Existentialism
From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Existentialism is a way of thinking. Ways of thinking about life and ways of thinking about how people understand life are called philosophies. Existentialism is a way of thinking that is very different than many other ways of thinking.
Many religions and philosopies (ways of thinking about the world) say that human life has a meaning (or a purpose). People who believe in existentialism think that human life does not have a meaning (or a purpose). People who believe in existentialism think that the world and human life is "absurd" (does not make sense, or has no meaning).
People who believe in existentialism say that each person has to decide for themselves what is right or wrong, and what is good or bad. People who believe in existentialism think that the actions or choices that a person makes are very important.
People who believe in existentialism ask questions like "what is it like to be a human (a person) in the world?" and "how can we understand human freedom (what it means for a person to be free)?" As well, existentialism is often associated with sad emotions, such as anxiety (worrying), dread (a very strong fear), and thinking of death.
[edit] Famous existentialists
Famous existentialists include Dostoevsky, Jean-Paul Sartre, Nietzsche, Kierkegaard, Heidegger, Camus, and Simone de Beauvoir. Some people think that the French philosopher Michel Foucault is an existentialist.
Many of the major writers were either French or from French African colonies.
[edit] Existentialism in books
- Franz Kafka wrote books about people who feel hopeless because they are trapped in absurd (does not make sense), strange situations that they do not understand.
- Fyodor Dostoevsky, a Russian writer, wrote novels such as Crime and Punishment and The Brothers Karamazov. Dostoevsky also wrote Notes from Underground, which is the story of a man who cannot fit into society and who feels sad.
- Hermann Hesse is a writer who wrote the book Steppenwolf in 1928. Hesse used an existentialist idea from Kierkegaard to write this book.
- Jean-Paul Sartre wrote novels (a long story) such as Iron in the Soul that had stories about existentialism. The people in Jean-Paul Sartre's stories often faced death, and had to make hard choices (decisions).
- Albert Camus wrote novels (a long story) such as The Outsider that had stories about existentialism. The Outsider tells the story about a man who does not have feelings (emotions) after his mother dies. The man does not believe in God. The man does not have feelings (emotions) after he murders (kills) an Arab man.
[edit] Existentialism in movies
Ingmar Bergman made a movie called The Seventh Seal in 1957. This movie was about people who feel lonely and sad, because they cannot fit in.
The movie Taxi Driver (which has the actor Robert DeNiro) from 1976 has existential ideas in it. The main character feels sad and lonely, because he cannot understand the world.