Concept Of Human Existence

Concept Of Human Existence

Chapter One

Preface

Background Of The Study

Proponents similar as Hegel, Fichte and Schelling development of metaphysical idealism were take n to be a great fault by Jacob Friedrich Feasts. Feasts opinion was that philosophical trend ought to have continued in the Kantian tradition. His simple reason for this according to Coqueston( 248) remains that “ we must probe the nature and laws and compass of knowledge before we can attack problems about the object of knowledge ”. What Fires means have in that, the question regarding the Corkinty of object of knowledge can be approached by probing the nature, laws and compass of knowledge. In this point, Feasts shares affinity with the station of the father of British empiricism, John Locke.

therefore, Feasts and hisco-believers came the earlier opponents and critics of metaphysical idealism. Another champion who joined in the review was Christian Hermann Weisse, who editorialized that Hegel had exaggerated the part of sense for trying to conclude reality from the abstract forms of being. On his own, Immanuel Herman Fichte, son of the notorious romanticist emphasized the individual mortal personality. Fichte was explosively in opposition to what he regarded as Hegel’s tendency to submerge the existent in the universal where personality, the end of creation that was assored of eternity, was presented as a moment in the life of universal spirit. So, the chain of response against idealism continued and reached screen Kierkegaard. This Dane was described by Ludwig Wittgenstein( cited in Pattison, 1) to be “ by far the most profound Thinkers of the last cemtury ”.

Soren Kierkegaard, the father of contemporary existentialism

In Omorveghs( 39) words, this is a loose system of gospel that deals “ palm, concrete actuality as opposed substance ”. The emergence of this system shifted the attention of gospel from the study of metaphysical realities as accessible in traditional gospel of ancient and medieval ages to the study of the being of man and the palpable or concrete realities of actuality.

Kierkegaard’s task was to refute Hegskanism or enterprise gospel as misrepresented by absolute idealism. gospel of Hegelianism, according to Copleston( 335) misrepresented mortal actuality similar “ that man realizes his true tone or substance in proportion as he transcends his particularity and becomes a onlooker of all time and actuality as a moment in the life of universal study ”.

The below approach purified the diet experience of existeritialism rise to his scullers to reply with spare sympathy for this radiculity. In his response, Kierkegaard erected his philosophical studies in such a manner that, it fenced to come “ a explanation of issues and an appeal to choose, an attempt to get new to see their empirical situation and the great druthers with which they’re faced ” according to copleste( 336). This explanation is necessary because the important problems of any mortal being is noway resolved by sheer study or enterprise, “ but by this act of choice, on the position of actuality rather than on that of detached, objects reflection ” as Copestone( 338) puts it.

naturally, Kierkegaard posits that gospel should concern itself not simply with abstract propositions rather with questions similar that defy individualities as being beings. Citing Etim( 1) question similar as “ who am I? what’s the meaning of life? How can I live a meaningful and useful life? How can I remain there to myself and to others? What’s the meaning of freedom for me? How can I use my freedom? ” Kierkegaard want on to assert that mortal actuality isn’t simply an actuality but an authentic mortal actuality with paschal relationship with his creator. The authenticity of this individual subsistence made Kierkegaard to raise questions similar as “ How should one live genuinely as a Christian? How does one live in a particular relationship with God, and respond genuinely to the demands of that connections as did? What’s the meaning of having a faithful relationship with God?

In this light, it’s agreed that empirical gospel concern itself with the ultimate question of the meaning of mortal actuality. By and large, existentialists approach where to discover the meaning and authenticity of actuality. This work, thus, seek to examine Soren Kierkegaard’s approach to the question of the meaning of mortal actuality and the question concerning the question what does it really mean to live as a mortal person?

Statement Of The Problem

The question of mortal actuality has attracted so numerous considerations. There are some who approached it from the point of view of its asininity and meaninglessness. utmost of similar people are atheists like Martin Heidegger, with Albert Camus and Jean Paul Sartre who played down veritably much, the substance of mortal actuality as Hegel also did. still, there’s the other group of existentialists who bandied mortal actuality as a worthwhile adventure. similar include the principal author of contemporary existentialism in the person of Soren Kierkegaard. These proponents expounded certain empirical tenets which according to Lescoe( 9) are geared towards “ assaying the introductory structures of mortal actuality and to call individualities to an mindfulness of their actuality in its essential freedom ”.

The problem of mortal actuality is related wholly to this conception of freedom. Its use and abuse makes and mars man independently. This is because freedom remains the pivot upon which man asserts himself. It’s his relationship to this that categorizes him either as authentic or fake existent. therefore, the measure of the meaningfulness or meaninglessness of life is largely private but whichever way it’s determined by the degree of commitment which one puts in as he tries to assert himself by the exercise of freedom.

Another question to be examined then remains whether one can live genuinely when one has no authentic relation to the community which Kierkegaard regard as the crowd? And man empirical approaches to the natural miracle similar as death, dread, or anxiety, despair, and suffering. It also takes into consideration the question of freedom and choice, man’s hunt for empirical meaning and Kierkegaard’s analysis of man’s stages on life way.

It’s thus in a shot to clarify some of these mind- broil issues that the experimenter is out to expose what Kierkegaard considers to be the hand or the standard of meaningful mortal actuality. With this in view, the work is a battle of man with the naked data of his freedom and duty through which he makes the stylish out of his life as an existent.

Aim Of The Study

It’s a major tragedy of mortal actuality that numerous people goes through life failing to express their individual possibilities to an perceptible extent. On the other hand, Fred Baver observes that there are those who concentrate so hard on making a living that they tend to forget to live.

The below perceptivity are what inspired this exploration. The experimenter thus wishes to awaken from slumber those who are yet to give in or enjoy the rearmost possibilities in them while those who have lost stopgap in realizing meaning out of mortal actuality asx-rayed by their inordinate preoccupation or dependence to working so hard are to be reminded that Kierkegaard was right when he said that “ until man formed his essential tone in God, his life is full of anxiety ”( Ibe 43). It’s with confident the belief that this knowledge or wisdom will make all see the difficulties in life as effects designed to make all better and not bitter. therefore, this work has the intention of making all realize that mortal actuality is meaningful in so far as it’s approached subjectively through existent’s particular gests , acceptable sense and use of freedom, solemn and sincere fear of the creator.

Defense Of The Study

mortal day to day challenges impact largely at all situations and leaves us with so numerous complications to ultimately falling into the disposition of ‘ follow the trends ’ for empirical survival. The sins in mortal authenticity in nearly every hand of mortal life or society beget man to nearly be a eyeless dupe of itself or the other person. generally, diurnal problems of actuality occasionally insulate us from engaging in tone- consummation to completely understand ourselves and deal with questions that impugn our veritably nature so as to realize our purpose in an ever changing and ever complex world. Man frequently focuses on study of others to the detriment of his unique individuality. Other than being an authentic existent, who answers the question of freedom, meaning and faces the empirical miracle of death, suffering, dread, despair, asininity etc, man is else contained in the crowd therefore losing his individuality to abstract ideal or societal control. Kierkegaard’s opposition to this trend and his answers to the question “ what does it mean to be being as a mortal being? ” informs the energetic question amp this exploration on his notion of mortal actuality. Thereby justifying the explanation behind this exploration bearing in mind it impact in awakening the contemporary man to the reality of himself as an being being.

Significance Of The Study

Empirical gospel rest on the generality that man must first live, also take responsibility of creating meaning or substance for his actuality. This task of creating meaning can be says to be enormous. thus, man must be at its stylish to be suitable to exercise similar responsibility. Accordingly, questions regarding the mortal person arise. Questions similar as who’s a mortal being? What does actuality like? Or what’s the meaning of man’s actuality. Does man have absolute freedom to make choices? etc. It’s in this sense that this exploration plays a significant part to man as he hopes to realize himself. therefore, the significance of this work can be figure as follows

It helps man to realize his purpose of actuality thereby fashioning his own life through consummation and reflection on himself by banning himself from the crowd.

Kierkegaard proposed three stages on life would benefits contemporary man to come to the fruition of his substance with the understanding that to live is to be an existent who strives, who considers druthers , who chooses, who decides and who makes a commitment more importantly, for icing empirical commitment, good of making the individual sound, critical focused, stalwart, valorous and logical inclined in making opinions for his very life.

It’s also of applicability to contemporary man inre-orienting the contemporary world on the fact that tone- consummation and valuation is possible only if man makes particular decision out of deep particular reflection and free exercise of his will power while being ready to take liabilities for his private opinions than objective crowd following.

Also, bearing in mind the compass of epistemology which deals with the nature, compass and criterion of knowledge. The exploration contributes epistemologically by revealing similar knowledge that qualifies such a conclusion on mortal nature. It’s also awakes the napping man to take responsibility and produce his substance or meaning indeed in the face of empirical predicaments.

METHODOLOGY OF STUDY

In order to give this work its needed philosophical grounding, the experimenter made wide discussion of exploration accoutrements on Kierkegaard. The outgrowth of that trouble is manifested in the accession of deep knowledge of existentialists ’ conception of mortal actuality. still, there’s strict adherence to Kierkegaardian system. Some necessary opinions or perceptivity of others are employed as and when due as the exploration progresses.

The work thus employs the philosophical styles of analysis, review and tradition. Analytical, as to how it relates the empirical ideas to private gests . Critical, in that it doesn’t assimilate all Kierkegaard’s hypotheticals, rather it appraises his strong points but criticizes the unwholesome aspects of his notion or training in regard to mortal actuality.

Compass Of The Study

What formed the compass of this work stems ultimately from what Kierkegaard applied in his trouble to impute meaning to mortal actuality through authentic individuality. This implies his ideas of the individual and the mode of the existent’s actuality. Also, the compass of this exploration covers Kierkegaard’s empirical gospel, particularly on his notion of mortal actuality and, by extension, his study as it affects the contemporary man.

Description If Terms

Meaning of mortal

What’s Existentialism?

Existentialism as a philosophical bid is seen else from the perspective of different proponents. According toR.C. Solomon, existentialism “ is the unequivocal abstract incarnation of an empirical station – a spirit of ‘ the present age ’. It’s a philosophical consummation of a tone-conscious living in a “ broken world ” a world into which we’re “ thrown ” or “ condemned ” yet “ abandoned ” and “ free ” a world which appears to be indifferent or indeed “ absurd ” ”( ix), this description sees existentialism “ as an station which begins with a disoriented existent, facing a confused world that he can not accept ”( Olawonyin 24). On his part,G.O. Ozumba sees existentialism as “ the gospel of mortal actuality concerned with the existent in the oneness of his actuality. It thus renounces reason, universality, abstraction and neutrality in favour of sequestration, particularity, randomness and subjectivity ”( 87- 88). Supporting this view, Idang( 99) writes that “ it would feel, man with his problems, is the main focus of existentialism. It’s a manner of philosophizing, a way and manner of looking at the world especially of man and his place in the macrocosm. ” For Aqulanna( 147) existentialism “ is concerned with the inscrutability and dichotomies that constitute the inner being of man ”.

From the foregoing, existentialism, generally, is a philosophical outlook that stresses man’s dilemma, and lay emphasis on man actuality as an individual rather than an abstract being.