a function‚ its existence must come prior. For example‚ the function of a knife‚ which is to stab and cut‚ did not come before the existence of the knife. The saying “existence precedes essence” is Sartre’s answer for the objection saying that Existentialism is pessimism. Sartre says no‚ existence is not pessimistic but instead it is optimistic. An individual does have action and choice to how they want to live their life and that there can be meaning. Existence can be described as biological‚ while
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The Stranger by Albert Camus In the novel The Stranger‚ Albert Camus give his expression to his philosophy of the absurd. A first person account on the life of Meursault from the death of his mother to his execution for the murder of an arab. The central theme of the novel is that the significance of human life is understood only in light of mortality‚ or the fact of death. Showing Meursault’s consciousness change through the course of events‚ camus shows how facing the possibility of death does not
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meaning. The reason that he believes man must exist before he can make the choice to create himself stems directly from the idea that there is not God to direct him and give him a meaning a priori. Sartre’s views stem from a form of atheistic existentialism that states that if god does not exist‚ there is at least one being in whom existence precedes essence‚ a being who exists before he can be defined by any concept‚ and that this being is man" (15). Man is nothing because
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Discussion Questions for The Stranger (1946); translated by Matthew Ward‚ 1988. Part One Chapter 1. 1. How does Camus set up Meursault’s personality -- how does Meursault respond to others’ conversation‚ to ordinary social situations‚ and to the death of his mother? 2. On page 10‚ Meursault says that at the viewing of his mother‚ he felt as if the elderly people there were judging him. Offer a conjecture about why he might have had that feeling. (It is worth paying attention to such references to
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Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis is a masterfully written novella about Gregor Samsa‚ a man who devotes his life to his family and work‚ for nothing in return. Only when he is transformed into a helpless beetle does he begin to develop a self-identity and understand the relationships around him. The underlying theme of The Metamorphosis is an existential one that says that any given choice will govern the later course of a person’s life and that a person has ultimate will over making choices. In
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Existentialism: A Theoretical Orientation Jared Smith Nevada State College In the mental health profession‚ there are many theoretical approaches available to therapists to help them in understanding their clients. These theoretical approaches‚ “provide a frame work for conceptualizing client problems and determining a course of action in counseling” (Erford‚ 2010). Existentialism is one of many theoretical orientations of the mental health profession within the human services industry available
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The Simpsons: Laughing at Ourselves Jessica French Professor Jean Graybeal The Existential Imagination 16 October‚ 2003 Comedy gives no better an answer to existential question than any other form of art or literature. It does however‚ give such a familiar yet ironical response‚ that the relief attained is often more satisfying than other medium. Jerry Rannow states‚ “humor is necessary to life.”1 The Simpsons is for many‚ the quintessence of comedy and offers a wonderful philosophical study
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death. In Edward Albee’s play‚ The Zoo Story‚ all Jerry wanted was to be heard and understood‚ and in the end‚ after sharing his life story with a complete stranger‚ he got his final wish - death. The Zoo Story not only tells of the alienation of man in modern society‚ but also reflects the philosophy of twentieth century existentialism. Jerry made a conscious choice of wanting to end his life‚ while Peter‚ a man that chose to act as the “guinea pig” and stayed and listened to Jerry’s
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If McMahon was to examine The Stranger through an existential view‚ it would be similar to the way she examined The Matrix and Nausea. She would talk about the importance of the sun and the event at the beach and how it connects to existentialism. There are a few concepts that apply to existentialism: · Mankind has free will · Life is a series of choices‚ creating stress · Few decisions are without any negative consequences · Some things are irrational or absurd‚ without explanation · If one makes
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Existentialism in Camus‚ the Outsider’ and Kafka’s‚ The Metamorphosis’ Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis and Albert Camus’ The Outsider‚ both feature protagonists in situations out of which arise existentialist values. Existentialism is a philosophy that emphasizes the uniqueness and isolation of the individual experience in a hostile or indifferent universe‚ regards human existence as unexplainable‚ and stresses freedom of choice and responsibility for the consequences of one’s acts. In The
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