Living Existentialism

Living Existentialism

Author: Gregory Hoskins

Publisher:

Published: 2017

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781498249843

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Writing in the late 1990s about the tendency of encyclopedists to designate existentialism a finished project, Thomas W. Busch cautions that such hasty periodization risks distorting our understanding of the contemporary philosophical scene and of depriving ourselves of vital resources for critiquing contemporary forms of oppression, what Garbriel Marcel referred to as processes of dehumanization. We should recall that ""existentialism made possible present forms of Continental philosophy, all of which assume the existentialist critique of dualism, essentialism, and totality in modern philosophy,"" and we should acknowledge that ""existentialism remains capable of haunting today's scene as an important and relevant critic."" Offered in honor of Thomas W. Busch after his more than fifty years of work in philosophy, the essays in this volume attest to existentialism as a living project. The essays are written by scholars who championed existentialism in America and by scholars who now seek to extend existentialist insights into new territory, including into research in cognitive science. The essays range from studies of key figures and texts to explorations of urgent topics such as the nature of freedom and the possibility of what Busch calls ""incorporation,"" a sense of communicative solidarity that respects difference and disagreement. ""While each essay opens up a world of its own and invites the reader along a skillfully guided argument, the entire collection is a refreshing contribution to the existentialist scholarship. Instead of a partisan defense of the tradition's timelessness, this volume faithfully echoes Thomas W. Busch's sober approach and demonstrates the thematic timeliness of existentialism."" --Farhang Erfani, American University; author of Aesthetics of Autonomy: Sartre and Ricoeur on Emancipation, Authenticity, and Selfhood ""This collection testifies to the diverse and lasting impact of Tom Busch's thinking and teaching. Busch's interest in thinkers including Marcel, Sartre, Beauvoir, and Merleau-Ponty has translated, for his readers and students, into enduring contributions in fields as varied as feminist philosophy, political theory, cognitive science, and literary analysis. Many of these essays have inherited from Busch's teaching and writing the element of hopefulness that he himself found in existentialism and phenomenology."" --Rebecca Steiner Goldner, St. John's College, Annapolis Gregory Hoskins, Assistant Professor of Philosophy, is the Assistant Director of the Augustine and Culture Seminar Program at Villanova University. J. C. Berendzen is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Loyola University New Orleans.


Book Synopsis Living Existentialism by : Gregory Hoskins

Download or read book Living Existentialism written by Gregory Hoskins and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Writing in the late 1990s about the tendency of encyclopedists to designate existentialism a finished project, Thomas W. Busch cautions that such hasty periodization risks distorting our understanding of the contemporary philosophical scene and of depriving ourselves of vital resources for critiquing contemporary forms of oppression, what Garbriel Marcel referred to as processes of dehumanization. We should recall that ""existentialism made possible present forms of Continental philosophy, all of which assume the existentialist critique of dualism, essentialism, and totality in modern philosophy,"" and we should acknowledge that ""existentialism remains capable of haunting today's scene as an important and relevant critic."" Offered in honor of Thomas W. Busch after his more than fifty years of work in philosophy, the essays in this volume attest to existentialism as a living project. The essays are written by scholars who championed existentialism in America and by scholars who now seek to extend existentialist insights into new territory, including into research in cognitive science. The essays range from studies of key figures and texts to explorations of urgent topics such as the nature of freedom and the possibility of what Busch calls ""incorporation,"" a sense of communicative solidarity that respects difference and disagreement. ""While each essay opens up a world of its own and invites the reader along a skillfully guided argument, the entire collection is a refreshing contribution to the existentialist scholarship. Instead of a partisan defense of the tradition's timelessness, this volume faithfully echoes Thomas W. Busch's sober approach and demonstrates the thematic timeliness of existentialism."" --Farhang Erfani, American University; author of Aesthetics of Autonomy: Sartre and Ricoeur on Emancipation, Authenticity, and Selfhood ""This collection testifies to the diverse and lasting impact of Tom Busch's thinking and teaching. Busch's interest in thinkers including Marcel, Sartre, Beauvoir, and Merleau-Ponty has translated, for his readers and students, into enduring contributions in fields as varied as feminist philosophy, political theory, cognitive science, and literary analysis. Many of these essays have inherited from Busch's teaching and writing the element of hopefulness that he himself found in existentialism and phenomenology."" --Rebecca Steiner Goldner, St. John's College, Annapolis Gregory Hoskins, Assistant Professor of Philosophy, is the Assistant Director of the Augustine and Culture Seminar Program at Villanova University. J. C. Berendzen is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Loyola University New Orleans.

Living Existentialism

Living Existentialism

Author: J. C. Berendzen

Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers

Published: 2017-03-24

Total Pages: 244

ISBN-13: 1498298524

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Writing in the late 1990s about the tendency of encyclopedists to designate existentialism a finished project, Thomas W. Busch cautions that such hasty periodization risks distorting our understanding of the contemporary philosophical scene and of depriving ourselves of vital resources for critiquing contemporary forms of oppression, what Garbriel Marcel referred to as processes of dehumanization. We should recall that "existentialism made possible present forms of Continental philosophy, all of which assume the existentialist critique of dualism, essentialism, and totality in modern philosophy," and we should acknowledge that "existentialism remains capable of haunting today's scene as an important and relevant critic." Offered in honor of Thomas W. Busch after his more than fifty years of work in philosophy, the essays in this volume attest to existentialism as a living project. The essays are written by scholars who championed existentialism in America and by scholars who now seek to extend existentialist insights into new territory, including into research in cognitive science. The essays range from studies of key figures and texts to explorations of urgent topics such as the nature of freedom and the possibility of what Busch calls "incorporation," a sense of communicative solidarity that respects difference and disagreement.


Book Synopsis Living Existentialism by : J. C. Berendzen

Download or read book Living Existentialism written by J. C. Berendzen and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2017-03-24 with total page 244 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Writing in the late 1990s about the tendency of encyclopedists to designate existentialism a finished project, Thomas W. Busch cautions that such hasty periodization risks distorting our understanding of the contemporary philosophical scene and of depriving ourselves of vital resources for critiquing contemporary forms of oppression, what Garbriel Marcel referred to as processes of dehumanization. We should recall that "existentialism made possible present forms of Continental philosophy, all of which assume the existentialist critique of dualism, essentialism, and totality in modern philosophy," and we should acknowledge that "existentialism remains capable of haunting today's scene as an important and relevant critic." Offered in honor of Thomas W. Busch after his more than fifty years of work in philosophy, the essays in this volume attest to existentialism as a living project. The essays are written by scholars who championed existentialism in America and by scholars who now seek to extend existentialist insights into new territory, including into research in cognitive science. The essays range from studies of key figures and texts to explorations of urgent topics such as the nature of freedom and the possibility of what Busch calls "incorporation," a sense of communicative solidarity that respects difference and disagreement.

The Existentialist's Survival Guide

The Existentialist's Survival Guide

Author: Gordon Marino

Publisher: HarperCollins

Published: 2018-04-24

Total Pages: 207

ISBN-13: 006243599X

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“When it comes to living, there’s no getting out alive. But books can help us survive, so to speak, by passing on what is most important about being human before we perish. In The Existentialist’s Survival Guide, Marino has produced an honest and moving book of self-help for readers generally disposed to loathe the genre.” —The Wall Street Journal Sophisticated self-help for the 21st century—when every crisis feels like an existential crisis Soren Kierkegaard, Frederick Nietzsche, Jean-Paul Sartre, and other towering figures of existentialism grasped that human beings are, at heart, moody creatures, susceptible to an array of psychological setbacks, crises of faith, flights of fancy, and other emotional ups and downs. Rather than understanding moods—good and bad alike—as afflictions to be treated with pharmaceuticals, this swashbuckling group of thinkers generally known as existentialists believed that such feelings not only offer enduring lessons about living a life of integrity, but also help us discern an inner spark that can inspire spiritual development and personal transformation. To listen to Kierkegaard and company, how we grapple with these feelings shapes who we are, how we act, and, ultimately, the kind of lives we lead. In The Existentialist's Survival Guide, Gordon Marino, director of the Hong Kierkegaard Library at St. Olaf College and boxing correspondent for The Wall Street Journal, recasts the practical takeaways existentialism offers for the twenty-first century. From negotiating angst, depression, despair, and death to practicing faith, morality, and love, Marino dispenses wisdom on how to face existence head-on while keeping our hearts intact, especially when the universe feels like it’s working against us and nothing seems to matter. What emerges are life-altering and, in some cases, lifesaving epiphanies—existential prescriptions for living with integrity, courage, and authenticity in an increasingly chaotic, uncertain, and inauthentic age.


Book Synopsis The Existentialist's Survival Guide by : Gordon Marino

Download or read book The Existentialist's Survival Guide written by Gordon Marino and published by HarperCollins. This book was released on 2018-04-24 with total page 207 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “When it comes to living, there’s no getting out alive. But books can help us survive, so to speak, by passing on what is most important about being human before we perish. In The Existentialist’s Survival Guide, Marino has produced an honest and moving book of self-help for readers generally disposed to loathe the genre.” —The Wall Street Journal Sophisticated self-help for the 21st century—when every crisis feels like an existential crisis Soren Kierkegaard, Frederick Nietzsche, Jean-Paul Sartre, and other towering figures of existentialism grasped that human beings are, at heart, moody creatures, susceptible to an array of psychological setbacks, crises of faith, flights of fancy, and other emotional ups and downs. Rather than understanding moods—good and bad alike—as afflictions to be treated with pharmaceuticals, this swashbuckling group of thinkers generally known as existentialists believed that such feelings not only offer enduring lessons about living a life of integrity, but also help us discern an inner spark that can inspire spiritual development and personal transformation. To listen to Kierkegaard and company, how we grapple with these feelings shapes who we are, how we act, and, ultimately, the kind of lives we lead. In The Existentialist's Survival Guide, Gordon Marino, director of the Hong Kierkegaard Library at St. Olaf College and boxing correspondent for The Wall Street Journal, recasts the practical takeaways existentialism offers for the twenty-first century. From negotiating angst, depression, despair, and death to practicing faith, morality, and love, Marino dispenses wisdom on how to face existence head-on while keeping our hearts intact, especially when the universe feels like it’s working against us and nothing seems to matter. What emerges are life-altering and, in some cases, lifesaving epiphanies—existential prescriptions for living with integrity, courage, and authenticity in an increasingly chaotic, uncertain, and inauthentic age.

Existence in Black

Existence in Black

Author: Lewis Ricardo Gordon

Publisher: Psychology Press

Published: 1997

Total Pages: 352

ISBN-13: 9780415914512

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This collection of essays and reviews represents the most significant and comprehensive writing on Shakespeare's A Comedy of Errors. Miola's edited work also features a comprehensive critical history, coupled with a full bibliography and photographs of major productions of the play from around the world. In the collection, there are five previously unpublished essays. The topics covered in these new essays are women in the play, the play's debt to contemporary theater, its critical and performance histories in Germany and Japan, the metrical variety of the play, and the distinctly modern perspective on the play as containing dark and disturbing elements. To compliment these new essays, the collection features significant scholarship and commentary on The Comedy of Errors that is published in obscure and difficulty accessible journals, newspapers, and other sources. This collection brings together these essays for the first time.


Book Synopsis Existence in Black by : Lewis Ricardo Gordon

Download or read book Existence in Black written by Lewis Ricardo Gordon and published by Psychology Press. This book was released on 1997 with total page 352 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This collection of essays and reviews represents the most significant and comprehensive writing on Shakespeare's A Comedy of Errors. Miola's edited work also features a comprehensive critical history, coupled with a full bibliography and photographs of major productions of the play from around the world. In the collection, there are five previously unpublished essays. The topics covered in these new essays are women in the play, the play's debt to contemporary theater, its critical and performance histories in Germany and Japan, the metrical variety of the play, and the distinctly modern perspective on the play as containing dark and disturbing elements. To compliment these new essays, the collection features significant scholarship and commentary on The Comedy of Errors that is published in obscure and difficulty accessible journals, newspapers, and other sources. This collection brings together these essays for the first time.

Living Existentialism

Living Existentialism

Author: J. C. Berendzen

Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers

Published: 2017-03-24

Total Pages: 245

ISBN-13: 1498298516

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Writing in the late 1990s about the tendency of encyclopedists to designate existentialism a finished project, Thomas W. Busch cautions that such hasty periodization risks distorting our understanding of the contemporary philosophical scene and of depriving ourselves of vital resources for critiquing contemporary forms of oppression, what Garbriel Marcel referred to as processes of dehumanization. We should recall that "existentialism made possible present forms of Continental philosophy, all of which assume the existentialist critique of dualism, essentialism, and totality in modern philosophy," and we should acknowledge that "existentialism remains capable of haunting today's scene as an important and relevant critic." Offered in honor of Thomas W. Busch after his more than fifty years of work in philosophy, the essays in this volume attest to existentialism as a living project. The essays are written by scholars who championed existentialism in America and by scholars who now seek to extend existentialist insights into new territory, including into research in cognitive science. The essays range from studies of key figures and texts to explorations of urgent topics such as the nature of freedom and the possibility of what Busch calls "incorporation," a sense of communicative solidarity that respects difference and disagreement.


Book Synopsis Living Existentialism by : J. C. Berendzen

Download or read book Living Existentialism written by J. C. Berendzen and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2017-03-24 with total page 245 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Writing in the late 1990s about the tendency of encyclopedists to designate existentialism a finished project, Thomas W. Busch cautions that such hasty periodization risks distorting our understanding of the contemporary philosophical scene and of depriving ourselves of vital resources for critiquing contemporary forms of oppression, what Garbriel Marcel referred to as processes of dehumanization. We should recall that "existentialism made possible present forms of Continental philosophy, all of which assume the existentialist critique of dualism, essentialism, and totality in modern philosophy," and we should acknowledge that "existentialism remains capable of haunting today's scene as an important and relevant critic." Offered in honor of Thomas W. Busch after his more than fifty years of work in philosophy, the essays in this volume attest to existentialism as a living project. The essays are written by scholars who championed existentialism in America and by scholars who now seek to extend existentialist insights into new territory, including into research in cognitive science. The essays range from studies of key figures and texts to explorations of urgent topics such as the nature of freedom and the possibility of what Busch calls "incorporation," a sense of communicative solidarity that respects difference and disagreement.

Living in Paradox

Living in Paradox

Author: Ned Farley

Publisher: University Press of America

Published: 2008

Total Pages: 132

ISBN-13:

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"Living in Paradox focuses on the emergence of contextual existential theory and practice from more traditional existential psychology. It speaks to the needs of the whole person in their process of becoming with attention to the spiritual domain. Farley addresses the diversity of humankind and the need to be culturally aware as we attempt to address the dilemmas that present themselves to us in our work. He also expresses the importance of context in connection to our relational selves, and the ways in which we create meaning and values in our lives. He explains how the "worlds" of existential theory must be examined clearly in both assessment and practice. Finally, he makes a case for the importance of existential practitioners to participate in the larger mental health arena. This includes working from within to guide the evolution of ideas connected to assessment and diagnosis, as well as therapy itself."--BOOK JACKET.


Book Synopsis Living in Paradox by : Ned Farley

Download or read book Living in Paradox written by Ned Farley and published by University Press of America. This book was released on 2008 with total page 132 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Living in Paradox focuses on the emergence of contextual existential theory and practice from more traditional existential psychology. It speaks to the needs of the whole person in their process of becoming with attention to the spiritual domain. Farley addresses the diversity of humankind and the need to be culturally aware as we attempt to address the dilemmas that present themselves to us in our work. He also expresses the importance of context in connection to our relational selves, and the ways in which we create meaning and values in our lives. He explains how the "worlds" of existential theory must be examined clearly in both assessment and practice. Finally, he makes a case for the importance of existential practitioners to participate in the larger mental health arena. This includes working from within to guide the evolution of ideas connected to assessment and diagnosis, as well as therapy itself."--BOOK JACKET.

What Is Existentialism?

What Is Existentialism?

Author: Simone de Beauvoir

Publisher: Penguin UK

Published: 2020-09-24

Total Pages: 72

ISBN-13: 0141994770

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'It is possible for man to snatch the world from the darkness of absurdity' How should we think and act in the world? These writings on the human condition by one of the twentieth century's great philosophers explore the absurdity of our notions of good and evil, and show instead how we make our own destiny simply by being. One of twenty new books in the bestselling Penguin Great Ideas series. This new selection showcases a diverse list of thinkers who have helped shape our world today, from anarchists to stoics, feminists to prophets, satirists to Zen Buddhists.


Book Synopsis What Is Existentialism? by : Simone de Beauvoir

Download or read book What Is Existentialism? written by Simone de Beauvoir and published by Penguin UK. This book was released on 2020-09-24 with total page 72 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'It is possible for man to snatch the world from the darkness of absurdity' How should we think and act in the world? These writings on the human condition by one of the twentieth century's great philosophers explore the absurdity of our notions of good and evil, and show instead how we make our own destiny simply by being. One of twenty new books in the bestselling Penguin Great Ideas series. This new selection showcases a diverse list of thinkers who have helped shape our world today, from anarchists to stoics, feminists to prophets, satirists to Zen Buddhists.

Living Poetically

Living Poetically

Author: Sylvia Walsh

Publisher: Penn State Press

Published: 2012-04-30

Total Pages: 313

ISBN-13: 0271041226

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Living Poetically is the first book to focus primarily on Kierkegaard's existential aesthetics as opposed to traditional aesthetic features of his writings such as the use of pseudonyms, literary techniques and figures, and literary criticism. Living Poetically traces the development of the concept of the poetic in Kierkegaard's writings as that concept is worked out in an ethical-religious perspective in contrast to the aesthetics of early German romanticism and Hegelian idealism. Sylvia Walsh seeks to elucidate what it means, in Kierkegaard's view, to be an authentic poet in the form of a poetic writer and to clarify his own role as a Christian poet and writer as he understood it. Walsh shows that, in spite of strong criticisms made of the poetic in some of his writings, Kierkegaard maintained a fundamentally positive understanding of the poetic as an essential ingredient in ethical and religious forms of life. Walsh thus reclaims Kierkegaard as a poetic thinker and writer from those who would interpret him as an ironic practitioner of an aestheticism devoid of and detached from the ethical-religious as well as from those who view him as rejecting the poetic and aesthetic on ethical or religious grounds. Viewing contemporary postmodern feminism and deconstruction as advocating a romantic mode of living poetically, Walsh concludes with a feminist reading of Kierkegaard that affirms both individuality and relatedness, commonalities and differences between the self and others, men and women, for the fashioning of an authentic mode of living poetically in the present age.


Book Synopsis Living Poetically by : Sylvia Walsh

Download or read book Living Poetically written by Sylvia Walsh and published by Penn State Press. This book was released on 2012-04-30 with total page 313 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Living Poetically is the first book to focus primarily on Kierkegaard's existential aesthetics as opposed to traditional aesthetic features of his writings such as the use of pseudonyms, literary techniques and figures, and literary criticism. Living Poetically traces the development of the concept of the poetic in Kierkegaard's writings as that concept is worked out in an ethical-religious perspective in contrast to the aesthetics of early German romanticism and Hegelian idealism. Sylvia Walsh seeks to elucidate what it means, in Kierkegaard's view, to be an authentic poet in the form of a poetic writer and to clarify his own role as a Christian poet and writer as he understood it. Walsh shows that, in spite of strong criticisms made of the poetic in some of his writings, Kierkegaard maintained a fundamentally positive understanding of the poetic as an essential ingredient in ethical and religious forms of life. Walsh thus reclaims Kierkegaard as a poetic thinker and writer from those who would interpret him as an ironic practitioner of an aestheticism devoid of and detached from the ethical-religious as well as from those who view him as rejecting the poetic and aesthetic on ethical or religious grounds. Viewing contemporary postmodern feminism and deconstruction as advocating a romantic mode of living poetically, Walsh concludes with a feminist reading of Kierkegaard that affirms both individuality and relatedness, commonalities and differences between the self and others, men and women, for the fashioning of an authentic mode of living poetically in the present age.

The Discovery of Being

The Discovery of Being

Author: Rollo May

Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company

Published: 2015-05-04

Total Pages: 156

ISBN-13: 039334696X

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“Clear, accurate, and interesting. There is no better short introduction to the existential approach to psychology.” —Dallas Morning News The brilliant psychologist Rollo May was a major force in existential psychology. Here, he brings together the ideas of Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, and other great thinkers to offer insights into its ideas and techniques. He pays particular attention to the causes of loneliness and isolation and to our search to find new and firm moorings in order to move toward a future where responsibility, creativity, and love can play a role.


Book Synopsis The Discovery of Being by : Rollo May

Download or read book The Discovery of Being written by Rollo May and published by W. W. Norton & Company. This book was released on 2015-05-04 with total page 156 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Clear, accurate, and interesting. There is no better short introduction to the existential approach to psychology.” —Dallas Morning News The brilliant psychologist Rollo May was a major force in existential psychology. Here, he brings together the ideas of Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, and other great thinkers to offer insights into its ideas and techniques. He pays particular attention to the causes of loneliness and isolation and to our search to find new and firm moorings in order to move toward a future where responsibility, creativity, and love can play a role.

On Being and Becoming

On Being and Becoming

Author: Jennifer Anna Gosetti-Ferencei

Publisher: GUIDES TO THE GOOD LIFE SERIES

Published: 2020-10-22

Total Pages: 337

ISBN-13: 0190913657

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"The fact that you have picked up a book like this one and have begun to read it suggests that you strive for a fulfilling life. Presumably you aim, like many people do, to live as well and as meaningfully as possible, well aware that you have only one life, and that it is finite. Each day you press forward with no clear path signposted just for you. Your existence comes with no set of instructions what exactly to do with it. You will be well aware, perhaps with some anxiety, that only you can make some crucial decisions which will shape your existence, determine how your one life will play out. Existential philosophy begins by thinking from the standpoint of an individual concretely existing, wondering how to make sense of this existence. This may be anything but straightforward. In a busy, overcrowded world, there will be distractions everywhere from any goal you might try to keep in mind. At times you may not know which goals to strive for. Difficulties will arise. Some demands upon you will conflict with others, and responsibilities may come to feel relentless. Perhaps they do right now. You may come to wonder what this life is all about, and sometimes even despair at the lack of an answer. A sudden loss or change can render exigent otherwise merely nagging uncertainties. All of these concerns are the stuff of existential philosophy. If philosophy can be applied to spiritual ailments, existentialism is one of the most versatile prescriptions. Most people at some point in their lives will experience moments of suffering that have an existential cast. This is suffering that impacts your sense of self, making you wonder who you really are or ought to be, making you wonder about the purpose of your existence. The works of existentialist philosophers elaborate on such phenomena as despair, anxiety, dread, angst, forlornness, the tragic, the absurd, nothingness, being-towards-death, ennui, oppression, and inauthenticity. While not solving such human difficulties, existentialism recognizes and studies them in philosophical terms. Indeed, when a crisis is diagnosed as 'existential,' it is salvaged from the indignity of mere pain, and recognized as bearing what the Danish philosopher S2ren Kierkegaard called a 'subjective truth.' The remedy of existential thinking comes in the form of relating individual struggles to a human condition understood as universal, and of illuminating the freedom and responsibility, or the creativity, with which they can be tackled"


Book Synopsis On Being and Becoming by : Jennifer Anna Gosetti-Ferencei

Download or read book On Being and Becoming written by Jennifer Anna Gosetti-Ferencei and published by GUIDES TO THE GOOD LIFE SERIES. This book was released on 2020-10-22 with total page 337 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The fact that you have picked up a book like this one and have begun to read it suggests that you strive for a fulfilling life. Presumably you aim, like many people do, to live as well and as meaningfully as possible, well aware that you have only one life, and that it is finite. Each day you press forward with no clear path signposted just for you. Your existence comes with no set of instructions what exactly to do with it. You will be well aware, perhaps with some anxiety, that only you can make some crucial decisions which will shape your existence, determine how your one life will play out. Existential philosophy begins by thinking from the standpoint of an individual concretely existing, wondering how to make sense of this existence. This may be anything but straightforward. In a busy, overcrowded world, there will be distractions everywhere from any goal you might try to keep in mind. At times you may not know which goals to strive for. Difficulties will arise. Some demands upon you will conflict with others, and responsibilities may come to feel relentless. Perhaps they do right now. You may come to wonder what this life is all about, and sometimes even despair at the lack of an answer. A sudden loss or change can render exigent otherwise merely nagging uncertainties. All of these concerns are the stuff of existential philosophy. If philosophy can be applied to spiritual ailments, existentialism is one of the most versatile prescriptions. Most people at some point in their lives will experience moments of suffering that have an existential cast. This is suffering that impacts your sense of self, making you wonder who you really are or ought to be, making you wonder about the purpose of your existence. The works of existentialist philosophers elaborate on such phenomena as despair, anxiety, dread, angst, forlornness, the tragic, the absurd, nothingness, being-towards-death, ennui, oppression, and inauthenticity. While not solving such human difficulties, existentialism recognizes and studies them in philosophical terms. Indeed, when a crisis is diagnosed as 'existential,' it is salvaged from the indignity of mere pain, and recognized as bearing what the Danish philosopher S2ren Kierkegaard called a 'subjective truth.' The remedy of existential thinking comes in the form of relating individual struggles to a human condition understood as universal, and of illuminating the freedom and responsibility, or the creativity, with which they can be tackled"