Existentialism Flashcards
How did existentialism arise?
Existentialists thought that, by the late 19th century, rationality had gone too far in its attempts to account for everything and was no longer in contact with the basic experiences of being alive and aware.
What is the existential analysis? What are the key questions?
Existential analysis is the analysis of specific experience of a human being existing at a particular moment in time and space. Your point of existence happens one tiny moment in time and then it’s gone and followed by another.
What is the nature of existence? How does it feel? What does it mean?
What are the three parts of conscious experience according to Binswanger?
Umwelt- biological experience, sensations you feel by virtue of being a biological organism.
Mitwelt- social experience, what you think and feel as a social being
Eigenwelt- inner, psychological experience, experience of the experience itself.
What is thrown-ness?
An important basis of your experience referring to the time, place and circumstances into which you happened to be born.
Why is it hard living in modern society? what feeling does it bring?
Because there is no overarching meaning or purpose put on the world anymore, it brings about Angst, existencial anxiety, anxiety about the meaning of life and if you’re doing it right.
What are the three separate sensations that comprise angst?
Anguish, choices are never perfect, bringing about anguish.
Forlornness, your choices are yours alone, you are, forlorn, alone with your choices, existencial solitude.
Despair, the outcomes are beyond control, bringing despair.
What is bad faith according to existentialism? What problems does it have?
It’s when you avoid existential issues
It’s a cowardly, immoral lifestyle
You will not be happy
It’s impossible to surrender your freedom to choose, because by doing so, you are choosing.
What is authentic existence?
When you courageously come to the terms that you are going to die soon and you are a master of your own destiny. You will still be lonely and unhappy tho.
What is the eastern alternative to existentialism?
Existentialism is very much based on the individual and it’s a very Western thing, a collectivistic view would be the Buddhism, which believes that the self is merely a temporary composite of many things that are constantly changing and your are part of something bigger than yourself.
What are the biggest differences between Buddhism and Existentialism?
The view on the self, existentialism believes the self is the only thing you can be sure of, while Buddhism thinks is an illusion and having a separate, independent self is harmful and leads to isolation.
What is anicca? What is the nirvana?
Anicca is the idea that all things must pass and it’s best to accept this fact. Nirvana is a serene, selfless state achieved by enlightenment.
What are the critiques of the approaches of the time of the surge of phenomenological psych?
Behaviorism: ignores motivation and cognition, organism is passive and focuses on animals
Psychoanalysis: lack of free will, deterministic, lack of focus on the conscious mind.
What is phenomenology?
The study of phenomena, situations, as they happen to a subject. The study of people experience life and reality.
What do all phenomenological approaches have in common?
Humans are self-aware
Psychology needs to address the phenomenon of awareness
Self-awareness produces uniquely human phenomena such as free will
The conscious experience of reality is more important than reality itself.
What is construal?
A person’s particular experience of the world. Everyone’s is different and it forms the way we live life.
What are the three phenomenological approaches?
Existentialism: focused in personal responsibility, freedom and the search for meaning
Humanism: focused on the human subjective experience, free will and self-actualization
Kelly’s personal construct theory: focuses on the role of cognitive processes in shaping individual perception and reality.
