Steve,+Armando

Albert Camus: By Armando Vallejo

Albert Camus was born in Mondovi (now Dréan), Algeria on 1913. He is famous for writing “The Stranger”. In “The Stranger” he bases his ideas of the doctrine of the absurd and the theme of the alienated outsider. His literary works have often cited him as an example of Existentialism. However an interview in 1945 stated that he rejects these associations by saying, “No, I am not an existentialist. Sartre (Jean-Paul Sartre) and I are always surprised to see our names linked.”(1). Although I haven’t started reading “The Stranger” yet I am interested as to see how people associate him with existentialism from his ideas.

Works Cited

1.“Albert Camus”. Wikipedia, the free on encyclopedia.Web. August 21, 2010 

2. Albert Camus- Biography. The European Graduate School Library, 1997. Web. August 21, 2010 

Jean Paul Sartre By Armando Vallejo

Jean-Paul Sartre was born on June 21, 1905 in Paris, France. In the 1930’s he taught Philosophy at a Lycée (A three-year collage for people in between ages 15-18) in Le Havre until he received a grant to study at the French Institute in Berlin where he wrote his essay The Transcendence of Ego. On June 21, 1940 the German army captured Jean Paul, but he escaped on March 1941 and returned to his teaching post in Paris. In 1943 he wrote the anti-Nazi play The Flies and in 1945 he had considered that, “ Existentialism was the philosophy to study” (1). Later as time went on Existentialism became a popular term and Sartre decided to convert to Marxism, which had cost him of his friendship of Albert Camus. Although he claims that he stopped being an existentialist his actions still defined him as one throughout the rest of his life.

1. Wyatt, C.S. Jean-Paul Sartre. Existential Primer. Web. August 21, 2010. 

2. Onof, Christian J. Sartre’s Existentialism. Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy (IEP). Web. August 21, 2010. 

Martin Heidegger By Armando Vallejo

Martin Heidegger was born on September 26, 1889 in Messkirch, Germany. In his earlier days Heidegger underwent preparations into priesthood, and in 1909 he became Jesuit novice. However due to some health issues he was discharged and broke off from his priesthood. During his Academic career he was immediately drafted into the army during the First World War, but was discharged in two months due to health issues. Unfortunately Heidegger had entered a controversial part of his life in the 1930’s. When Hitler was rising to power Heidegger had entered into politics in hopes of steering the Nazi party in the right direction. However after the revising of his address (speech or statement) in 1934 the Nazi party banned it for not agreeing with their terms. Heidegger was humiliated in 1944 by the party for criticizing the nazi-idealogy by being declared the most “expendible” member of the faculty. At the end of the War Heidegger was accused of Nazi Sympathies and was banned from teaching in 1946 to 1949. Although he’s had it rough in his life Heidegger’s actions are something to be commended for.

Korab-Karpowicz, W.J. Martin Heidegger. Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy (IEP). Web. August 21, 2010. 

Sóren Kierkegaard Steve Nguyen

Kierkegaard was a Danish philosopher and defender of religious faith. He had a deep impact for theologians and Existential philosophy. Kierkegaard was unhappy and suffering man which he opposed strict philosophical constructions and hid his thoughts under numbers of fictitious names. He had written 30 books. Kierkegaard attended the University of Copenhagen in 1830 to study theology. He had a Famous Journal, which he first wrote in when his mother died. He was a very creative writer. When he was at his creative thoughts he published 12 books in 18 months, from 1842 to 1844.

Søren Aabye Kierkegaard (1813-1855). Books and Writers. Web. 19. August, 2010 < http://kirjasto.sci.fi/kierkega.htm>

Friedrich Nietzsche Steve Nguyen

Friedrich Nietzsche was a German philosopher and critic of culture. He was the person that influences other major writers and philosophers during the 20th century in Germany and France. One of the books Friedrich wrote was “Thus Spoke Zarathustra (1883-1885)” (Books and Writers). That was his most popular book. Friedrich was misrepresented so people did not take him seriously and thought that he was an anti-Semite and a woman hater. He also was known to contradict himself. After his fathers death he became a rebel against Christianity. He attended the University of Bonn (1864-65) and University of Leipzig (1864-68) to study classical philology. He was also the professor for the University of Basel in Switzerland when he was 25 years old. “Nietzsche considered reality as an endless Becoming (Werden).” (Books and Writers).

Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900). Books and Writers. Web. 22 August 2010. < http://kirjasto.sci.fi/nietzsch.htm>