J Grcic

Existence and Meaning: an Introduction to Existentialism J Grcic

This is an introduction to the philosophy of existentialism. Existentialism is a philosophical perspective which explores the question of the individual's search for meaning and the meaning and limits of human freedom. Questions addressed include: Who am I? What is my true self? Why am I here? How should I live? What does free will mean and do we have free choice? Why is there something rather than nothing? What is the meaning of life? Answers to these and other questions by philosophers, writers and directors such as Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Schopenhauer, Sartre, Heidegger, Camus, Frankl, Samuel Beckett, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, and Ingmar Bergman are analyzed. The meaning and existence of free choice and the various perspectives on the meaning of life are explored. Also included are brief selections from the writings of Dostoevsky, Schopenhauer, Melville, Russell and Nietzsche.