Existentialism
Individual existence, freedom, and choice are the starting point of philosophy.
Overview
Existentialism insists that philosophy must begin with the concrete, lived experience of the individual — not with abstract systems or universal truths. 'Existence precedes essence': we are not born with a fixed nature or purpose; we must create ourselves through our choices. This freedom is both exhilarating and terrifying — we are 'condemned to be free,' with no excuses and no one to blame. Authenticity means owning this freedom rather than hiding behind roles, conventions, or bad faith.
Origins
Existentialism emerged from the crisis of meaning in 19th-20th century Europe. Kierkegaard rejected Hegel's grand system in favor of individual faith and decision. Nietzsche declared the 'death of God' and asked how we create meaning without cosmic guarantees. After two World Wars shattered European civilization, Sartre and de Beauvoir made existentialism the philosophy of a generation confronting absurdity, freedom, and responsibility. Camus, though often grouped with the existentialists, rejected the label and developed his own philosophy of the Absurd.
Key Thinkers (7)
Søren Kierkegaard
1813 CE – 1855 CE
Truth is subjective; authentic existence demands passionate commitment in the face of uncertainty.
Friedrich Nietzsche
1844 CE – 1900 CE
God is dead; we must create our own values and become who we truly are.
Martin Heidegger
1889 CE – 1976 CE
The fundamental question of philosophy is the question of Being: and we have forgotten to ask it.
Jean-Paul Sartre
1905 CE – 1980 CE
Existence precedes essence: we are condemned to be free and must create ourselves through choice.
Simone de Beauvoir
1908 CE – 1986 CE
One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman: gender is constructed, not given.
Maurice Merleau-Ponty
1908 CE – 1961 CE
We do not have bodies; we are our bodies. Perception is the foundation of all knowledge.
Frantz Fanon
1925 CE – 1961 CE
Decolonization is a violent process through which colonized peoples reclaim their humanity.