Existentialism, Nihilism, And Objectivism - 2408 Words

From the beginning of time people have pondered existence and what it means to truly â€Å"Be’, indeed the most important questions that one can ask are those of a metaphysical nature. The deeper questions that seek to explain the reason we’re here in the first place, if for any reason at all. It’s easy to get lost in the many differing theories proposed from Determinism to Rationalism to Solipsism to Absurdism the possible theories one can ascribe as correct are endless. But the ones that try to answer those big questions in the most general of terms are the ones that seem to hold the most verisimilitude. Existentialism, Nihilism, and Objectivism are the most general, and although quite different they are also quite similar. But existentialism seems to be the one which offers the most hope for optimism or any concern for altruism and personal growth. To begin with it should be taken into consideration the circumstances in which humanity found itself in when these sort philosophical musings of ontology became so prevalent among the society of thinkers and intellectuals. With the turbulence and constant change of the late 19th and 20th century it only makes sense that people would begin to wonder what it all really means. With wars, genocide, and poverty contrasted against the unprecedented industrial and technological advances of the time not to mention the exponential growth in some populations, it became easier and easier to lose one s identity as the world begins toShow MoreRelated Comparing the Anti-Social Plays of Cyrano de Bergerac and Night of the Iguana1026 Words   |  5 Pagesunderstood by scientific and logical means. This, I believe, is where the anti-social play becomes important: it reflects societys belief that there is nothing to believe in anymore. The emergence of many philosophies (such as existentialism, athei stic satanism, objectivism, nihilism, and hedonism) which focus on despair or selfishness also reflects this. Anti-social plays, of which we have many in modern times, address the concepts of despair that these influential modern philosophies have in common.Read MoreExistentialism vs Essentialism23287 Words   |  94 PagesEssentialism vs. Existentialism Essentialism: A belief that things have a set of characteristics that make them what they are, amp; that the task of science and philosophy is their discovery amp; expression; the doctrine that essence is prior to existence While, Existentialism:A philosophical theory or approach, that emphasizes the existence of the individual person as a free amp; responsible agent, determining their own development through acts of the will. Existentialism * is