Existentialism....what is it?

[learntodiscover]

I had to read, The Second Sex bY Simone De Beauvoir and I understood that she was an existentialist. I thought it was quite interesting but when I tried to understand the concept I was baffled. What exactly is existentialism? Is there a difference between being an Athiest and being an existentialist? Or do you have to be an Atheist to be an existentialist?.......From my understanding I think they go hand in hand.....but I might be wrong.
What are your thoughts on existentialism?

thanks

[*Classic*Charm*]

There is definitely a difference between Atheism and Existentialism.

To be an atheist is to acknowledge no gods or deities, and does not follow a prescribed faith or religious sect. This is not to be mistaken with anti-theists, who openly renounce and attempt to disprove the existence of gods or higher powers.

Existentialism is a class of beliefs which is focused on an understanding of oneself in order to achieve "fulfillment" in life (which, extremely simplified, existentialists should strive for, but should also understand that they will never reach complete fulfillment). It focuses on two aspects of an individual: the being in itself and the being for itself, and the reconciliation of/ relationship between the two. Sorry, its difficult to describe without going into details and the terminology associated with it, and it's been a while since I studied it. If you're interested, reading any of the works of Jean Paul Sartre is the best place to start, in my opinion. In a way, I suppose existentialists are atheists too.

If anyone cares to correct me, or better describe, feel free to do so. It's been a while:)

[beatnic]

Existentialism is the philosophy of existence, of the nature of human existence, its value and its meaning. The one unifying idea that bonds all "existentialists" is that there is no universal meaning to life and every person is responsible for finding his/her own meaning as well as being completely responsible for their own decisions and choices. Other than that, existentialist philosophers tend not to agree (which would make sense considering they all follow an ideology that is very individualistic).

As for having to be an atheist in order to be a existentialist, this is untrue. One of the foundering father's of existentialism, Søren Kierkegaard, was actually Christian and defended the idea that you can have faith and still be a existentialist in most of his writings.

As the person above mentioned, Jean-Paul Sartre (a French "existentialist"; he despised that title) would be a good starting point. However, I would also recommend Albert Camus (another French "existentialist") as well as Søren Kierkegaard and Friedrich Nietzsche (another forefather).

[Saladin]

Albert Camus didnt consider himself to be an existentialist..

[Lust Hogg]

No he certainly did not. It just so happens that many of the themes that are embedded in his various works are characteristically existentialist. most existentialist writing has been done in a largely philosophical tradition. Camus did not adhere to this model. i would not suggest that Kierkegaard's concept of Anxiety is anyway similar to the plague but, they are in my mind conceptually aligned.

[beatnic]

Albert Camus didn't consider himself to be an existentialist..


No he certainly did not. It just so happens that many of the themes that are embedded in his various works are characteristically existentialist. most existentialist writing has been done in a largely philosophical tradition. Camus did not adhere to this model. i would not suggest that Kierkegaard's concept of Anxiety is anyway similar to the plague but, they are in my mind conceptually aligned.

Both of you are correct; he did not. As a matter of fact, none of these individuals would have described themselves as "existentialist". That is why the term is in quotations. Camus did preferred the term "absurdist", but his writings do have existentialist themes (as "Lust Hogg" pointed out) which is the exact reason why I recommended him in the first place.

[loveme816]

Water pipes


I am thinking about buying some wholesale water pipes from this company in China http://www.liangdianup.com/tobacciana_z.htm
but I am not sure if they are legal to bring in to the states? What are the laws on water pipes, bongs, and pipes?

[Lust Hogg]

There is a guy named Franz Kafka on this board ask him, he is into that sort of stuff.