•Why are we here?Why are we here?  

•What is our purpose?What is our purpose?

•Do our lives have meaning?Do our lives have meaning?

How has humankind attempted to answer these How has humankind attempted to answer these questions?questions?

(Willem de Kooning, (Willem de Kooning, Black UntitledBlack Untitled, 1948), 1948)

•Do you believe in fate or destiny?Do you believe in fate or destiny?  

How do your beliefs affect your thoughts and How do your beliefs affect your thoughts and

actions?actions?

(Jackson Pollack, (Jackson Pollack, Ocean Greyness, 1953)Ocean Greyness, 1953)

•What if life had no What if life had no

meaning?meaning?

•What if religion or What if religion or

science could not science could not

provide meaning for provide meaning for

why we are here?why we are here?

•What if we just What if we just

happen to be here happen to be here

because the thatbecause the that’’s s

what happened?what happened?  

How would this idea How would this idea

affect you?affect you?  (Edvard Munch, (Edvard Munch, The Scream, 1893)The Scream, 1893)

EXISTENTIALISMEXISTENTIALISM

Jackson Pollack, Jackson Pollack, Untitled (Green-Silver), 1949Untitled (Green-Silver), 1949

ExistentialismExistentialism::

• Not a specific school of philosophy; title given Not a specific school of philosophy; title given to set of ideas shared by intellectuals in to set of ideas shared by intellectuals in academia, journalism, arts; most popular in post-academia, journalism, arts; most popular in post-WWII Europe.WWII Europe.

• Major figures in 19th century (precursors): Major figures in 19th century (precursors): Soren Kierkegaard, Friedrich Nietzsche.Soren Kierkegaard, Friedrich Nietzsche.

• Major figures in 20th century: Martin Heidegger, Major figures in 20th century: Martin Heidegger, Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Albert Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Albert Camus. Camus.

Existentialism:Existentialism:• Concerned with the Concerned with the individualindividual (personal):(personal): Who am I? Who am I? and and the the existentialexistential (living, concrete (living, concrete):): What does my life mean? What does my life mean? How should I live my life? How should I live my life?

• Inevitable in Modern Age? Post-Industrial, specialized, Inevitable in Modern Age? Post-Industrial, specialized, technical society: pressure to conform, threat to technical society: pressure to conform, threat to individuality; Questioning of traditional values: individuality; Questioning of traditional values: increasingly secular society, post-world wars, ideas of increasingly secular society, post-world wars, ideas of Marxism and Darwinism.Marxism and Darwinism.

Major IdeasMajor Ideas• The individual: defined by choices and acts; The individual: defined by choices and acts; solely responsible for those choices and acts. solely responsible for those choices and acts.

• The absurd: there is no meaning in life besides The absurd: there is no meaning in life besides what we give it.what we give it.

• Freedom: aware of the nothingness of our Freedom: aware of the nothingness of our identity (we exist but have no essence); choices identity (we exist but have no essence); choices we make create our identity; these decisions not we make create our identity; these decisions not determined by God, or pre-existing values or determined by God, or pre-existing values or knowledge but by individual. knowledge but by individual.

• Anxiety (angst): complete freedom of choice is Anxiety (angst): complete freedom of choice is overwhelming responsibility.overwhelming responsibility.

•Despair: loss of hope when we realize life has no Despair: loss of hope when we realize life has no given meaning or our identity breaks down. given meaning or our identity breaks down.

Soren KierkegaardSoren Kierkegaard(1813-1855; Denmark)(1813-1855; Denmark)

• Founder of existentialism?Founder of existentialism?

• Most important human activity Most important human activity is decision-making: through our is decision-making: through our choices, we create meaning in choices, we create meaning in our lives and become ourselves.our lives and become ourselves.

• AuthenticityAuthenticity: individual : individual makes choices without relying makes choices without relying on groups or institutions for on groups or institutions for meaning or purpose.meaning or purpose.

• In-authenticityIn-authenticity: nature and : nature and needs of the individual are needs of the individual are ignored, denied or made less ignored, denied or made less important than norms of important than norms of institutions, abstractions, or institutions, abstractions, or groups.groups.

Friedrich Nietzsche Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900; Germany)(1844-1900; Germany)

• ““God is dead.God is dead.””

• Morals and values we attribute to Morals and values we attribute to God are human creations; free to God are human creations; free to choose what we value.choose what we value.

• Life is meaningless: full of suffering Life is meaningless: full of suffering and striving; Life is all there is; live it and striving; Life is all there is; live it to the fullest.to the fullest.

• How do we live a full life in a How do we live a full life in a godless, meaningless world?godless, meaningless world?

•““Will to powerWill to power””: the drive to reach our : the drive to reach our full potential (full potential (““SupermanSuperman””); leads to ); leads to great human achievement.great human achievement.

•Conflicts and destruction of the weak Conflicts and destruction of the weak should be welcomed.should be welcomed.

Jean-Paul Sartre Jean-Paul Sartre (1905-1980; France)(1905-1980; France)::

•““Existence precedes Existence precedes essence.essence.””

• We have no We have no ““given nature;given nature;”” we become who we are we become who we are through choices we make.through choices we make.

• ““Bad faithBad faith””:: when people when people are afraid to face the freedom are afraid to face the freedom and responsibility of choice and responsibility of choice and revert to old existing and revert to old existing norms and rules (religion, norms and rules (religion, science, nature).science, nature).

• ““CommitmentCommitment””:: Choosing Choosing and living in accord with the and living in accord with the choice.choice.

Albert Camus Albert Camus (1913-1960)(1913-1960)

• Author of Author of ““existentialexistential”” novels: novels: The Stranger (1942)The Stranger (1942), , The The Plague (1947)Plague (1947), , The Fall (1956)The Fall (1956)..

• Coined term Coined term ““AbsurdAbsurd””: human beings want their lives to : human beings want their lives to have significance in an indifferent universe which is without have significance in an indifferent universe which is without meaning or purpose.meaning or purpose.

• Believed we must refuse to give into the despair caused by Believed we must refuse to give into the despair caused by the realization of lifethe realization of life’’s meaningless; instead, we must rebel s meaningless; instead, we must rebel against our cosmic circumstances by choosing to live life to against our cosmic circumstances by choosing to live life to the fullest.the fullest.

Camus Camus (cont.):(cont.):

• Born in Algeria to working-class parents. Father was Born in Algeria to working-class parents. Father was killed in WWI.killed in WWI.

• Studied at the University of Algeria until diagnosed with Studied at the University of Algeria until diagnosed with tuberculosis. Later completed studies.tuberculosis. Later completed studies.

• Joined French Communist Party in 1935 to fight Joined French Communist Party in 1935 to fight inequities in treatment of native Algerians by French inequities in treatment of native Algerians by French colonists. Later criticized communism, which led to break colonists. Later criticized communism, which led to break with Sartre.with Sartre.

• In Paris during WWII, joined French Resistance cell In Paris during WWII, joined French Resistance cell called called CombatCombat; wrote for underground publication.; wrote for underground publication.

• Awarded Nobel Prize for Literature in 1957.Awarded Nobel Prize for Literature in 1957.

• Died in car accident in 1960.Died in car accident in 1960.

The Myth of SisyphusThe Myth of Sisyphus• CamusCamus’’ 1942 essay; introduces the idea of the 1942 essay; introduces the idea of the absurd.absurd.

• The myth.The myth.

• The punishment is both frustrating and The punishment is both frustrating and pointless; to Camus, life is similarly absurd in that pointless; to Camus, life is similarly absurd in that it, too, is pointless.it, too, is pointless.

• In the essay, he offers his solution to this In the essay, he offers his solution to this situation.situation.

The Plague The Plague (1947)(1947)

• Novel set in North African city of Oran.Novel set in North African city of Oran.

• A plague hits the city; the city is A plague hits the city; the city is eventually quarantined.eventually quarantined.

• Thought to be based on cholera Thought to be based on cholera epidemic that hit Oran in 1849.epidemic that hit Oran in 1849.

• Existential themes Existential themes presented in novel. presented in novel. Represents humanityRepresents humanity’’s s response to the response to the ““absurd.absurd.””

• Also read as metaphorical Also read as metaphorical treatment of French treatment of French Resistance to Nazi Resistance to Nazi Occupation in WWII.Occupation in WWII.

The PlagueThe Plague

• Impersonal; Impersonal; represents death, the represents death, the absurd.absurd.

• Poses question: How Poses question: How does one live in the does one live in the face of the plague? face of the plague?

•Examines how Examines how societysociety reacts to reacts to existential crisis.existential crisis.

Responses to Responses to The PlagueThe Plague• Fight it, but how?; futile.Fight it, but how?; futile.

• Escape it, but what exactly is one escaping from? Escape it, but what exactly is one escaping from? Where to?Where to?

• Take advantage of it; Consequences: Take advantage of it; Consequences: ““Each of us Each of us gets the war we deserve.gets the war we deserve.””

• Novel examines how different characters cope Novel examines how different characters cope with absurdity of plague; how characters conceive with absurdity of plague; how characters conceive of themselves and their lives in the face of it.of themselves and their lives in the face of it.

• Dr. Rieux: committed to fighting plague (human Dr. Rieux: committed to fighting plague (human suffering) even though unlikely he will find cure; suffering) even though unlikely he will find cure; existential hero.existential hero.

• Grand: Rieux calls hero; ordinary and simple Grand: Rieux calls hero; ordinary and simple (unlike name); committed to novel even though (unlike name); committed to novel even though is going nowhere; Sisyphus of novel.is going nowhere; Sisyphus of novel.

• Rambert: Rambert: ““caught;caught;”” tries to escape and get tries to escape and get away; chooses to live for love rather than away; chooses to live for love rather than ““a a cause.cause.””

• Tarrou: saintly and cynical; one must fight it, Tarrou: saintly and cynical; one must fight it, but with complete awareness of absurdity.but with complete awareness of absurdity.

• Cottard: through criminal activity benefits Cottard: through criminal activity benefits during plague; true cynic.during plague; true cynic.

• Paneloux: plague is GodPaneloux: plague is God’’s vengeance for our s vengeance for our guilt. guilt.

Characters & Responses to the Characters & Responses to the PlaguePlague

ConclusionsConclusions• We must face the absurd together; theme: We must face the absurd together; theme: solidarity.solidarity.

• ““I rebel; therefore, we exist.I rebel; therefore, we exist.”” ( (The RebelThe Rebel, 1957)., 1957).

• Attempts to deny absurd are philosophical Attempts to deny absurd are philosophical suicide:suicide:

Appeal to afterlife: not taking responsibility for Appeal to afterlife: not taking responsibility for this life; not living life to the fullest.this life; not living life to the fullest.