Existential Dilemma What is Life
Existentialism begins as a voice raised in protest against the absurdity of pure thought, according to the critics of western philosophy. It has its roots in the works of Soren Kierkegaard, a 19th century Danish theologian-philosopher and author of Either/Or and Concluding Unscientific Postscript. He said that truth lies in subjectivity. So an objective study of truth is impossible. He also considered existence as a system which has its finality. Man at his best is existent and persistently striving to become something; man is in the process of 'becoming'. Truth is never realised as long as the experiencer is alive. "Life can only be explained after it has been lived, just as Christ only began to interpret the scriptures and how they applied to him after his resurrection". Moreover, the person who is making some such effort should not be absent-minded or a madman. Truth is a very serious subjective experience for each individual. Is life utterly meaningless, Kierkegaard would often ask in despair. His basic dilemma was his own existence. "How did I come into the world? Why was I not consulted? Why was I not acquainted with its manner and customs, but was thrust into the ranks as though I had been bought from a kidnapper, a dealer in souls? And if I am compelled to take part in this play where is the director? I would like to see him". he wrote. Kierkegaard also wanted to give a new meaning to Christianity. Hi argument deals with the object of Christian faith and the manner of approaching it. "That a man born and living history says he is God and dies in humiliation and plunges into a dilemma, and that there are those who would build their lives on his word... Nothing has happened since to lighten by one scruple the strain of belief. The historical success of Christianity is worthless evidence", he said. Basically a man of religious temperament, the Danish thinker felt that the purpose of seeking the truth is to exist in it - not to think about it. "In the strict sense, being a Christian means to die to the world and then be sacrificed". With Kierkegaard it is said his thought swung back to the days of Socrates who believed that the body is the enemy of your thought. So the philosopher's main aim should be death. Inspired by the theses of truth and subjectivity propounded by Kierkegaard, Karl Jaspers, a psycho pathologist, explored the theme of existence while analysing the core of human consciousness. He laid emphasis on authentic living which, he said, is revealed in such crucial situations as the awareness of death. Philosophy must return to the question of being, wrote Martin Heidegger, the author of Being and Time. For being would throw light on human existence. Like TS Eliot who asked: "Where is the time we have lost in living?" Heidegger also talks of being that degrades itself in mediocrity The best-known existentialist Jean Paul Sartre wrote: "God is a useless and costly hypothesis; so we will do without it". It is true that 'man is a useless passion' and suffers from the 'anguish of Abraham'. Nevertheless, if we are to have a cohesive society and a law-abiding world, it is essential that certain values should be taken seriously, they must have an a priori existence ascribed to them.
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The views expressed in the Article above are Kailash Vajpeyi kashmiribhatta.in is not in any way responsible for the opinions expressed in the above article. The article belongs to its respective owner or owners and this site does not claim any right over it.
Courtesy: Kailash Vajpeyi Speaking Tree ,Times of India
Existential Dilemma What is Life
Existentialism begins as a voice raised in protest against the absurdity of pure thought, according to the critics of western philosophy. It has its roots in the works of Soren Kierkegaard, a 19th century Danish theologian-philosopher and author of Either/Or and Concluding Unscientific Postscript. He said that truth lies in subjectivity. So an objective study of truth is impossible. He also considered existence as a system which has its finality. Man at his best is existent and persistently striving to become something; man is in the process of 'becoming'. Truth is never realised as long as the experiencer is alive. "Life can only be explained after it has been lived, just as Christ only began to interpret the scriptures and how they applied to him after his resurrection". Moreover, the person who is making some such effort should not be absent-minded or a madman. Truth is a very serious subjective experience for each individual. Is life utterly meaningless, Kierkegaard would often ask in despair. His basic dilemma was his own existence. "How did I come into the world? Why was I not consulted? Why was I not acquainted with its manner and customs, but was thrust into the ranks as though I had been bought from a kidnapper, a dealer in souls? And if I am compelled to take part in this play where is the director? I would like to see him". he wrote. Kierkegaard also wanted to give a new meaning to Christianity. Hi argument deals with the object of Christian faith and the manner of approaching it. "That a man born and living history says he is God and dies in humiliation and plunges into a dilemma, and that there are those who would build their lives on his word... Nothing has happened since to lighten by one scruple the strain of belief. The historical success of Christianity is worthless evidence", he said. Basically a man of religious temperament, the Danish thinker felt that the purpose of seeking the truth is to exist in it - not to think about it. "In the strict sense, being a Christian means to die to the world and then be sacrificed". With Kierkegaard it is said his thought swung back to the days of Socrates who believed that the body is the enemy of your thought. So the philosopher's main aim should be death. Inspired by the theses of truth and subjectivity propounded by Kierkegaard, Karl Jaspers, a psycho pathologist, explored the theme of existence while analysing the core of human consciousness. He laid emphasis on authentic living which, he said, is revealed in such crucial situations as the awareness of death. Philosophy must return to the question of being, wrote Martin Heidegger, the author of Being and Time. For being would throw light on human existence. Like TS Eliot who asked: "Where is the time we have lost in living?" Heidegger also talks of being that degrades itself in mediocrity The best-known existentialist Jean Paul Sartre wrote: "God is a useless and costly hypothesis; so we will do without it". It is true that 'man is a useless passion' and suffers from the 'anguish of Abraham'. Nevertheless, if we are to have a cohesive society and a law-abiding world, it is essential that certain values should be taken seriously, they must have an a priori existence ascribed to them.
DISCLAIMER:
The views expressed in the Article above are Kailash Vajpeyi kashmiribhatta.in is not in any way responsible for the opinions expressed in the above article. The article belongs to its respective owner or owners and this site does not claim any right over it.
Courtesy: Kailash Vajpeyi Speaking Tree ,Times of India