Atheist existentialism
Encyclopedia
Atheist existentialism or atheistic existentialism is a kind of existentialism
which strongly diverged from the Christian
works of Søren Kierkegaard
and has developed within the context of an atheistic
worldview.
The philosophy of Søren Kierkegaard
provided existentialism's theoretical foundation in the 19th century. Atheist existentialism began to be recognized after the 1943 publication of Being and Nothingness by Jean-Paul Sartre
, and Sartre later explicitly alluded to it in Existentialism is a Humanism in 1946. Sartre had previously written in the spirit of atheistic existentialism, (e.g. the novel Nausea (1938) and the short stories in his 1939 collection The Wall
). Albert Camus
(with The Myth of Sisyphus) and also Simone de Beauvoir
likewise wrote from an atheist existentialist perspective.
, or with metaphysical existentialism (e.g. through phenomenology and Heidegger's works).
Atheistic existentialism confronts death anxiety
without appealing to a hope of somehow being saved by a God
(and often without any appeal to supernatural
salvations like reincarnation
). For some thinkers, existential malaise is mostly theoretical (as it is with Jean-Paul Sartre
) while others are quite affected by an existentialistic anguish (an example being Albert Camus
and his discussion of the Absurd
).
Sartre once said "existence precedes essence". What he meant was that, first of all, man exists (e.g. appears on the scene) and only afterwards defines himself. If man, as the existentialist conceives him, is indefinable, it is because at first he is nothing. Only afterward will he be something, and he himself will have made what he will be. Thus, there is no human nature, since there is no God to conceive it. Not only is man what he conceives himself to be, but he is also only what he wills himself to be after this thrust toward existence.
of atheistic existentialism. Sartre deals with a dejected researcher (Antoine Roquentin) in an anonymous French town, where Roquentin becomes conscious of the fact that nature, as well as every inanimate object, are indifferent towards him and his tormented existence. Furthermore, they show themselves to be totally extraneous to any human meaning, and no human can see anything significant in them.
, such dualism becomes paradoxical, because humans greatly value their existence while at the same time being aware of their mortality
. Camus believes it is human nature to have difficulty reconciling these paradoxes, and indeed, he believed humankind must accept what he called "the Absurd
". On the other hand, Camus is not strictly an existential atheist because the acceptance of the Absurd implies neither the existence of a god nor the nonexistence of a god.
Fales proposes that another attitude is the Optimism of Secular Humanists: their moral systems are objective, man-made, and grounded to some extent in naturalistic
facts; they derive meaning in their lives by defending those morals, and other aspects of a good life
(beauty, pleasure, mastery, etc.). Fales adds that atheist optimists must be careful to avoid fatalism
(not to be confused with determinism
) when faced with the grimmer sides of human nature, especially in the absence of divine retribution - a task he says secular humanists realize by seeing their short life and great challenges as serving to deepen their moral obligations to make at least a small contribution. Fales also describes what he calls the optimists’ “negative thesis” when he writes “The infantilization of humankind in relation to God is one of the most disturbing features of Christian religious sensibility, especially in the context of moral judgment.” The path of optimism, to Fales, thus means affirming man-made morality, but also challenging ideologies that say morality could be anything else.
Since Rebellion is practiced against something, Fales warns that the atheist is not rebelling against the God they reject, so much as an indifferent universe. Fales continues: ”But, if there is a God, and that God is the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Jesus, then I affirm that there is one stance that is legitimate and justified. It is rebellion.”
. Many passages of the De rerum natura evoke problems and feelings typical of modern existentialists. Book III reads in part:
Existentialism
Existentialism is a term applied to a school of 19th- and 20th-century philosophers who, despite profound doctrinal differences, shared the belief that philosophical thinking begins with the human subject—not merely the thinking subject, but the acting, feeling, living human individual...
which strongly diverged from the Christian
Christian existentialism
Christian existentialism describes a group of writings that take a philosophically existentialist approach to Christian theology. The school of thought is often traced back to the work of the Danish philosopher and theologian considered the father of existentialism, Søren Kierkegaard...
works of Søren Kierkegaard
Søren Kierkegaard
Søren Aabye Kierkegaard was a Danish Christian philosopher, theologian and religious author. He was a critic of idealist intellectuals and philosophers of his time, such as Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling and Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel...
and has developed within the context of an atheistic
Atheism
Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities...
worldview.
The philosophy of Søren Kierkegaard
Philosophy of Søren Kierkegaard
Søren Kierkegaard's philosophy has been a major influence in the development of 20th century philosophy, especially existentialism and postmodernism. Kierkegaard was a 19th century Danish philosopher who has been called the "Father of Existentialism"...
provided existentialism's theoretical foundation in the 19th century. Atheist existentialism began to be recognized after the 1943 publication of Being and Nothingness by Jean-Paul Sartre
Jean-Paul Sartre
Jean-Paul Charles Aymard Sartre was a French existentialist philosopher, playwright, novelist, screenwriter, political activist, biographer, and literary critic. He was one of the leading figures in 20th century French philosophy, particularly Marxism, and was one of the key figures in literary...
, and Sartre later explicitly alluded to it in Existentialism is a Humanism in 1946. Sartre had previously written in the spirit of atheistic existentialism, (e.g. the novel Nausea (1938) and the short stories in his 1939 collection The Wall
The Wall (Book)
The Wall by Jean-Paul Sartre, a collection of short stories published in 1939 containing the eponymous story "The Wall", is considered one of the author's greatest existentialist works of fiction...
). Albert Camus
Albert Camus
Albert Camus was a French author, journalist, and key philosopher of the 20th century. In 1949, Camus founded the Group for International Liaisons within the Revolutionary Union Movement, which was opposed to some tendencies of the Surrealist movement of André Breton.Camus was awarded the 1957...
(with The Myth of Sisyphus) and also Simone de Beauvoir
Simone de Beauvoir
Simone-Ernestine-Lucie-Marie Bertrand de Beauvoir, often shortened to Simone de Beauvoir , was a French existentialist philosopher, public intellectual, and social theorist. She wrote novels, essays, biographies, an autobiography in several volumes, and monographs on philosophy, politics, and...
likewise wrote from an atheist existentialist perspective.
Principles
The term atheistic existentialism refers to the exclusion of any transcendental, metaphysical, or religious beliefs from philosophical existentialist thought. Atheistic existentialism can nevertheless share elements (e.g. anguish or rebellion in light of human finitude and limitations) with religious existentialismChristian existentialism
Christian existentialism describes a group of writings that take a philosophically existentialist approach to Christian theology. The school of thought is often traced back to the work of the Danish philosopher and theologian considered the father of existentialism, Søren Kierkegaard...
, or with metaphysical existentialism (e.g. through phenomenology and Heidegger's works).
Atheistic existentialism confronts death anxiety
Terror management theory
Terror Management Theory , in social psychology, states that all human behavior is motivated by the fear of mortality. The theory purports to help explain human activity both at the individual and societal level...
without appealing to a hope of somehow being saved by a God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
(and often without any appeal to supernatural
Supernatural
The supernatural or is that which is not subject to the laws of nature, or more figuratively, that which is said to exist above and beyond nature...
salvations like reincarnation
Reincarnation
Reincarnation best describes the concept where the soul or spirit, after the death of the body, is believed to return to live in a new human body, or, in some traditions, either as a human being, animal or plant...
). For some thinkers, existential malaise is mostly theoretical (as it is with Jean-Paul Sartre
Jean-Paul Sartre
Jean-Paul Charles Aymard Sartre was a French existentialist philosopher, playwright, novelist, screenwriter, political activist, biographer, and literary critic. He was one of the leading figures in 20th century French philosophy, particularly Marxism, and was one of the key figures in literary...
) while others are quite affected by an existentialistic anguish (an example being Albert Camus
Albert Camus
Albert Camus was a French author, journalist, and key philosopher of the 20th century. In 1949, Camus founded the Group for International Liaisons within the Revolutionary Union Movement, which was opposed to some tendencies of the Surrealist movement of André Breton.Camus was awarded the 1957...
and his discussion of the Absurd
Absurd
Absurd or The Absurd may refer to:* Absurdity, general and technical usage - associated with extremely poor reasoning, the ridiculous, or nonsense....
).
Sartre once said "existence precedes essence". What he meant was that, first of all, man exists (e.g. appears on the scene) and only afterwards defines himself. If man, as the existentialist conceives him, is indefinable, it is because at first he is nothing. Only afterward will he be something, and he himself will have made what he will be. Thus, there is no human nature, since there is no God to conceive it. Not only is man what he conceives himself to be, but he is also only what he wills himself to be after this thrust toward existence.
Sartre
The novel Nausea is, in some ways, a manifestoManifesto
A manifesto is a public declaration of principles and intentions, often political in nature. Manifestos relating to religious belief are generally referred to as creeds. Manifestos may also be life stance-related.-Etymology:...
of atheistic existentialism. Sartre deals with a dejected researcher (Antoine Roquentin) in an anonymous French town, where Roquentin becomes conscious of the fact that nature, as well as every inanimate object, are indifferent towards him and his tormented existence. Furthermore, they show themselves to be totally extraneous to any human meaning, and no human can see anything significant in them.
Camus
Camus writes of dualisms, between happiness and sadness, as well as life and death. In Le Mythe de Sisyphe (The Myth of Sisyphus)The Myth of Sisyphus
The Myth of Sisyphus is a philosophical essay by Albert Camus. It comprises about 120 pages and was published originally in 1942 in French as Le Mythe de Sisyphe; the English translation by Justin O'Brien followed in 1955....
, such dualism becomes paradoxical, because humans greatly value their existence while at the same time being aware of their mortality
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
. Camus believes it is human nature to have difficulty reconciling these paradoxes, and indeed, he believed humankind must accept what he called "the Absurd
Absurdism
In philosophy, "The Absurd" refers to the conflict between the human tendency to seek value and meaning in life and the human inability to find any...
". On the other hand, Camus is not strictly an existential atheist because the acceptance of the Absurd implies neither the existence of a god nor the nonexistence of a god.
Despair, Optimism, and Rebellion
In his essay “Despair, Optimism, and Rebellion”, Evan Fales submits three atheist existential stances towards life (which are not mutually incompatible). He argues that a certain dignity, and commitment to truth, is captured by Bertrand Russel when he says that “…only on the firm foundation of unyielding despair, can the soul’s habitation henceforth be safely built”. Fales believes that despair is only one possible reaction, or else component, of the atheist existentialist attitude.Fales proposes that another attitude is the Optimism of Secular Humanists: their moral systems are objective, man-made, and grounded to some extent in naturalistic
Naturalism (philosophy)
Naturalism commonly refers to the philosophical viewpoint that the natural universe and its natural laws and forces operate in the universe, and that nothing exists beyond the natural universe or, if it does, it does not affect the natural universe that we know...
facts; they derive meaning in their lives by defending those morals, and other aspects of a good life
Positive psychology
Positive psychology is a recent branch of psychology whose purpose was summed up in 1998 by Martin Seligman and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi: "We believe that a psychology of positive human functioning will arise, which achieves a scientific understanding and effective interventions to build thriving in...
(beauty, pleasure, mastery, etc.). Fales adds that atheist optimists must be careful to avoid fatalism
Fatalism
Fatalism is a philosophical doctrine emphasizing the subjugation of all events or actions to fate.Fatalism generally refers to several of the following ideas:...
(not to be confused with determinism
Determinism
Determinism is the general philosophical thesis that states that for everything that happens there are conditions such that, given them, nothing else could happen. There are many versions of this thesis. Each of them rests upon various alleged connections, and interdependencies of things and...
) when faced with the grimmer sides of human nature, especially in the absence of divine retribution - a task he says secular humanists realize by seeing their short life and great challenges as serving to deepen their moral obligations to make at least a small contribution. Fales also describes what he calls the optimists’ “negative thesis” when he writes “The infantilization of humankind in relation to God is one of the most disturbing features of Christian religious sensibility, especially in the context of moral judgment.” The path of optimism, to Fales, thus means affirming man-made morality, but also challenging ideologies that say morality could be anything else.
Since Rebellion is practiced against something, Fales warns that the atheist is not rebelling against the God they reject, so much as an indifferent universe. Fales continues: ”But, if there is a God, and that God is the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Jesus, then I affirm that there is one stance that is legitimate and justified. It is rebellion.”
Antiquity
From a historical point of view, there are elements of atheistic existentialism already present in the poetry of LucretiusLucretius
Titus Lucretius Carus was a Roman poet and philosopher. His only known work is an epic philosophical poem laying out the beliefs of Epicureanism, De rerum natura, translated into English as On the Nature of Things or "On the Nature of the Universe".Virtually no details have come down concerning...
. Many passages of the De rerum natura evoke problems and feelings typical of modern existentialists. Book III reads in part:
Mind and soul, I say,
are held conjoined one with other,
And form one single nature of themselves;
But chief and regnant through the frame entire
Is still that counsel which we call the mind,
And that cleaves seated in the midmost breast.
Here leap dismay and terror; round these haunts
Be blandishments of joys; and therefore here
The intellect, the mind. The rest of soul,
Throughout the body scattered, but obeys—
Moved by the nod and motion of the mind.
This, for itself, sole through itself, hath thought;
This for itself hath mirth, even when the thing
That moves it, moves nor soul nor body at all.
(Lucretius, On the nature of Things, III Book, vv.136–146)
See also
- ExistenceExistenceIn common usage, existence is the world we are aware of through our senses, and that persists independently without them. In academic philosophy the word has a more specialized meaning, being contrasted with essence, which specifies different forms of existence as well as different identity...
- ExistentialismExistentialismExistentialism is a term applied to a school of 19th- and 20th-century philosophers who, despite profound doctrinal differences, shared the belief that philosophical thinking begins with the human subject—not merely the thinking subject, but the acting, feeling, living human individual...
- FaithFaithFaith is confidence or trust in a person or thing, or a belief that is not based on proof. In religion, faith is a belief in a transcendent reality, a religious teacher, a set of teachings or a Supreme Being. Generally speaking, it is offered as a means by which the truth of the proposition,...
- AtheismAtheismAtheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities...
- Laicism
- NihilismNihilismNihilism is the philosophical doctrine suggesting the negation of one or more putatively meaningful aspects of life. Most commonly, nihilism is presented in the form of existential nihilism which argues that life is without objective meaning, purpose, or intrinsic value...
- AbsurdismAbsurdismIn philosophy, "The Absurd" refers to the conflict between the human tendency to seek value and meaning in life and the human inability to find any...