The word philosophy comes from Greek and literally means "love of wisdom." The Merriam- Webster dictionary defines philosophy as "a critical study of fundamental beliefs and the grounds for them." Because of the diversity of positions associated with existentialism, the term is impossible to define precisely. However, existentialism is a philosophical movement of the 19th and 20th century that centers on the analysis of individual existence and the given situation of the individual who must assume complete responsibility for his acts of free will without any certain knowledge of what is right or wrong or good or bad.
Existentialism was started in the late 19th century by philosophers who called themselves existentialists. These existentialists, such as Pascal, Kierekegaard, and Heidegger, gave existentialism its foundation. Jean-Paul Sartre first gave the term existentialism general currency by using it for his own philosophy (Douglas, 2003). He also became the leading figure of the existentialist movement in France that became internationally influential after World War II. Sartre insisted that his existentialism is a form of Humanism, and he strongly emphasized human freedom, choice, and responsibility.
Jean-Paul Sartre's famous comment "existence precedes essence" helps explain this aspect of existentialism. What he meant by this phrase is that humans have no fixed, unchanging essence which makes them human. Instead, your essence - what makes you ‘you’ - is created by your existence. Your existence, in turn, is determined by your choices. Thus, the responsibility for who you are lies with you.
Sartre was born in 1905 in Paris and died in 1980. He expressed his dedication to his philosophy in both what he wrote and in the way he lived his life. During the 1930s he began to develop his existentialist philosophy. In 1938 he published his first major work, the novel ‘Nausea', which set forth......
