Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Existentialism Part 2

I decided to research more the philosophy of Existentialism. I downloaded a book entitled : Existentialism: A Very Short Introduction by Thomas Flynn. According to the description of the book: "One of the leading philosophical movements of the 20th century, existentialism has had more impact on literature and the arts than any other school of thought. Focusing on the leading figures of existentialism, including Sartre, Nietzsche, Heidegger, Kierkegaard, de Beauvoir, Merleau-Ponty and Camus, Thomas Flynn offers a concise account of existentialism, explaining the key themes of individuality, free will, and personal responsibility, which marked the movement as a way of life, not just a way of thinking. Flynn sets the philosophy of existentialism in context, from the early phenomenologists, to its rise in the 40s and 50s, and the connections with National Socialism, Communism, and Feminism. He identifies the original definition of "existentialism", which tends to be obscured by misappropriation, and highlights how the philosophy is still relevant in our world today." After I listen to the audiobook in regard to free-will, individuality, and personal responsibility, I asked myself: how does determinism, which is the philosophy that everything or events has prior causes, throw a wrench in the theory of existentialism? I found an answer on ask philosophers.com. The answer was even if determinism was true, existentialism would not be affected because existentialism is about the choices you make in life, whether the events were determined or random, you still have a choice to make, and even if you refuse to make a choice then a choice is still made and if you will accept the responsibility for that choice. I have a choice whether it’s determined or not, and I am responsible for my choices and this is what Jean-Paul Sartre meant when he said we are force to be free. Think about it...

2 comments:

1skepticalbrother said...

My Brother,

I enjoy your musings. I think we may share similar points of view. My blog is: The African American Agnostic on hamptonroads.com. When you get a moment read some of my material and if you think we need to talk, I'm open to dialog.

Respectfully,
R
negrononbeliever@gmail.com

John D. Socrates a.k.a. The Skeptical African said...

Thank you. I am also open to dialoging, we (African American) free thinkers seem to be like the snow leopard a rare breed (lol)....