explaining the limited extent in which existentialism is concise.

Sartre was part of an intellectual movement that came to be called existentialism, a term that, though borrowed from Danish theologian and philosopher S?ren Kierkegaard, was appropriated by Sartre. Existentialism originates from Edmund Husserl's phenomenology (Kotarba & Johnson, 2002). Friedrich Nietzsche and Martin Heidegger represented the right wing of existentialism and Husserl and Sartre represented the left wing. The philosophy of the former prepared the way for fascist ideology and supported fascism, whereas the philosophy of the latter moved more and more toward Marxism.

Sartre makes a number of claims to support his idea that "existence precedes essence" and as a result of this, man is "condemned to be free." It is fundamental for an atheist existentialist to adopt the idea that God does not exist to reach these conclusions Sartre has put before us. He gives little explanation for his idea that God is not in existence other than simply saying "...there is no God..." Once this has been established, Sartre goes on to highlight the problems this creates.

"There is no human nature since there is no God to conceive it... man is what he conceives himself to be..." Sartre appears to be assuming that it is thought that God defines human nature and the way we should act. He exposes human nature to subjectivity, by claiming that "man is nothing else but what he makes of himself" (Fontana ...