Views of Existentialism
Existentialism is a philosophical movement that developed during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. One of the first things one may notice about existentialism is the confusion and disagreement of what it actually is. This is because those who developed it have conflicting ideas. Walter Kaufman, one of the leading existential scholars says, "Certainly, existentialism is not a school of thought nor reducible to any set of tenets. The two writers who appear invariable on every list of existentialists, Heidegger and Sartre, are not in agreement on essentials. By the time we consider adding Rilke, Kafka, and Camus, it becomes plain that one essential feature shared by all these men is their "perfervid individualism." Therefore, a precise definition is impossible, however, it suggests one major theme, a stress on individual existence and the subsequent development of personal essence. Man is the only known being, according to existentialists, that defines itself merely through the act of living. In other words, first you exist, and then the individual emerges as life decisions are made. Freedom of choice, through which each human being creates their own nature, is one of the basic themes. Because individuals are free
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Some common words found in the essay are:
Kafka Camus, Christians Pascal, Christianity Judaism, Blaise Pascal, Jean-Paul Sartre, Walter Kaufman, , Heidegger Sartre, human existence, War II, Pascal Kierkegaard, existentialist theme, meaning existentialism, spent life, existentialists believe, applied broadly,
Approximate Word count = 1120
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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