Existentialism Is Living In The Present Moment
Intellectuals as well as sciolists (pretenders to knowledge) all over the world are familiar with two ords: Existentialism and Kafka. heather or not they’ve understood istentialism is inconsequential. The me can be said about Franz Kafka and Kafkaesque philosophy. The very concept of existentialism okes negative feelings and some even m it as cynical philosophy and equate with negativism or nihilism. But this reception is totally flawed. Says Bilal Krishna Matilal of Oxford niversity-where he was the Spalding confessor of Eastern Religions and Ethics Existentialism of Jean-Paul Sartre, bert Camus, Soren Kierkegaard, Martin eidegger, Jaspers... is perhaps theonly ilosophical and ideological assertion of sitive individuality." No other philosophy has put so much emphasis on man and his actions. Sartre states in his 'Being and Nothingness that, "Weneed anideathat's notfatalistic" and that way, existentialism makes a man directly responsible for his actions. He has no room or excuse to ascribe his failures and misfortune toan imaginative higher agency, force or fate. The 20th century had been very significant in the sense that it witnessed contradictorybelief systems and philosophies grow simultaneously Nietzsche's audacious proclamation, 'God is dead' engendered existentialism. And the two World Wars made people, especially philosophers, question the very existence and purpose of human beings and heir life on earth. It is in such tree hard and confounding times, that both faith andagnosticism grow. And agnosticism culminated in existentialism. Camus wrote in the prelude to his novel The Rebel', "Until an individual rebels against the established notions of fatalism and creates his own destiny, his existence on earth will be like that ofa crawling worm, likely to be trampled over any moment."From this perspective, existentialism is a celebration of individuality and a reminder in the words of Robert Browning's Andrea del Sarto', Ah, but a man's reach should exceed his grasp, or what's a Heaven for?" Existentialism exhorts human beings to examine and re-examine therigid patterns and ossified ideas of life. Existentialism is the reassessment of life and its purpose. To go against allthat's viewed as sacrosanct or an established truth, is the key to existentialism. Existentialism believes that there're no facts, only interpretations. It's an open-end philosophy. When Anais Nin wrote, "I must be a mermaid, Rango. I've no fear of depths and a great fear of shallow living,"the essence of existentialism made its preserce felt. Because existentialism is delvinginto life and human issues like a pragmatic seer and not as an indolent, lotuseating saint or a priest. The very momentyou live in, is the moment that exists for you. This is the crux of existentialism. A other things don't exist or matter. American poet and TS Eliot's friendEzra Pound emphatically said, "Just this moment is for you... the past is lost and the future is unknown." Some readers and scholars may feel and find the echoeof the Bhagwad Gita's Karma Siddhantaand Purushartha in existentialism: Kshanam Vadanti-Just this moment, nothing else. This is the philosophy of pragmatism and sagacity because it urges manto own up the responsibility chis success and failure and it precludeshim from imputing his highs and lows tohis fate and a fabricated god.
DISCLAIMER:
The views expressed in the Article above are Sumit Paul 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 : Sumit Paul Speaking Tree, Times of India
Existentialism Is Living In The Present Moment
Intellectuals as well as sciolists (pretenders to knowledge) all over the world are familiar with two ords: Existentialism and Kafka. heather or not they’ve understood istentialism is inconsequential. The me can be said about Franz Kafka and Kafkaesque philosophy. The very concept of existentialism okes negative feelings and some even m it as cynical philosophy and equate with negativism or nihilism. But this reception is totally flawed. Says Bilal Krishna Matilal of Oxford niversity-where he was the Spalding confessor of Eastern Religions and Ethics Existentialism of Jean-Paul Sartre, bert Camus, Soren Kierkegaard, Martin eidegger, Jaspers... is perhaps theonly ilosophical and ideological assertion of sitive individuality." No other philosophy has put so much emphasis on man and his actions. Sartre states in his 'Being and Nothingness that, "Weneed anideathat's notfatalistic" and that way, existentialism makes a man directly responsible for his actions. He has no room or excuse to ascribe his failures and misfortune toan imaginative higher agency, force or fate. The 20th century had been very significant in the sense that it witnessed contradictorybelief systems and philosophies grow simultaneously Nietzsche's audacious proclamation, 'God is dead' engendered existentialism. And the two World Wars made people, especially philosophers, question the very existence and purpose of human beings and heir life on earth. It is in such tree hard and confounding times, that both faith andagnosticism grow. And agnosticism culminated in existentialism. Camus wrote in the prelude to his novel The Rebel', "Until an individual rebels against the established notions of fatalism and creates his own destiny, his existence on earth will be like that ofa crawling worm, likely to be trampled over any moment."From this perspective, existentialism is a celebration of individuality and a reminder in the words of Robert Browning's Andrea del Sarto', Ah, but a man's reach should exceed his grasp, or what's a Heaven for?" Existentialism exhorts human beings to examine and re-examine therigid patterns and ossified ideas of life. Existentialism is the reassessment of life and its purpose. To go against allthat's viewed as sacrosanct or an established truth, is the key to existentialism. Existentialism believes that there're no facts, only interpretations. It's an open-end philosophy. When Anais Nin wrote, "I must be a mermaid, Rango. I've no fear of depths and a great fear of shallow living,"the essence of existentialism made its preserce felt. Because existentialism is delvinginto life and human issues like a pragmatic seer and not as an indolent, lotuseating saint or a priest. The very momentyou live in, is the moment that exists for you. This is the crux of existentialism. A other things don't exist or matter. American poet and TS Eliot's friendEzra Pound emphatically said, "Just this moment is for you... the past is lost and the future is unknown." Some readers and scholars may feel and find the echoeof the Bhagwad Gita's Karma Siddhantaand Purushartha in existentialism: Kshanam Vadanti-Just this moment, nothing else. This is the philosophy of pragmatism and sagacity because it urges manto own up the responsibility chis success and failure and it precludeshim from imputing his highs and lows tohis fate and a fabricated god.
DISCLAIMER:
The views expressed in the Article above are Sumit Paul 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 : Sumit Paul Speaking Tree, Times of India