existentialism

[koan]

Though not an expert, I have a wonderful book of Walter Kaufmann translations summarizing existentialism.(Sir, I exist)

"Existentialism is not a philosophy but a label for several widely different revolts against traditional philosophy. Most of the living "existentialists" have repudiated this label, and a bewildered outsider might well conclude that the only thing they have in common is a marked aversion for each other."

Authors included in this book include, but are not limited to, Dostoevsky, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Rilke, Kafka, Ortega, Jaspers, Heidegger, Sartre and Camus.

What is existentialism?

[koan]

To take away the pressure of guessing. There is no "correct" answer as I can tell except not believing what everyone else tries to tell you. As anastrophe is fond of saying "I am what I am".

Embarassingly enough, my first exposure to existentialist thought was through the alternative band "the Cure". Their song Killing an Arab was based on a short novel by Albert Camus wherein a man finds himself shooting another man because he was there and had a gun in his hand. The reason "why", contrary to popular trend, is considered moot. Note not all existentialist feel this way.

[anastrophe]

in my brief stint at 'higher' education - something i will probably touch on in my journal - probably the majority of classes i took were in philosophy. logic, ethics, ancient philosophy, existentialism. my college had a charismatic and prolific author who taught existentialism - Peter Koestenbaum. that he was cute as a button didn't hurt - short, leaning towards rotund, full grey beard, balding head, and a lovely german/bavarian accent. what more could one ask for in a philosophy professor!

unfortunately, this was the early 1980's, and existentialism was hardly catching fire then. he wrote some huge books, i still have them, quite fascinating stuff. his 'magnum opus' i suppose is "the vitality of death", examining - among other things - how accepting the inevitability of death can be a core vitalizing experience. he worked hard to create what could be called an existentially-based form of modern psychology. it never caught on from what i can tell. he was, in no uncertain terms, truly brilliant (and i think he's still around doing various stuff - i recall running a google search on him a while back)

unfortunately also, i became quite the insufferable sophomore, spouting existential bon mots at every turn. it's a wonder i wasn't lynched.

twenty some odd years later, i can't really say what i took away from those courses, besides a very strong 'belief' in Choice - that humans have choice, and that is the basis for everything that we do (and one of the most frequent copouts we employ - 'i had no choice').

but the most succint summary of existentialism is contained in - you guessed it - an aphorism (really yet another bon mot), which i believe i've posted before, but what the heck, i love it anyway.

Existentialism means that nobody else can take a bath for you.
-Delmore Schwartz

[koan]

Originally Posted by anastrophe

Existentialism means that nobody else can take a bath for you.
-Delmore Schwartz

yet everyone tries to tell you what kind of soap to use.

Individualism is the most common bond between the authors I have studied. I do not fit in a niche (or neitzsche).

[john8pies]

"I think therefore I am" or something similar?.....sadly existentialism was parodied so mercilessly by Monty Python`s Flying Circus television programme that here in Britain anybody over about 40 will probably only be able to remember existentialism as being about "Oooooh, Jean-paul Sartre" "Oh, hello, Mrs Cardboard cutout!" etc etc

[Jika]

I remember some fun philosophy tutorials about 2nd year Uni when our group would sit around a large table pondering/arguing such existential chestnuts as;

If a tree fell in the forest, and nobody heard it, nobody saw it, did it really fall?

[anastrophe]

Originally Posted by Jika

I remember some fun philosophy tutorials about 2nd year Uni when our group would sit around a large table pondering/arguing such existential chestnuts as;

If a tree fell in the forest, and nobody heard it, nobody saw it, did it really fall?

i'd classify that as epistemology rather than existentialism...

[Jika]

Oops! you are, of course right. Shows how rusty I am now, at the philosophy caper, although it still holds a fond place in my heart.

I always much prefered formal logic, perhaps b/c it was/is so formulaic. It always felt like 'standing on solid ground' or (stepping stones) as opposed to the shifting sands of other strands of philosophy.

I would enjoy hearing more of your thoughts on existentialism not just b/c it's interesting but b/c I clearly need to 'brush-up'.

I hate that I've let so many passions of my past slide into decay or oblivion. Why does growing up, following a specific career path take such a heavy toll on the personal interests and passions of youth? Maybe it's just me. Maybe I've become intellectually lazy.

Help me out here, how do you do it?


Sincerely, Jika

[anastrophe]

Originally Posted by Jika

Oops! you are, of course right. Shows how rusty I am now, at the philosophy caper, although it still holds a fond place in my heart.

I always much prefered formal logic, perhaps b/c it was/is so formulaic. It always felt like 'standing on solid ground' or (stepping stones) as opposed to the shifting sands of other strands of philosophy.

I would enjoy hearing more of your thoughts on existentialism not just b/c it's interesting but b/c I clearly need to 'brush-up'.

I hate that I've let so many passions of my past slide into decay or oblivion. Why does growing up, following a specific career path take such a heavy toll on the personal interests and passions of youth? Maybe it's just me. Maybe I've become intellectually lazy.

Help me out here, how do you do it?


Sincerely, Jika

i'm as intellectually lazy as anyone. i've always wanted to finish learning japanese. i have a despairing feeling that on my deathbed my last words will be 'i wish i'd learned japanese'.

[gmc]

Everyone should study philosphy to some extent as I think it helps you come to an understanding that you are every bit as clever as the philosophers you are studying and just because somebody sounds erudite doesn't mean they are. I came to the conclusion that the best way to get high marks in philosphy essays was to make them as obtuse as possible with just a hint of devastating logic underlying the whole thing so that the marker would not concede defeat and state bluntly it was a load of rubbish for fear of they had missed something significant. If you say something with enough conviction you can convince almost anyone of anything until they learn to be critical.

As a side note one of my professors was known as "nae balls Wilson".

Some of you may have observed that women sometimes sit with one leg wrapped around the other in a manner that is physically impossible to a normally endowed male without suffering excrutiating pain. That and the fact he wore a cowboy hat and carried a handbag led one to the conclusion that here was some doubt as to his sexual proclivities if not his actual sex. I am not sure which was the biggest clue-the cowboy hat or the handbag but it is perhaps an interesting cultural difference that wearing a cowboy hat in the UK suggests a certain disposition-The village people have a lot to answer for-while wearing a skirt suggests you a rufty tufty highlander and not to be trifled with.

I think therefore I am but how do I know I'm not a budgie?