Exploring the Perspectives offered by Existential Philosophy
ex·is·ten·tial·ism
[ˌeɡzəˈsten(t)SHəˌlizəm]
NOUN
a philosophical theory or approach which emphasizes the existence of the individual person as a free and responsible agent determining their own development through acts of the will
Existentialism is a philosophical theory that people are free agents who have control over their choices and actions. Existentialists believe that society should not restrict an individual’s life or actions and that these restrictions inhibit free will and the development of that person’s potential
Existentialism states that our lives have no inherent meaning or purpose, but rather it is the purpose we create for our lives that gives them a sense of meaning. ... Once we accept this as a fact, we can live our lives freely, doing what we enjoy, so far as our society allows us
Existential theory, rooted in the work of Søren Kierkegaard, the 19th-century Danish philosopher dubbed the father of existentialism, posits the inherent loneliness of the human condition, the absence of intrinsic meaning in life, and the certainty of death. It emphasizes personal experience and the individual's freedom to craft a meaningful existence despite societal or religious prescriptions. Central to existentialism is the notion that meaning and identity must be self-created, with the process of decision-making and self-discovery often leading to an existential crisis marked by anxiety over these very choices and the quest for value.
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