Understanding Existentialism (Understanding Movements in Modern Thought)

Understanding Existentialism (Understanding Movements in Modern Thought)

by JackReynolds (Author)

Synopsis

Understanding Existentialism provides an accessible introduction to existentialism by examining the major themes in the work of Heidegger, Sartre, Merleau-Ponty and de Beauvoir. Paying particular attention to the key texts, Being and Time, Being and Nothingness, Phenomenology of Perception, The Ethics of Ambiguity and The Second Sex, the book explores the shared concerns and the disagreements between these major thinkers. The fundamental existential themes examined include: freedom; death, finitude and mortality; phenomenological experiences and 'moods', such as anguish, angst, nausea, boredom, and fear; an emphasis upon authenticity and responsibility as well as the denigration of their opposites (inauthenticity and Bad Faith); a pessimism concerning the tendency of individuals to become lost in the crowd and even a pessimism about human relations more generally; and a rejection of any external determination of morality or value. Finally, the book assesses the influence of these philosophers on poststructuralism, arguing that existentialism remains an extraordinarily productive school of thought.

$50.36

Quantity

10 in stock

More Information

Format: Paperback
Pages: 200
Publisher: Acumen Publishing Ltd
Published: 22 Nov 2005

ISBN 10: 184465043X
ISBN 13: 9781844650439

Media Reviews
jargon-free and clear, its author escorts the reader through complex material and makes helpful in-flight connections between the various philosophical positions outlined. A well-written survey of existentialist thought. French Studies
Author Bio
Jack Reynolds is Associate Professor in Philosophy at La Trobe University.