existentialism

existentialism
existentialism ex`is*ten"tial*ism, n. (Philosophy) a philosophical theory or attitude having various interpretations, generally emphasising the existence of the individual as a unique agent with free will and responsibility for his or her own acts, though living in a universe devoid of any certain knowledge of right and wrong; from one's plight as a free agent with uncertain guidelines may arise feelings of anguish. Existentialism is concerned more with concrete existence rather than abstract theories of essences; is contrasted with {rationalism} and {empiricism}; and is associated with Kierkegaard, Heidegger and Sartre, as well as others. [PJC]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • EXISTENTIALISM — EXISTENTIALISM, a modern philosophical movement, which intends to elucidate concrete human existence. To the movement belong such people as S. Kierkegaard, A. Schopenhauer, M. Heidegger, J. P. Sartre, G. Marcel, M. Buber, F. Rosenzweig, and J.B.… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • existenţialism — EXISTENŢIALÍSM s.n. Doctrină filozofică conform căreia reală este numai existenţa umană, trăirea afectivă a existenţei de către individ. [pr.: eg zis ten ţi a ] – Din fr. existentialisme, germ. Existentialismus. Trimis de claudia, 13.09.2007.… …   Dicționar Român

  • existentialism — 1941, from Ger. Existentialismus (1919), replacing Existentialforhold (1849), ultimately from Danish writer Sèren Kierkegaard (1813 1855), who wrote (1846) of Existents Forhold condition of existence, existentielle Pathos, etc. (see EXISTENTIAL… …   Etymology dictionary

  • existentialism — ► NOUN ▪ a philosophical theory which emphasizes the existence of the individual person as a free and responsible agent. DERIVATIVES existentialist noun & adjective …   English terms dictionary

  • existentialism — [eg΄zis ten′shəliz΄əm, eks΄is ten′shəliz΄əm, eg΄zis ten′chəliz΄əm, eks′is ten′chəliz΄əm] n. [Fr existentialisme < existenciel] a philosophical and literary movement, variously religious and atheistic, stemming from Kierkegaard and represented… …   English World dictionary

  • Existentialism — The …   Wikipedia

  • existentialism — existentialist, adj., n. existentialistic, adj. existentialistically, adv. /eg zi sten sheuh liz euhm, ek si /, n. Philos. a philosophical attitude associated esp. with Heidegger, Jaspers, Marcel, and Sartre, and opposed to rationalism and… …   Universalium

  • existentialism — A loose title for various philosophies that emphasize certain common themes: the individual, the experience of choice, and the absence of rational understanding of the universe with a consequent dread or sense of absurdity in human life. The… …   Philosophy dictionary

  • existentialism —    A diverse philosophical movement, existentialism is characterised by a stress on the individual, freedom of choice and, in many cases, the absurdity of the universe. Kierkegaard is usually thought of as the first existentialist; he led a… …   Christian Philosophy

  • existentialism — noun a) A twentieth century philosophical movement emphasizing the uniqueness of each human existence in freely making its self defining choices, with foundations in the thought of Søren Kierkegaard (1813 55) and Friedrich Nietzsche (1844 1900)… …   Wiktionary

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