Themes of existentialism include time, space, and the social context of existence. The growth of existentialism during the turbulent decades of the twentieth century was fueled by the collapse of Western history and political turmoil. Existence is a social phenomenon with a “situation” or character. As a result, existentialism asks us to consider the role of time in defining the nature of existence.
Nietzsche
‘Existentialism’ is the philosophy of Nietzsche. He argued that human beings are the sole creators of the universe, and as such, there is no God or other creator. This view, in contrast to the traditional Christian belief, argues that God is uncreated. However, Nietzsche did not consider God to be an anti-religious force, and did not view religion as a threat to life.
Among existentialists’ four major themes, the first is the idea that we are indestructible. We are capable of acting, choosing, or resisting anything, and our actions are the foundation of our existence. This idea is in direct opposition to positivism and rationalism, which argue that humans are essentially governed by rational principles. As such, existentialists stress the ambiguity, risk, and anxiety of our lives.
There are four major themes of existentialism, each of which is related to the other. Using an analogy of a gambler and his or her life in the world, Nietzsche described the relationship between belief and faith. If the gambler believes in God, he or she has nothing to lose, while the unbeliever’s belief in God is the ultimate failure of their existence. This view is often viewed as a form of ‘bad faith’ or a refusal to accept the human condition.
Although existentialism is considered a twentieth-century phenomenon, its roots can be traced back to the seventeenth century. Socrates, the Bible, and Gautama Buddha all discussed existential themes. Descartes and Kierkegaard also discussed these topics, but they did not categorize each other as existentialists. These ideas have continued to influence the popular arts, psychology, and the popular arts.
Despite its many influences, existentialist literature has a rich tradition of writers. Famous writers like Albert Camus and Franz Kafka wrote about characters that struggle with hopelessness. In addition to Nietzsche, authors such as Fyodor Dostoevsky also wrote novels involving existential themes. As such, it is impossible to define the existential themes of existential literature without reference to literary works.
Kierkegaard
The four major themes of existentialism can be summarized as aesthetic, ethical, religious, and spiritual. The first of these themes is aesthetic. It’s a common misconception that aesthetic experiences are only a reflection of one’s individual nature. However, this notion of aesthetic experiences is not only based in aesthetics, but also in philosophy. It is not necessary to be a Christian to be an aesthetic person, and vice versa.
The second major theme of existentialism is poeticization. Kierkegaard first encountered the concept of sin in his early writings. He had an intimate bond with his father, who often battled melancholy. The concept of anxiety and fear was also a major theme of Kierkegaard’s early writings. In this vein, poeticization of the world is central to Kierkegaard’s philosophy.
In his early works, Kierkegaard rejected the dominant philosophy of Hegel, which emphasized grand historical processes and was not relevant to the individual. He instead developed his own philosophy of the individual. He argued that the most important thing in life is not to live for others, but to live for yourself. In addition, Kierkegaard sought to impose a sense of personal responsibility on individuals, which is not always possible in social settings.
Ultimately, the 4 major themes of existentialism can be viewed as a hierarchy of values that is based on the individual’s aims. In short, there is no single objectively correct answer to the question of whether or not one should live for others, but only what is right and what is best for oneself. There is no single answer to this question. Kierkegaard’s 4 major themes of existentialism will be the most important aspect of this book.
Anxiety is one of the main themes of existentialism. This is rooted in Kierkegaard’s definition of anxiety as the dizziness of freedom. Kierkegaard’s term for anxiety is “to be bewildered by our own freedom.” This means that we have many choices and that choosing not to choose is a choice as well.
Sartre
Freedom is one of Sartre’s 4 major themes of existentialist philosophy. The ability to choose something is limited, he maintains, but it’s also an inherent characteristic of consciousness. Freedom, he argues, is something you can use for a better life. Yet, freedom can be abused. Hence, he says, we must be careful to act only when we are free.
The notion of the Other plays an important role in Sartre’s writings and thinking. For instance, he discusses the way that our society’s “false objectification” allows us to think of the Other as a definable being and prevents us from experiencing freedom. Similarly, he argues that “to exist” is not the same thing as “to be.”
Despite this, existentialists reject the idea that moral norms are timeless and cannot be changed. Indeed, they argue that the only true political identity can come from a theory that places choice in a social context. The question then becomes: how can we create authentic political identity? The answer lies in the question of where to locate one’s values, and how to achieve them. This is the central question of existential philosophy.
The existentialist view of human nature is characterized by the belief that existence precedes essence. In other words, being human is a continuous process of becoming. The journey continues until death. Heidegger derived this idea of angst and insisted that the main motivation for life is the fear of death. However, Sartre did not believe that a person has an inherent nature, but that it is the result of choices.
Although Sartre’s 4 major themes of existentialist philosophy can be summed up into a point-by-point list, these principles will still give us a general understanding of his works. These principles are the basic ideas of existentialism, which are largely defined as “existentialist principles” in a modern context. However, they are not exhaustive. As such, a more complete and comprehensive understanding of existentialism is required to fully appreciate its many facets.
Heidegger
Heidegger argued that the most authentic thought about existence comes from wisdom. The biggest enemy of original thought is the idea of a saviour among the centuries. Death is the most original form of Existence, and its threat to the universe threatens us all. Death is the most important aspect of Existence, for it threatens to destroy everything in the universe. In turn, this destruction and death threatens humankind.
In response, existentialists rejected both the physicalist and dualistic views of human nature. While existentialists do not deny the validity of these categories, they reject the notion of values as arising from causality, force, function, organism, and motivation. Instead, they contend that human beings must be willing to face their inevitable death in order to experience meaning in life. This is an extremely challenging proposition, and it can seem impossible for an existentialist to make his case.
While authentic existence is historically and politically situated, it is ultimately dependent on the choice and timeframe of a particular historical and cultural context. Authenticity is not contingent on correct narrative understanding, or on a particular theory or empirical story, but rather on an individualized and contextualized conception of history and the human condition. Existential thinkers should therefore read their works as historical articulations, not as scientific accounts.
The major theme of existential literature is affiance against the notion of human nature. In this view, human existence precedes the essence, and each person’s actions and values are determined by choices and circumstances. The best way to understand the fundamental philosophy of existentialism is to read works by Albert Camus, Fyodor Dostoevsky, and Heidegger.
Although Heidegger viewed existentialism as an activist movement, his philosophies differed greatly. Heidegger and Sartre, for instance, were at odds with the ideas of rationalism, and their philosophical differences were profound. But despite these differences, existentialism has survived as an influential philosophical movement. Its founder, Jean-Paul Sartre, made it a fashionable term to refer to a philosophy that emphasized freedom as the most important element of human existence.