Exploring Existentialism: Individual Choice and Purpose

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Danielle P. Santos 1PHL2

2014064360 May 15, 2015

Philosophy encompasses almost all different studies regarding different issues in the world. It is one of the broadest body of knowledge that speaks about everything that is connected with life. Like what it gives us, Philosophy has also its own life that evolves and becomes better throughout the time, giving us better ideas in dealing with life.

Before, people primarily question what is in it for themselves. “What is their purpose?” “What we should strive for?” “What does it mean to be human?” and lastly, “What does it mean to exist?” Existentialism provides us the view that the humans define their own meaning in life. It is about our very existence and freedom that we are defined by our own choices. Existentialists differ us from other things because they insist that we live according to what we decide to do. Unlike plants and animals, we do not need other living things to live life to the fullest because we can do it for ourselves. Existentialism covers the importance of individual and choice, authenticity and religion. It is divide into two, namely; theistic existentialist

For him instead of asking what one should do it is more appropriate to ask what one should ought to do. If one rule is valid for a rational being then it should be also applied and accepted by all rational beings and should be practiced regularly. He defined goodness that it is not good because it can be beneficial or has some purpose but because it is good by itself. There are levels of morality which is based on how one perceive goodness or respond to the call of good will. This is called imperative or command when one is aware of his obligation to follow the moral law. Technical imperatives are the ones when we want to do good because we just want to but we do not really need to do it while in the Prudential imperatives, one is doing good because of the benefits he will get after doing those