Existentialism vs Essentialism - 23287 Words

------------------------------------------------- Essentialism vs. Existentialism Essentialism: A belief that things have a set of characteristics that make them what they are, amp; that the task of science and philosophy is their discovery amp; expression; the doctrine that essence is prior to existence While, Existentialism:A philosophical theory or approach, that emphasizes the existence of the individual person as a free amp; responsible agent, determining their own development through acts of the will. Existentialism * is a philosophical term which posits that individuals create the meaning and essence of their lives. Existentialism asserts that â€Å"existence†¦show more content†¦The individual is free, as Sartre says, â€Å"radically free†. The individual can shape its own life and defy its so-called nature. The individual makes decisions and bears the responsibility for its actions alone. Existentialism is a philosophy of the individual and its struggle through life — a focus on the subjective life that we all actually live, rather than a search for objective truths external to us. Topics in Existentialism * The Absurd * Existentialism amp; Religion * Existentialism amp; Politics * Existentialism amp; Phenomenology * Existentialist Philosophers * ------------------------------------------------- Absurdism * The idea of the absurd is a common theme in many existentialist works, particularly in Camus. Absurdity is the notion of contrast between two things. As Camus explains it in The Myth of Sisyphus: * The absurd is born out of this confrontation between the human need and the unreasonable silence of the world. * This view, which is shared by Sartre, is that humanity must live in a world that is and will forever be hostile or indifferent towards them. The universe will never truly care for humanity the way we seem to want it to. The atheist view of this statement is that people create stories, or gods, which in their minds transcend reality to fill this void and attempt to satisfy their need. * The philosophy thatShow MoreRelated Educational Philosophy Essay1374 Words   |  6 Pagesin an attempt to do my job as a teacher. This job is in sum to help provide young adults with the necessary knowledge and skills needed to achieve success in life. The focus and largest use of philosophy in my classroom will be essentialism. Essentialists believe in training the mind. Students must first understand basic subjects before expanding their ideas and thinking abstractly. This concept is very important in mathematics. It is impossible to understand trigonometry withoutRead MoreWhy I Am A Teacher1857 Words   |  8 Pagesphilosophies are: Informational Processing, Behaviorism, and Humanism. When I first discovered what my top three educational philosophies were, I got the same exact score of twenty-one on all three. The other educational philosophies are Perennialism, Essentialism, Progressivism, Reconstructionism, and Cognitivism. After evaluating my results, this better helped me understand how I learn, and how other students learn. Students do not all learn the same, especially to students with disabilities. Research