Existentialism A Very Short Introduction Essay - 980 Words

â€Å"Authenticity is a collection of choices that we have to make every day. It s about the choice to show up and be real. The choice to be honest. The choice to let our true selves be seen† (Brown). In the book Existentialism: A Very Short Introduction, Thomas Flynn writes about one of the leading philosophical movements in the twentieth century: existentialism. This theory emphasizes that each individual is entirely free, making them responsible and accountable for their actions or choices. With this idea, your choices are solely based on your own judgment, not anyone else’s. The book focuses on seven leading figures, Jean-Paul Sartre, Friedrich Nietzsche, Martin Heidegger, Soren Kierkegaard, Simone de Beauvoir, Maurice Merleau-Ponty, and Camus who contributed to and greatly influenced the movement (Flynn). The seven individuals were popular philosophers who studied many topics, as well as contributed to and founded different theories with a great focus on existentia lism. The book discusses key themes of free will and personal responsibility as well. Free will is the ability to choose from among various alternatives and options. Throughout life, each individual has the ability to choose how they live their life because of their position as a self-determining agent, although making them responsible for the authenticity of their decisions. Authenticity can be defined as something that is original or genuine, not a copy of anything else. It resides in one of the themes ofShow MoreRelatedEssay Existentialism1050 Words   |  5 PagesExistentialism 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 thatRead MoreEssay on The Outsider by Albert Camus 1536 Words   |  7 PagesCentury, but also one that provides a useful introduction to one of that century’s most compelling philosophical movements, Existentialism. The Outsider, first published in France as ‘L’Étranger in 1942, is commonly regarded as the greatest example of the Existentialist novel, outshining even Sartre’s La Nausà ©e. This in itself is an extraordinary feat, for, whilst Jean-Paul Sartre was generally regarded as the founding father of Twentieth Century Existentialism, and held an almost unassailable sway overRead MoreExistentialism : Existentialism And Existentialism1774 Words   |  8 Pages Journal 3 - Existentialism Existentialism is something that everybody thinks of sometimes in their life. 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