Philosophy - Existentialism

Existentialism

- the fundamental difference between phenomenology and existentialism is whether the stress is placed upon existence or essence.

- existentialists accord precedence to existence.

Christian existentialists or neo-orthodox = Karl Barth, Paul Tillich, Rudolf Bultmann, Heinrich Emil Brunner, Rheinhold Niebuhr, Martin Buber

Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) - three stages of life   1.) aesthetic   2.) ethical   3.) religious

Aesthetic stage: hedonist in search of pleasure or an intellectual interested in abstract philosophical speculation.

The emptiness of ennui is an enigmatic inexplicable spiritual ailment which brings man to the abyss of nothingness, entirely discontent with his existence.

Genuine self-hood is not found in externals, but within, in passion, freedom, decision and commitment, that is, in subjectivity.

The chief distinguishing feature of the inwardness of the religious life is suffering and faith

existence precedes essence

Christ is the Absolute Paradox (God incarnate)

Kierkegaardian philosophy is fundamentally in direct antithesis to Hegelianism.

For the existential individual all is in the state of :Becoming.

Martin Heidegger (1889-     ) - dasein (being there, human Being)

- the basic mood of man is dread (anxiety), and the fundamental structure of man is care (concern).

- anxiety is caused by man’s encountering indefinable nothingness, evidence of his finitude

Jean-Paul Sartre (1905-    ) - dealt with dualism between subjective consciousness and objective Being

Man lacks Being because there is no God to create Being.

- man’s essence is freedom

“God is dead” therefore we must rely on ourselves alone.

- man is a useless passion vainly striving in a universe without purpose

Man seeks to become more than Being-for-itself, he also desires to be Being-in-itself.

- the fundamental project of man is determined by his desire to be God.