EXISTENTIALISM EXISTENTIALISM

Is it more important what you intend to be or think you are or is it what Is it more important what you intend to be or think you are or is it what you do. In other words, you think of yourself as honest and yet you you do. In other words, you think of yourself as honest and yet you cheated/copied on the last homework (and justified it somehow—cheated/copied on the last homework (and justified it somehow—everyone else does it!—ha!)? everyone else does it!—ha!)?

Are you the sum of your actions or your intent? If you have bad Are you the sum of your actions or your intent? If you have bad thoughts about hurting kittens, are you a bad person? thoughts about hurting kittens, are you a bad person?

Before you thought about who you were, were you you?Before you thought about who you were, were you you?

I think, therefore, I am.I think, therefore, I am.--Rene Descartes--Rene Descartes

Good intentions pave the road to hell. Good intentions pave the road to hell. --Fortune Cookie--Fortune Cookie

MEDICAL WARNING:

EXISTENTIALISM DEALS WITH INTENSE THEOLOGICAL (“RELIGIOUS STUDY”) AND ONTOLOGICAL (“STUDY OF BEING”) AS WELL AS EPISTEMOLOGICAL (“STUDY OF KNOWLEDGE”) ISSUES. MRS. M. IS NOT ENDORSING EXISTENTIALISM AS BEING ANYTHING MORE THAN MERE THEORY. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR LEARNING THE TENETS OF EXISTENTIALISM; YOU DO NOT HAVE TO LOVE THEM OR EVEN LIKE IT ALL THAT MUCH.

EXISTENTIALISM CAN BE A WEE BIT DEPRESSING IF VIEWED IN A “LIFE-IS-MEANINGLESS, GLASS-HALF-EMPTY” LIGHT. TAKE HEART!—But hey, a lot of Sci-Fi is exestential.

ANDREW WYETH

Christina’s World (1948)

A complex philosophy emphasizing the

absurdity of reality and the human

responsibility to make choices and accept

consequences!

It was during the Second World War, when Europe found itself in a crisis faced with death and destruction, that the existential movement began to flourish, popularized in France in the 1940s…

MARK ROTHKO

Untitled (1968)

Big Ideas of ExistentialismBig Ideas of Existentialism

Despite encompassing a huge range of philosophical, religious, and political ideologies, the underlying concepts of existentialism are simple…

Existence Precedes EssenceExistence Precedes Essence

Cogito ergo sum.

Existentialism is the title of the set of philosophical ideals that emphasize the existence of the human being, the lack of meaning and purpose in life, and the solitude of human existence… “Existence precedes essence” implies that the human being has no essence (no essential self). Mrs. M. will translate: you’re here; there’s no reason for why you’re here. You just are. Make your life a good one, deal with it and stop looking for a reason.

AbsurdismAbsurdism

• The belief nothing can explain or rationalize human existence. (Hence no devine power put man here.)

• There is no answer to “Why am I?”• Humans exist in a meaningless, irrational

universe and any search for order will bring them into direct conflict with this universe.—Basically it will just annoy you.

“You will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of. You will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life.”

“It was previously a question of finding out whether or not life had to have a meaning to be lived. It now becomes clear, on the contrary, that it will be lived all the better if it has no meaning.”

Choice and CommitmentChoice and Commitment

• Humans have freedom to choose

• Each individual makes choices that create his or her own nature

• Because we choose, we must accept risk and responsibility for wherever our commitments take us

• “A human being is absolutely free and absolutely responsible. Anguish is the result.” –Jean-Paul Sartre

MAN RAY

Les Larmes (Tears)

Dread and AnxietyDread and Anxiety

Dread and AnxietyDread and Anxiety• Dread is a feeling of general

apprehension. Kierkegaard interpreted it as God’s way of calling each individual to make a commitment to a personally valid way of life.

• Anxiety stems from our understanding and recognition of the total freedom of choice that confronts us every moment, and the individual’s confrontation with nothingness.

EDVARD MUNCH

Night in Saint Cloud (1890)

NothingnessNothingness and Death and Death

• Death hangs over all of us. Our awareness of it can bring freedom or anguish. (hence, it will end soon, OR OMG I’m going to die!

• I am my own existence. Nothing structures my world. (How do you know all the other stuff is even real?)

Nothingness and DeathNothingness and Death

All existentialists are concerned with the study of being or ontology.

TO REVIEW: An existentialist believes that a person’s life is nothing but the sum of the life he has shaped for himself. At every moment it is always his own free will choosing how to act. He is responsible for his actions, which limit future actions. Thus, he must create a morality in the absence of any known predetermined absolute values. God does not figure into the equation, because even if God does exist, He does not reveal to men the meaning of their lives. Honesty with oneself is the most important value. Every decision must be weighed in light of all the consequences of that action…

Life is absurd, but we engage it!—WE HAVE NO CHOICE!

Edward Hopper “New York Movie” (1939)

Edward Hopper “New York Movie” (1939)

Human SubjectivityHuman Subjectivity

“I will be what I choose to be…”

It is impossible to transcend human subjectivity.

“There are no true connections between people…”

My emotions are yet another choice I make. I am responsible for them.

Subjectivity vs. ObjectivitySubjectivity vs. Objectivity

In reason, In reason, subjectivitysubjectivity refers to the property refers to the property of perceptions, arguments, and language as of perceptions, arguments, and language as being based in a subject's point of view, and being based in a subject's point of view, and hence influenced in accordance with a hence influenced in accordance with a particular bias. particular bias.

““J.J. Abrams’ Cloverfield is a good example of J.J. Abrams’ Cloverfield is a good example of a subjective movie, as it is through the eyes a subjective movie, as it is through the eyes of the filmmakers. All we can know is their of the filmmakers. All we can know is their reality.reality.

All you can know is YOUR reality. All you can know is YOUR reality.

In philosophy, an objective fact means a In philosophy, an objective fact means a truth that remains true everywhere, truth that remains true everywhere, independently of human thought or independently of human thought or feelings. For instance, it is true always feelings. For instance, it is true always and everywhere that '2 and 2 make 4'. and everywhere that '2 and 2 make 4'.

A subjective fact is a truth that is only A subjective fact is a truth that is only true in certain times, places or people. true in certain times, places or people. For instance, 'That painting is good' may For instance, 'That painting is good' may be true for someone who likes it, but it is be true for someone who likes it, but it is not necessarily true that it is a good not necessarily true that it is a good painting pure and simple, and remains so painting pure and simple, and remains so always no matter what people think of it. always no matter what people think of it.

GEORGIA O’KEEFFESky Above White Clouds I (1962)

Human existence cannot be captured by reason or objectivity –– it must include passion, emotion and the subjective…

Each of us is responsible for everything and to every human being.

–Simone de Beauvoir

Bad FaithBad Faith

when individuals negate their true nature when individuals negate their true nature in an attempt to become a self they are in an attempt to become a self they are not.not.

For example, if you are a clone, and you For example, if you are a clone, and you pretend all your life you are not a clone, it pretend all your life you are not a clone, it negates your true nature. You are a negates your true nature. You are a manufactured human, a copy, and nothing manufactured human, a copy, and nothing is going to change that. In the words of is going to change that. In the words of Popeye, “I am what I am.”Popeye, “I am what I am.”

Bad FaithBad Faith

When the picture a man has of himself is provided by those who see him, in the

distorted image of himself that they give back to him, he has rejected what the philosopher has called reality. He has, moreover, rejected the possibility of projecting himself into his future and

existing in the fullest sense.

All this means is that if you let others control how you see yourself, because they cannot possibly know

what is INSIDE, your reality will become very messed up. You will never be able to be what you

really are because someone else has told you.

Bad Faith …Bad Faith …

In social situations In social situations we play a part that we play a part that is not ourselves. If is not ourselves. If we passively we passively become that part, become that part, we are thereby we are thereby avoiding the avoiding the important decisions important decisions and choices by and choices by which personality which personality should be formed.should be formed.

One of the most important implications of bad One of the most important implications of bad faith is the abolition of traditional ethics and faith is the abolition of traditional ethics and morality. morality.

Because being a moral person requires one to Because being a moral person requires one to deny authentic impulses and change one's deny authentic impulses and change one's actions based on the will of a person other than actions based on the will of a person other than oneself, being a moral person is one of the oneself, being a moral person is one of the most severe forms of bad faith. –Yet we all do most severe forms of bad faith. –Yet we all do this.this.

The mere appearance of another The mere appearance of another person causes one to look at person causes one to look at him/herself as an object, and see him/herself as an object, and see his/her world as it appears to the his/her world as it appears to the other. This is not done from a other. This is not done from a specific location outside oneself, specific location outside oneself, it is non-positional. This is a it is non-positional. This is a recognition of the recognition of the subjectivitysubjectivity in in others. others.

• Sartre describes being alone in a park, at this time, all relations in the park (e.g. the bench is between two trees) are available, accessible and occurring-for him.

• When another person arrives in the park, there is now a relation between that person and the bench, and this is not entirely available to him. The relation is presented as an object (e.g. man glances at watch), but is really not an object, it cannot be known. It flees from him. The other person is a "drainhole" in the world, they disintegrate the relations of which Sartre was earlier the absolute centre.

• I know this concept bends your brain, but read it a couple of times.

Essence explainedEssence explained

Essence– general components that Essence– general components that exist before a thing does. Outside of exist before a thing does. Outside of time.time.

EXAMPLE– A carpenter wants to EXAMPLE– A carpenter wants to build a bed. He knows the build a bed. He knows the essence essence (wood frames, legs, etc.)(wood frames, legs, etc.) of a bed of a bed before the concrete bed exists. It before the concrete bed exists. It must exist in his mind first. must exist in his mind first.

ConsciousnessConsciousness

It has no physical properties…isn’t that It has no physical properties…isn’t that mystical or spiritual or ‘otherworldly”?mystical or spiritual or ‘otherworldly”?

Isn’t that an “essence”? Doesn’t it perceive Isn’t that an “essence”? Doesn’t it perceive the world before we can create it through the world before we can create it through decisions?decisions?

Is situational– exists only in context of others Is situational– exists only in context of others in a particular situation. Isn’t this bad faith?in a particular situation. Isn’t this bad faith?

Objects/ human subjectsObjects/ human subjects

In the world of objects, the essence comes In the world of objects, the essence comes first. In the world of human subjects, it is first. In the world of human subjects, it is different. different.

MAN IS THE ONLY BEING THAT HAS MAN IS THE ONLY BEING THAT HAS INTELLIGENCE TO CONCIEVE OF AN ESSENCE.INTELLIGENCE TO CONCIEVE OF AN ESSENCE.

He exists (physically) He exists (physically) beforebefore any any consciousness of himself. consciousness of himself.

HE CAN ONLY FORM THE ESSENCE OF HIMSELF HE CAN ONLY FORM THE ESSENCE OF HIMSELF AFTER HE EXISTSAFTER HE EXISTS

So How Is The Matrix So How Is The Matrix Existential?Existential?

n n The Matrix,The Matrix, we start with a we start with a tapped phone call.  What can tapped phone call.  What can be a more nerve-wracking and be a more nerve-wracking and paranoid way to begin a paranoid way to begin a movie?  Then we meet movie?  Then we meet Trinity.  Trinity is a Trinity.  Trinity is a butkicker.  But here’s the butkicker.  But here’s the golden rule of buttkickerery: golden rule of buttkickerery: there’s always a bigger there’s always a bigger buttkicker.  buttkicker.  After watching After watching Trinity effortlessly spank a Trinity effortlessly spank a roomful of cops it’s equally roomful of cops it’s equally impressive to watch her turn impressive to watch her turn tail and run from three guys in tail and run from three guys in black suits.  What’s with the black suits.  What’s with the guys in the black suits?  We guys in the black suits?  We don’t know yet, but she don’t know yet, but she escapes to find her quarry. escapes to find her quarry.

  That’s an excessively That’s an excessively paranoid everyman named paranoid everyman named Thomas Anderson (yes, he Thomas Anderson (yes, he represnets us) who represnets us) who eventually finds out, big eventually finds out, big shock, that everything he shock, that everything he has ever known has been has ever known has been faked including the very faked including the very world he lives in and his world he lives in and his name.  A machine has name.  A machine has generated everything generated everything including sensory including sensory experiences and memories experiences and memories to keep people cooperating to keep people cooperating with a growing malevolence. with a growing malevolence.

NeoNeo: What is the Matrix? : What is the Matrix? TrinityTrinity: The answer is out there, Neo, : The answer is out there, Neo, and it's looking for you, and it will and it's looking for you, and it will find you if you want it to. find you if you want it to.

--Two things to remember here—--Two things to remember here—sense of fear and dread, and the sense of fear and dread, and the search for truth.search for truth.

The Matrix is a system, Neo. The Matrix is a system, Neo. That system is our enemy. But That system is our enemy. But when you're inside, you look when you're inside, you look around, what do you see? around, what do you see? Businessmen, teachers, Businessmen, teachers, lawyers, carpenters. The very lawyers, carpenters. The very minds of the people we are minds of the people we are trying to save. But until we trying to save. But until we do, these people are still a do, these people are still a part of that system and that part of that system and that makes them our enemy. You makes them our enemy. You have to understand, most of have to understand, most of these people are not ready to these people are not ready to be unplugged. And many of be unplugged. And many of them are so inured, so them are so inured, so hopelessly dependent on the hopelessly dependent on the system, that they will fight to system, that they will fight to protect it. protect it.

Isn’t that the way our reality Isn’t that the way our reality is?is?

Aren’t there people who fight Aren’t there people who fight to protect the system?to protect the system?

This is what the directors This is what the directors wanted the audience to think wanted the audience to think about.about.

What is he choosingWhat is he choosing

Honesty –vs-ignoranceHonesty –vs-ignorance Truth –vs.-illusionTruth –vs.-illusion

Later in the film, a character called, Later in the film, a character called, Cypher, decides that he prefers Cypher, decides that he prefers illusion.illusion.

Early in the film, Neo Early in the film, Neo is faced with an is faced with an essential choice—essential choice—the red pill or the the red pill or the blue pill. Each blue pill. Each represents how he represents how he will choose to see will choose to see reality, since he now reality, since he now knows that what is knows that what is real is not real.real is not real.

The PillsThe Pills

This is your last This is your last chance. After this, chance. After this, there is no turning there is no turning back. You take the blue back. You take the blue pill - the story ends, pill - the story ends, you wake up in your you wake up in your bed and believe bed and believe whatever you want to whatever you want to believe. You take the believe. You take the red pill - you stay in red pill - you stay in Wonderland and I show Wonderland and I show you how deep the you how deep the rabbit-hole goes. rabbit-hole goes.

Hence, NEO makes a Hence, NEO makes a choice. He desires to choice. He desires to know the truth rather know the truth rather than live in a fantasy than live in a fantasy world.world.

Another ElementAnother Element

In the film there is In the film there is the suggestion that the suggestion that humanity is living humanity is living in a virtual reality in a virtual reality world but are world but are completely completely unaware. unaware.

The film raises The film raises questions about questions about the true nature of the true nature of self and the illusion self and the illusion that is reality that is reality

The MatrixThe Matrix suggests that we suggests that we can peel back the layers can peel back the layers and expose society for what and expose society for what it really is -- that we can it really is -- that we can somehow see the actual somehow see the actual matrix that props up our matrix that props up our institutions and conventions institutions and conventions -- we just need to take a -- we just need to take a step back and recognize the step back and recognize the megastructure and megastructure and mechanisms that keep mechanisms that keep everyone in step and everyone in step and oblivious to the deeper oblivious to the deeper reality.reality.