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Post by Diana MartÃnez on Jun 3, 2024 3:36:53 GMT
Existentialism is based on choices individuals make in order to create purpose in life. It is like finding or choosing to have a purpose in professional or in personal life. Existentialism can be interpreted as a transparent lense of thoughts or events generalized, yet experienced individually. I think this might be a challenge for the traditional philosophers & provide with another point of view of the same idea or concept.
This is the way I interpreted the reading and the video
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Post by Dr. Nemmers on Jun 3, 2024 15:00:02 GMT
Good, Diana-- you're seizing upon one of the key tenets of existentialism, which is of every human's essential "aloneness" in the world. To some extent, though we may be surrounded by others, we come into the world alone and leave it alone, and therefore we ought to make our own decisions and trajectory alone as well--- there is no pre-given meaning or path, no set of values or expectations that we are bound to.
What do y'all think of this idea? What are some of the features or flaws, plusses and minuses, of adhering to such a worldview?
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Post by dianarmartinez on Jun 4, 2024 16:41:30 GMT
I think features about existentialism are coming to this world alone and leave alone. I think this can be true to an extent, but it is up to the individuals that surround us to help us feel loved. I agree that we have not set of values or expectations that we are bound to from the very beginning. That is why in some countries we are able to choose certain lifestyle or religion. However, we have traditions, values, and culture in order to have a structured society.
As I analyzed this topic, I came to a small conclusion. Did past civilizations created cultures, traditions, values, and religion because how alone they felt?
My intention is not to offend anyone, but it was a thought I had. Are all the components that make society what is today; a figment of someone's loneliness?
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Renee Luedders (Post 2)
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Post by Renee Luedders (Post 2) on Jun 4, 2024 23:37:20 GMT
I was thinking a lot when I was reading the "What is existentialism?" article. I'm currently involved in a bible study at church, so I'm feeling like I'm going to have my own little crisis during this class! When it talked about the Father of existentialism, Dane Soren Kierkegaard, about the irony of him having a belief in God, but he thought of himself as an existentialist because he couldn't prove that God actually existed, that really hit me hard. In essence, I can't prove definitively that God exists, but I can't prove that he doesn't either. I have a belief in God, but have questioned what my path is. I understand that God gives me choice in my life and that I'm responsible for the outcome, and isn't that what the article says Jean Paul Sartre said part of the definition of existentialism was?
I suppose in short, I left with more questions in my mind than answers. I feel I have a good grasp on the basic "definition" of the term, but I am questioning the holes that I'm finding in the theories. Or... maybe I'm thinking too much?!
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Post by Dr. Nemmers on Jun 5, 2024 2:43:39 GMT
Renee, you're definitely down the right path here-- these are the exact questions that you should be asking; finding holes in theories (and exploring them) is what this is all about!
And yes, there's a very strong strain of Christian existentialism that focuses on exactly the ideas that you've propounded. Maybe we'll get some Bible study/ literary study crossover?
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