Existentialism

Existentialism 

This blog is part of flipped-learning task assigned by Prof. Dilip Barad Sir. Visit Existentialism for more details.


What is Flipped Learning?

Flipped learning is a pedagogical approach that shifts instruction outside the classroom, allowing students to engage in discussions and critical thinking during class time. Instead of teachers delivering direct instruction, students prepare beforehand using videos and resources, arriving with their own questions. This method fosters active participation, deeper understanding, and student-led inquiry, making learning more interactive and collaborative.







Selected Thoughts from the Videos:



"It's only after realizing the absurdity of life or living in despair that you can fully devote yourself to God and understand Him."

One thought that resonates with me from this video is the idea that true understanding emerges from confronting life’s absurdities rather than relying on external beliefs. This concept highlights the existentialist view that individuals must face uncertainty and create their own meaning in life. It encourages personal responsibility and self-exploration, which can be both liberating and challenging. The notion that meaning is not given but must be actively shaped aligns with the idea of living authentically and embracing one's freedom.


Video-2: The Myth of Sisyphus: The Absurd Reasoning (Feeling of the Absurd)


"When this happens and when your whole universe is divested of illusions and light, you feel like a stranger. This divorce between man and this life, the actor and his setting, is properly the feeling of absurdity."


I found this sentence interesting as it reflects that- when people realize that life has no inherent meaning and lose the comforting illusions they once relied on, they may begin to feel disconnected from the world, as if they no longer belong to it a sense of alienation that Camus describes as the feeling of absurdity.

Video-3:The Myth of Sisyphus: the notion of philosophical suicide


An absurd person understands that hope has no place in an indifferent universe. Statements like "Without eternal consciousness, life would be nothing but despair" do not frighten him because he accepts life as it is, without relying on illusions. He also recognizes that searching for truth is not the same as searching for comfort - truth may be harsh, but it must be faced rather than avoided.


Camus rejects the idea that meaning exists beyond human comprehension. He argues that just because we cannot understand something does not mean it has a hidden, transcendent explanation.


Video-4: Dadaism, Existentialism and Nihilism


1.


2.

Dadaism encouraged individuals to invent their own values, freeing them from the constraints of traditional societal norms and expectations.


Video-5: Existentialism - a gloomy philosophy 


It is you who should judge and weigh every value and choose your own meaning in life. And once you've done that, you should take responsibility for the choice you've made and accept the consequences of it.

This thought suggests Existentialism emphasizes that meaning is not given externally but must be chosen by each person. Once someone decides on their values, they must fully commit to them and accept the consequences of their choices.


It's been heard that Existentialism is a narcissistic philosophy. Being an individual doesn't mean you're a narcissist. You could either choose to be a part of a herd and die just as another brick in the wall, or you could look inwardly and discover yourself.


Existentialism was a response to this emptiness.


Video- 6: Existentialism and Nihilism: Is it one and the same?




Video- 7: Introduction to Existentialism

1.Religious, philosophical, or scientific systems that impose universal truths are seen as limiting an individual's freedom to define their own existence.

2.Embracing our finite existence can empower individuals to take control of their lives, fostering authenticity and the courage to create personal meaning amidst chaos. (Facing mortality is crucial for creating personal meaning in life)

3.  We need a human perspective to understand the human condition, not a divine perspective.


"However, existentialists stress that what we need most is not a divine perspective of the human condition but a human perspective."


4.
 


5. the difficulties in creating one’s own values.




I found this video an interesting one as it introduces existentialism to five-year-olds, with teachers using Nietzsche's Ubermensch to explain individuality, questioning authority, and making personal choices. Through discussions and role-playing, kids explore why they follow rules and the idea of creating their own.




"The unpopular truth is that suffering is sometimes exactly what life is actually asking us to experience. Sometimes we learn more from our suffering than from anything else."

From this video I found this thought was very close to my mind,
"Start questioning what you've been told life has to be about. Remember that the stock conventional answers to life's riddle are really just the tip of the iceberg."


This video has been found quite understanding and resonating to me, so this is the video I liked more than any other.

  • The video highlights that existentialism is not just an intellectual exercise but also a way of feeling deeply and experiencing life intensely, which resonates with me.
  • The idea that one must fully accept their freedom and create their own values rather than living in "bad faith" is something I strongly connect with.
  • I particularly liked the practical approach of the top ten list at the end, especially the encouragement to question what we’ve been told life should be about—a fundamental existentialist idea that challenges us to think independently.






Existence comes first, and individuals must define their own essence through choices and actions.

"We are creatures who need meaning, but we’re abandoned in a universe full of meaninglessness."









Learning Outcome:


Through this activity, my understanding of existentialism has deepened, and I now have greater clarity about the philosophy. Unlike a traditional classroom setting, where diverse aspects of a topic might not be fully explored, watching these videos and engaging with various resources allowed me to grasp existentialism in a more comprehensive way. The visuals helped solidify key concepts, making it easier to remember the main figures of the movement along with their ideas. I gained not only a deeper understanding of existentialism but also insights into connected movements like nihilism, essentialism, and Dadaism, and how they intersect. The philosophy is no longer just an abstract theory to me- it now feels practical, applicable, and intellectually engaging, encouraging me to think critically about freedom, meaning, and personal responsibility in my own life.

Questions:


[Q.1] If absurdism denies absolute meaning, can it still justify moral or ethical values, or does it lead to moral relativism?  (Video-2)

[Q.2] If existentialism values authenticity, does that mean that suppressing emotions, even for social harmony, is inherently inauthentic? (Video-9)

[Q.3] How can existentialism’s emphasis on embracing suffering coexist with modern psychology’s focus on mental health and reducing distress? (Video-9)

[Q.4] If existentialism demands that we create our own values, can personal morality ever be truly original, or are all values influenced by society and history? (Video-10)

[Q.5] Sartre says we are 'condemned to be free,' meaning we must create our own morality. But if all morality is subjective, what stops an individual from justifying harmful actions as "authentic" choices? (Video-10)



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