CONTINENTAL PHILOSOPHY

Historical Development of Continental Philosophy-Existentialism and Phenomenology



Historical Development of Continental Philosophy-Existentialism and Phenomenology

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. 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.

The historical development of Continental philosophy's existentialism and phenomenology in response to Hegelian idealism can be traced back to the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and pre-Socratics. While philosophers often disagree, it is quite apparent that the key contributors to the rise in existentialism and phenomenology had extensive disagreements with Hegelian idealism and is quite clear in their writings. I think it is important to first understand existentialism and phenomenology, and finally the key contributors. This paper discusses historical development of continental philosophy-existentialism and phenomenology as a response to Hegelian idealism in a concise and comprehensive way.

Continental Philosophy-Existentialism and Phenomenology

Soren Kierkegaard ridiculed Hegel's system wherein the individual dissolves into an abstract unreality and he emphasized the human being and in particularly the human being's will and need to make important choices. Friedrich Nietzsche later read the workings of Arthur Schopenhauer and became increasingly and thoroughly convinced that the world is driven by cosmic will and not that of reason. He also snubbed Hegel's idealism and any similar rationalist metaphysics; however, he began to disagree with the disposition of cosmic will of Schopenhauer. He later claimed that the world is driven by and determined by the will to power. He also believed we have no access to absolute truth and that there are not facts, only interpretations (Fontana & Kotarba ? 1985).

Phenomenology comes from structures that are found within a conscious experience. Phenomena are the structures that exhibit themselves on the assumptions and presuppositions of science. One can consider them the way a thing is immediately experienced and the way it is. Edmund Husserl was the first distinguished phenomenologist. He investigated phenomena without making assumptions about the world.

Martin Heidegger also wanted to see things without presumptions but he was not convinced by Husserl's theory of phenomena. He on the other hand, believed that the source of seeing things this way was being itself. His theory states that humans are caught up in their own ideas; and being has been reduced to a world of "objects" dominated by humans through their own logics. In a nutshell he felt that humans were basically ignorant to the true nature of being (Tiryakian ? 1992).

The phenomenologist primarily responsible for the introduction of phenomenology in France ...