AP+Existentialism



Existentialism

Amber George, Ally Barton, Paige Wellman, Rofida Khairalla

AIM: Paige Existentialism is directed towards a person who questions why they are here and what purpose they serve. It is a term that helps people realize their ambitions in life. “Man is nothing else but what he makes himself.” (Sartre, Jean-Paul.) People who are looking for importance and significance use this to find out their worth. It targets manifest destiny, the plan that each human is given, and the very reason for why they were put onto this earth. “Man is the start of a plan which is aware of itself…nothing exists prior to this plan; there is nothing in heaven; man will be what he will have planned to be. Not what he will want to be. Because by the word “will” we generally mean a conscious decision, which is subsequent to what we have already made of ourselves.” (Sartre, Jean-Paul.) This term is intended to bring up questions of our own existence and to deicide on whether we have significance or not. People search for the answers to life’s main question of “who are we and why are we here?” It is intended to emphasize human existence and the concept of destiny. Sartre, Jean-Paul. “The Humanism of Existentialism: Man as maker of himself.” Western Heritage: Man’s Encounter with Himself and the World. Ed. Francis R. Gendreau and Angelo Caranfa. Lanham: UP of America, 1984: 323-28.

CULTURE: Ally The culture of existentialism can be found in many ways including in religion. There are always different Christian philosophies; Plato and Aristotle play a part in “St. Thomas’s principal source of philosophic inspiration” (Olson 9). This part of culture in existentialism is about the views of Plato and Aristotle and how there views connect as a whole. When Olsen says that they play a part in St. Thomas’s principal source, it portrays that Plato and Aristotle understand different philosophies. Aristotle believed the same as Plato and he “instantly and expressly declared that the best of all possible types of life is contemplative life” (Olson 9). This explains how the culture of existentialism originated from both Plato and Aristotle. The Culture side of Existentialism: Olson, Robert. //Introduction to Existentialism.// New York: Dover Publications, Inc, 1962

HISTORY: Rofida There were many historical aspects and events that inspire the existential movement. Most of the time the impact of such events left people hopeless and desperate for some kind of ideology to depend upon. According Robert G. Olson, an author specialized philosophical theory, “One of the most notable characteristics of twentieth-century man is his growing preoccupation with the problem of human relationships” (Olson 94). This quote helps to illustrate many of the reasons why existentialism arose. Such flaws in human relationships lead to a great deal of historical events such as World War I, and the rise of Stalin. These events lead people to question their purpose in life. Many of these events only further lead to the growth of existentialism, something that many ideological scholars have pointed out. Paul Strathern, a scholar and author of //Kierkagaard in 90 Minuets// (Kierkagaard: A famous existential writer), investigated the reason behind the rise of existentialism at the time of such large events. Strathern demonstrates, “The intellectuals of postwar Paris were in despair: there was nothing for them to believe in anymore… Surrealism, which had gained intellectual credence by describing itself as absurd, had now been recognized as ridiculous. And with the rise of Stalin, french intellectuals even found it difficult to believe in communism (though they certainly tried)” (Strathern 8). As Strathern illustrates, many of the reasons that existentialism arose due to these large events. Many countries, including France were extremely poor at the time due to end of World War I. Man people needed something to believe in, and in finding nothing to turn to, existentialism was born. Many famous ideologist, such as Kierkagaard and Sartre began to question if there was any purpose to humanity. Their theories, especially those of Sartre began to become more and more advanced with the emergence of psychoanalysts such as Sigmund Freud.

Robert G. Olson. //An Introduction to Existentialism.// NewYork: Dover, 1962. Print Strathern, Paul. //Kierkegaard In 90 Minuets.// Chicago: Ivan R. Dee, 1940. Print.

AUDIENCE: Amber The ideal audience of an existentialist begins with a person questioning life. Perhaps one who has grown curious about why they do things, or have begun questioning they own beliefs. People who want to figure out their place, and want to figure out how to live. The existentialist wants to help the confused people to realize that "not only is man what he conceives himself to be, but he is also only what he wills himself to be after this thrust toward existence" (Sartre). They want to pinpoint those people who want to find their place, as well as share ideas with other existentialists. The more ideas that are spread among each other, the more they can build a foundation of their beliefs. This is why part of their audience is themselves, because they want to connect with other existentialists so that they can help one another. They want to target those who are just starting to believe in things, and finding themselves to find a way to mold them to see their sides of the believes. Sartre, Jean-Paul. “The Humanism of Existentialism: Man as maker of himself.” Western Heritage: Man’s Encounter with Himself and the World. Ed. Francis R. Gendreau and Angelo Caranfa. Lanham: UP of America, 1984: 323-28.