Existentialism

[Yotsuya-san]

Existentialism, like "string theory" is one of those things that no matter how many times people explain it to me, I have no idea what the f--- they are talking about.

In most cases, neither do they.

 

[KarmaSutra]

In most cases, neither do they.

This seems to be one of those cases.

 

[jeffthechef]

I still don't completely understand existentialism but I understand it more now than I did



I never thought I would be doing existentialism in an English composition class at a community college. I didn't want to know anything specifically. I was just trying to get a better overall understanding of existentialism. After taking the class I am more interested in philosophy. Philosophy is something I never thought I would be interested in, but I am glad I chose that professor because I found a fascinating subject I can learn about.

Does anyone know what books I should read to start learning more about philosophy? Any recommendations on where I should start?

hmm..if you're interested in philosophy i would take a look into buddhist philosophy...personally i find that buddhist philosophy is more realistic and explanatory in regards to life and existence...what abotu philosophy interests you....for example, how do we know we exist?

 

[SinJester]

Prove this chair does not exist.

 

[jeffthechef]

Prove this chair does not exist.

well can you prove that it is even a chair

have you seen videos of monks setting themselves on fire? it's sort of the same thing with the chair...we're all one...and if you truly believe this you can hit yourself with a chair and feel nothing...however if you tried it now..i doubt it would work cause the average person doesn't have time to meditate for hours daily

the chair exists as we exist as everything else exists...through each other as dependent entities

 

[theunflushables]

Prove this chair does not exist.

The chair doesn't exist for anyone else here but yourself because you are just letters on a screen.

 

[Heart Break Kid]

To clear a bunch of misconceptions up...

First off, anyone who says Nietzsche isn't more a nihilist than Existentialist hasn't read anything other than Thus spoke Zarathustra.

There is very little positivity in Nietzsche's work. He subscribed to the defeatist mentality where there are no confines outside of subscribed orthodox religion.

Using ourselves as a mirror of divinity is not what Nietzcshe was saying at all.

Hey Karma, you might want to give his readings another glance. You are right though, it would be absurd to start reading Nietzsche with Thus spoke Zarathustra. However, I would like to note that Nietzsche is full of positivity. Ahh I love continental philosophy...

Nietzsche basically says nihilism makes him want to vomit. To puke and claw his eyes out. It makes him gag, choke and he feels that in his time it has plagued Germany in every sense of the word. Unless Nietzsche is skimmed very breifly, he cannot be said to be more nihilist than existentialist. Him and Kierkegaard, with his theistic existentialism, are the main contributors to the existential movement.

If you would like to see what I mean about Nietzsche's thought you should pick up the Genealogy of Morals; one of his most studied works which is a polemic against the ascetic ideal and the German nihilism he sees setting in. I have read all his other works but the practical import of the three essays in the polemic is nothing short of an attack on nihilism. He thinks Christianity is one of the causes for this rise of nihilism that happened during his lifetime. There are, of course, other things he attacks like Schopenhaur's ideas of extinguishing the will, the hegelian dialectic, etc. but Christianity plays a major role (perhaps Christiandom would be a better word because what Kierkegaard sees as true Christianity is not really under attack by Nietzsche. Both Kierkegaard and Nietzsche attack a specific type of Christianity... Likely most modern day Christians would fall into this category.)

I think if you read a couple more books of Nietzsche you would really like him. He is far away from a defeatist mentality. He would certainly pull some of the hair off that mustache of his if he heard that. =)

In a nutshell he thinks that those who are too weak to handle the pains and struggles of life should adopt this defeatist mentality. The are the weak, the sick, the one's who will nothingness should stick together. But those who are strong enough to struggle and fight, much like most of the people on this forum strive to be are, according to Nietzsche, truly great and the world will belong to them. They have no need for such a pathetic mindset.

As for existentialism, books are nice but I would advise anyone to pick up some actual existentialist texts by the philosophers if you are serious. There are a lot of quality books out there but the vast majority will give you a superficial understand that make people think you got it off sparknotes. Sartre is nice to start with.

P.S. If anyone would like to wrap their head around the movement really fast here is an excellent article to read by Steven Cromwell:
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/existentialism/
It is an easy read and the most informative you will find online. It follows Kierkegaard and Nietzsche into Existentialism and then the key thinkers of the movement. You might want to skip Heidegger. His philosophy many find confusing (and terribly wrong -- sometimes he is not worth the effort.) Have fun ! =)