Existentialist Themes Of Anxiety And Absurdity - 1842 Words

Existentialist Themes of Anxiety and Absurdity In a world with such a vast amount of people there exists virtually every different belief, thought, and ideology. This means that for every argument and every disagreement that their exists two sides of relative equal strength. It is through these disagreements that arguments are formed. Arguments are the building blocks in which philosophers use to analyze situations and determine theories of life. For the purpose of this paper I will try and argue my personal beliefs on a specific argument. This argument is presented in a form of a question and upon examination of the contents of this question, several different and unique questions arise. In order to support my theory as to†¦show more content†¦Perhaps the most prominent concept in existentialism is that of choice. Humanitys primary distinction, in the view of most existentialists, is the freedom to choose. Existentialists have held that human beings do not have a fixed nature, or essence, as other animals and plants do; each human being makes choices that create his or her own nature. Choice is therefore central to human existence, and it is inescapable; even the refusal to chose is a choice (Web 1). Freedom of choice entails commitment and responsibility. Because individuals are free to choose their path, existentialists have argued, they must accept the risk and responsibility of following their commitment wherever it leads. For the basic theory in which I have adapted mainly from existentialism, there lies six unique themes which define it. First, there is the basic existentialist standpoint, the existence precedes essence, has primacy over essence (Grene). Man is a conscious subject, rather than a thing to be predicted or manipulated; he exists as a conscious being, and not in accordance with any definition, essence, generalization, or system. Existentialism says I am nothing else but my own conscious existence. A second existentialist theme is that of anxiety, or the sense of anguish, a generalized uneasiness, a gear or dread which is notShow MoreRelatedEssay Existentialism1050 Words   |  5 Pages Existentialism refers to the philosophical movement or tendency of the nineteenth and twentyth centuries. Because of the diversity of positions associated with existentialism, a precise definition is impossible; however, it suggests one major theme: a stress on individual existence and, consequently, on subjectivity, individual freedom, and choice {3}. Existentialism also refers to a family of philosophies devoted to an interpretation of human existence in the world that stresses its concretenessRead MoreThe Song Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield850 Words   |  3 Pagesother musicians that have existential themes in their music and I have noticed that most of existentialism music seems to span from much of the well-known literature. 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