Existentialism and Wellbeing

Essentialism vs Existentialism -- A Cosmic Battle

By Thomas Bolding

Before existence...

There were the essentialists

Essentialists believed that everything had a core essence or properties that are necessary for a thing to be what it is.

​Think of it this way: What are the essential properties of a cup?

What are the essential properties of a human?​

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Essentialism Continued...

We still often think essentially. The problem is essentialism does not accept change.

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Everything has a pure essence. Therefore, it is difficult to accept changes to definitions.

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Whenever you say...something will always be a certain way -- essentialism

https://www.apa.org/science/about/psa/2005/05/gelman

"Man is a rational animal"

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Modern example: It doesn't matter what you look like, a person is a person (because they are rational)​

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Fun fact: It is a theory that Socrates never existed.

More examples

Essentialism is...

Ideal

Easy to support and understand

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Can be used to define, but also manipulate and simplify.

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Jean-Paul Sartre asked, "Well, what if we were born without a hardwired purpose? That experience leads us to discover our essence.

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Later, in comes the existentialists

Existentialism

Existence presedes Essence...

Meaning, we exist first, and our experiences create our essence.

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Basically, we create our own meaning.​

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Philosophies often reflect the world they live in...existentialism was prominent post-WWII, when a lot of people lost meaning, their morals and order deeply challenged. Therefore, it is understandable that thinkers at the time wanted to redefine their world

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It is good to know...

...And this sets up

Our video

Please watch the following video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaDvRdLMkHs

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There will be some quiz questions once you all are done!​

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Multiple Choice

What did essentialists believe?

• That everything can be defined by their essential properties

• That we started as empty vessels that then were filled with knowledge

• That there was an all powerful creator

• All the above.

Multiple Choice

An essentialist definition of man is..

• a rational animal.

• an irrational animal.

• a complex thinker.

• a lost soul.

Multiple Choice

The existentialist philosopher this presentation "and video" mostly focused on...

• Jean-Paul Sartre

• Plato

• Michel Foucault

​Discussion

So, what do you think? Which philosophy connects with you more? *By the way, you can take elements of both :D.

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Other philosophies that might interest you: ​modernism, postmodernism, logical positivism, rationalism...

Subject | Subject

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