The Basic Problems of Existence: A Step to Existentialism
To be frank, existentialism is a very interesting subject of philosophy. It involves the discussion of issues about the human being's existence and the sense behind his life, freedom, and the presence of this human being on earth. Existentialism is the cause for which every man has ever been challenged about lifestyle and his accountability towards one's self as well as others. The existence of a world opens new horizons for philosophizing, and reading about existentialism provides ways through life to understand and clarify one's philosophies.
Most of us have ever asked ourselves somewhere in life: why are we? Or what do we do, why? All these questions come to a simple fact of what existentialism is and won't but fling open our minds to a larger world of rights and liberties, as well as burdens, but Philosophy Assignment Help can be a useful resource for those struggling to trudge through these thick concepts. The subtle complexities of existentialists are helped out through your comprehension of thinkers such as Jean-Paul Sartre, Søren Kierkegaard, and Albert Camus.
Basic questions philosophers pose themselves and unravel what thinkers such as these have said regarding life, meaning, and responsibility will be studied here.
What is Existentialism?
The school of thought of existentialism is centered on the element of freedom, choice, and angst along with the consciousness of existence. Existence philosophy cannot offer pre-formulated answers; humans are to step out into reality and face it while making their meaning. Existentialism claims that one is in control of his own choices he makes in life, and with them, one himself creates his own identity and fate.
On its own merits, the base doctrine of existentialism only states that life itself means nothing. Instead, meaning will come from everything we do, think, or believe in. It's life which portrays who the individual is or can be-manufactured or by society's dictate.
Philosophical Questions that will Focus on Existentialism
Some of the most profound questions humanity has ever been forced to pose are existentialist. Questions include those about the meaning of life, the human sense of freedom, the role of suffering, and how people make choices.
1. What is the meaning of life?
Perhaps the most relevant question that existentialism raises and which it has been unable to answer is, "What does life mean?" Existentialist philosophy of the view holds that life as such has no meaning or purpose. The beauty behind existentialism stands in human volition. As life has no fixed meaning, the onus of creativity lies upon everybody.
This would be known to the greatest existentialist philosopher: "existence precedes essence." This would be the belief that man enters into this world with no set purpose for the reason of his existence and that it is through choices and acts made in life that existence is made meaningful or valuable. Therefore, Sartre declares, authenticity is an excessively heavy responsibility given into the hands of man so that he might have no cause or ground to believe in anything by some extrinsic authority.
2. What does Freedom and Responsibility mean in Philosophy?
Another very central theme of existentialism is freedom. But this does not mean we do whatever we like. It just means taking the whole responsibility of what we are doing and being clear about the gravity of that choice. To these philosophic minds, with freedom comes responsibility.
That is to phrase it, in any case; however, for Sartre, man is condemned to be free, then he who wills gaining aware that they may choose shall at the same tag also those consequences which follow after. This has been described as "existential angst." It is only this sense that one knows it is owing to such freedom, first and foremost, that one is in charge of the making of meaning and in the results or repercussions that this life has over others' lives.
3. Does suffering form a part of human nature?
The other part of the human condition in this concept is suffering in existentialism. Here, suffering is appreciated rather than feared. Growth and further understanding in the existence are brought by the latter; however, sometimes suffering comes into conflict with the abyss of life itself and looks for meaning in survival within the hustle.
And the most famous of existentialists was Albert Camus, who took suffering as the theme for his "absurd." Life is absurd-to be meaningless yet wherein men strive for meaning. And so it becomes a paradox or absurdity, something must be faced head-on. To Camus then, we need to live amidst absurdity which would bring forth individual liberty and purpose against the meaningless nature of life.
4. What is Authentic Living?
Authentic living is part of the concept of existentialism or living for who you are, not living to please society. To the existentialist, authenticity entails turning away from outside definitions about what we ought to be to becoming an individual based on choice making for oneself.
Bad faith, or mauvaise foi, is the way through which people deny their freedom or pretend to be automatons and follow the rules of society. This is what is called inauthenticity. Sartre says that he must know his freedom to live authentically and for the choices that he makes; it is only when we accept our freedom that we can live authentically and without illusions.
Existentialist Thinkers and Their Contributions
It would be nice to see some of the best-known philosophers who created this movement to understand the concept of existentialism. Now, let's delve into three of the most important figures in existentialism: Jean-Paul Sartre, Søren Kierkegaard, and Albert Camus.
1. Jean-Paul Sartre: The Father of Existentialism
Jean-Paul Sartre is the father of modern existentialism. His ideals, which are interpreted through books like Being and Nothingness, are freedom, responsibility, and the meaning of existence. Man, according to Sartre, is condemned to be free because we have no preordained essence or purpose in life; we create our essence through our actions and choices, he declares.
This is very well echoed in Sartre's dictum, "existence precedes essence." Our existence had no purpose before the actual existence occurred. Meaning of life comes through the act of existing in the world. This thought has impacted much upon philosophy and one's thought of freedom and responsibility.
2. Søren Kierkegaard: The Religious Existentialist
Søren Kierkegaard is considered the father of existentialism. His work tends to be much more religious in scope, but his focus on despair, anxiety, and the search for meaning in an meaningless world provided the base for later existentialist thought.
This argument of Kierkegaard became the theme of a "leap of faith," through which man should bet himself concerning beliefs, when proof is hard or impossible.
Ideas of his anxiety over individual choice later inspired existential thinkers Sartre and Camus.
3. Albert Camus: The Apostle of Absurdity
Perhaps most famously, though, writings by Albert Camus included the novel The Stranger, along with an essay entitled The Myth of Sisyphus, which touched on several themes dealing with the absurd and how a person might have viewed life should life not arrive pre-loaded with meaning for itself. No hopelessness was manufactured, but instead an inner personal freedom within such despair. For him, therefore, we are here in the futility of our being, to keep a life full of sense under an uncaring, nonsensical universe.
To Camus, philosophy epitomizes the passionate act of revolt while vividly becoming conscious of the probable slight value that life might carry. His philosophy unlocks doors and routes of entrance into life at the same time while tempting a man or man into a comprehensible world, yet the phenomenon of itself possesses meaning in place of a demand for worth out of deed or experience.
Why Read Existentialism?
It helps you understand the human condition, your freedom, and your responsibility. That gives you a license to question those big questions of life and equip you with tools to answer them based on your merit. Existentialism challenges one to think for oneself regarding choice and purpose in this life that may hold authenticity and significance for them.
Such assignments weigh on a student's mind who is going through all these existentialist philosophies. The essay writing and reading analysis of texts in Philosophy could be aided with proper explanations by Philosophy Assignment Help on how it is done clearly and with confidence. Only when you've acquired all these proper kinds of resources in hand can you, therefore, continue to delve further into these really crucial concepts in philosophy and explore the same in such a manner which suits your viewpoint.
Conclusion
Indeed, the most basic of Existentialist's highly liberating philosophy will give answers as it pertains to existence and its meaning together with freedom or not, plus the responsibility this involves. Those were our three great guides while on the course: Jean-Paul Sartre, Søren Kierkegaard, and Albert Camus to know authentically about living with assumptions about freedom when in the situation of absurd life.
If you’re grappling with the big questions about life’s meaning or struggling with an existential philosophy assignment, don’t hesitate to seek out Philosophy Assignment Help. Understanding existentialism isn’t just about mastering a set of philosophical ideas — it’s about applying those ideas to your own life and finding your own path to meaning, authenticity, and freedom.