Nalyn Existentialism

8/3/2019 Nalyn Existentialism

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"You will never be happy if you continue tosearch for what happiness consists of. You willnever live if you are looking for the meaning of

life. --Albert Camus


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What is Existentialism?

Existentialism is defined by the slogan:EXISTENCE PRECEDES ESSENCE

This means we have no predeterminednature or essence that controls who we are,what we do, or what we value.

We are thrown into existence without apredetermined nature, and only later do weconstruct our essence through our actions.


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Existence Precedes Essence


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The Existential Condition

The Existential condition ischaracterized by three main things:

1.) Facticity (throwness): We findourselves thrown into a world wedon't control and didn't choose. The

world is indifferent to our concerns.


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2.) Anxiety: We are burdened withthe task of choosing our own

nature and values (i.e. ouressence).


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3.) Despair: We are faced withthe lack of any external source

of value or meaning. We mustdespair of any hope of externalvalue or meaning.

These three things lead to

EXISTENTIAL ANGST


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Free Choice

Ironically, much of existential angst comesfrom our freedom to choose.

Existentialists believe that free choice is theultimate prize, but also the ultimate burden.

Mastery and commandment of free will areexistential ideals.


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Summary: The Existential

Condition

We, uniquely conscious beings, are thrown

into the world:

There is no justification for our existence

There is no fixed human nature or pre-determined direction for our lives

There is no purpose or meaning in life


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How to Deal with it Correctly

The Positive Task:live authentically, that is,be true to the kind of being that you are:

Free: Create who we are through our choices.Commit to a particular life fully, and see it through.

Subjective: Our understanding of the world must

lie within our individual actions and experience.

Individual: Do not identify with accepted norms;you are a unique being.


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All is not Doom and Gloom

The existential problem: If we are free tochoose our own values instead of taking themfrom external sources, can we do anythingwe want, no matter how evil or selfish?

The existential solution: In order to actfreely, we must not let our action be

determined by any of our particular desires orinterests. We must act as any free agentwould act, hence we must act as we wouldlike other people to act.


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An existentialist believes that a persons life is nothing

but the sum of the life he has shaped for himself. Atevery moment it is always his own free will choosinghow to act. He is responsible for his actions, whichlimit future actions.

Thus, he must create a morality in the absence ofany known predetermined absolute values.

Honesty with oneself is the most important value.Every decision must be weighed in light of all theconsequences of that action

Life is irrational and absurd, but we engage it!

To Review


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Educational Implications of

Existentialism

The philosophy of existentialism

has not displayed any particular

interest in education. Therefore, ithas been observed that the

educational implications are derived

and deduced from their philosophyrather than that are developed by

existentialists.


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Aims and Objectives of Education

and ExistentialismEducation helps an individual to realize thebest that he is capable of.

Education for happiness is a dangerousdoctrine because there can be no happinesswithout pain and no ecstasy without suffering.

Students must develop a consistent scale ofvalues and so act to be prepared to die forthese values than to live without them.


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and ExistentialismEvery individual is unique.

Education must make pupil aware of the

infinite possibilities of his freedom and theresponsibilities he must bear in life.

The most important aim in education is the

becoming of a human person as one wholives and makes decisions about what he willdo and be.


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and ExistentialismEducation for complete development ofpersonality.

More importance to subjective knowledgethan objective knowledge.

Education for perfection of man in his

environment.


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and ExistentialismEducation should create consciousness forself.

Education should train men to make betterchoices and also give the man the idea thatsince his choices are never perfect , the

consequences cannot be predicted.


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and Existentialism

The ultimate aim of

education is to make man

conscious of his destination,

to give understanding of his

being and ultimately lead him

to his heavenly abode


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Teacher and Existentialism

He must himself be a free personality.

He must help the pupils to be original

and authentic.

He is the creator of such aseducational situation in which the

student can establish contact withhimself by becoming conscious ofhimself and can achieve self-realization.


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Teacher and Existentialism

He must build a positiverelationship between himself andthe students.

He should avoid applying labels tochildren.

He is also changing and growingas he guides the pupil in hisdiscovery of self.


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Child and Existentialism

The existentialists want to give fullfreedom to the child.

They do not want the child to becomeselfish, autocratic and irresponsible.

Education should be provided

according to the childs powers andneeds.


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Child and Existentialism

The child has to make choices anddecisions.

Child thrives better from intense

competition, harsh discipline and fear offailure.

Primary emphasis must always be onthe child, as learner and not on the

learning program.

Child needs positive evaluation, notlabels.


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CONCLUSION

Interest is directed on man.

It describes and diagnoses human

weaknesses, limitations and conflicts.

It traces the origin of all these and anticipatesthat man will overcome them.


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CONCLUSION

They do not want man to be philistine ormediocre who submerges himself.

They want the transcendence of man, whichmeans that he should become more andmore authentic.

It preaches the doctrine of action andemphasizes the concept of freedom, choiceand responsibility.


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