Existentialism, gives a brief description about the topic

Sociology

1. EXISTENTIALISM
Friedrich Nietzsche

2. CONTEXT
•“Wemeanthatmanfirstofall
exists,encountershimself,
surgesupintheworld,and
defineshimselfafterwards.If
man,astheexistentialismsees
him,isnotdefinable,itis
becausetobeginwithheis
nothing.Hewillnotbeanything
untillater,andthenhewillbe
whathemakesofhimself…
Manisnothingelsebutwhathe
makesofhimself.Thatisthe
firstprincipleofexistentialism”
–Existentialism,p.290

3. SARTRE’S EXISTENTIALISM
InJeanPaulSartre‘swayofputting
it,‘man‘sexistenceprecedeshis
essence’.Inourlife,essenceis
shapedbyexistence,nottheother
wayround.Weliveourlivesand
thatinturndefineswhatwetruly
are.Thereisnopredefinedpattern
thatwecanfitinto.

4. WHAT IS EXISTENITIALISM?
•Although,asingularunderstandingoftheconceptofExistentialism
isnotpossible,itsbasicpremiseholdsthatitisabouttheexperience
oflivingasahumanbeing.
•Itisaboutengagingwiththeworldanddealingwithtwofeaturesof
life-thesituationinwhichwefindourselvesandtheconstantdesire
togobeyondourselves,planningandshapingourfuture.
•Itisnotonlyaphilosophybutawayoflife.
•Existentialismisnotaboutnegativity.Neitheritisdarkor
depressing.Itisaboutlife,facingthechallengesoflifeandfighting
forlife.
•Itfurtherholdsthathumannatureisnotfixed.FortheExistentialist,
thepossibilitiesofalteringhumannatureandsocietyareunlimited,
but,atthesametime,humanbeingscanhopeforaidinmakingsuch
alterationsonlyfromwithinthemselves.

5. •Fromanexistentialperspective,freedomcannotbeseparatedfrom
responsibilitybecausefreedomputsforthresponsibility.Realizing
thefactandnatureofourfreedommakesamanmature;hecan
exercisecontrol,directionandcommandoverhisownlife.
•Forasuccessfulandauthenticliving,amanmustbefullyawareof
hisfreedomalongwithhisresponsibilityandcontrol.Amanmustbe
willingtoacceptfullresponsibilityforallhisactions.
•Oncetheinevitabilityofresponsibilityisrecognized,manisinclined
totakethefullblameonhimselfratherthanblamingothersoron
somesituationsbeyondhiscontrol.
•Onceweareclearaboutthisfactthatwearefullyaccountablefor
ouractions,ourlivesandourmistakes,onlythenwewillexercise
ourresponsibility.
•Man‘sfreedomisboundlesssohemakesgreatefforttohideitfrom
himself.Doingsoheescapesfromfreedom.Thisleadstothepainful
anxietyofresponsibility.

6. NIETZSCHE’S CONTRIBUTION
“God is dead!” ~ (Nietzsche, The Gay Science, par. 125) and
“Now we want the Ubermensch(superman) to live!” (Nietzsche,
Thus Spoke Zarathustra, p. 3)
Nietzscheseesreality,thecosmosasvalueless.Becauseofall
theadvancementinscienceandtechnologytheworldwas
becominglikeabigmachine,witheverythingbeinggovernedby
acertainsetofrulesandlaws.Hethinksthatpeopledonot
realizethecatastrophe.Heidentifiesthiscatastrophewith
nihilism.

7. HIS NIHILISM
•Nietzschedescribesnihilismasanecessarystepinthe
transitiontoarevaluationofallvalues.Itisatransitionalstage
thataccompanieshumandevelopment,cleaningandclearing
awayoutdatedvaluesystemssothatsomethingnewcanarise
intheirplace.
•Now,hebelievesthatinsuchasituation,“thehighestvalues
devaluatethemselves.”ThehighestvaluessofarhadbeenGod
andothermetaphysicalorotherworldlyrealities.Theroleof
Godisnowputinquestionand‘experience’turnsouttobethe
solebasisofacquiringknowledge.

8. •Theworldlooksvaluelessbecausethosethingsthatoriented
ingivingmeaningsaretakenoff.Oneofthemainreasons
couldbetheendofChristianthinking,wemeanfromthepoint
ofviewofkeepingGodasthelawgiver,asthesourceoflife,as
thesourceofvalueandasthesourceofmeaningofour
existence.Noweverythingisrelatedtopositivisticorscientific
approach,whichisdevoidofanyvalueattachedtotheworld
andthusweareconfrontedwithnihilism.
•EvenafterdenouncingtheexistenceofGod,thehumanbeing
stillfindsmeaninginsomethingelse.Thissomethingisviewed
asgivingvalueandpurposetoourexistenceeveninthemidst
ofvaluelessness.Thatisnothingbutmorality.Thehuman
beingpositsthemeaningofexistenceintheacceptanceofthe
existingmoralsystem.

9. •Hearguesthat“everypurelymoralvaluesystemendsin
nihilism.Onestillhopestogetalongwithamoralismwithout
religiousbackgroundbutthatnecessarilyleadstonihilism.”If
weareconfrontedwithnihilism,weshouldfaceitactivelyand
affirmatively.Oneshouldnottrytovaluatesomethingthatis
notthere,ratherweneedtofaceactivelythebaseless,
valuelessworld.
CONCLUSION
Inordertomakeitintelligibletotheideaof‘SocialJustice’,we
needtotietheideasofexistentialismnotjustwiththatof
nihilism,butalsowithPlato’smoralphilosophy.So,becauseall
theworldrealityisbaseless(asunderstoodbynihilism),man
hasthepotentialtodefinehisownreality(existentialism).He
shouldgivetothedifferentclasseswhatisdueandnomanshall
dominateoverothers(Plato’smoralphilosophy).