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Existentialism in the Early 19th Century

Major Themes

Because of the diversity of positions associated with existentialism, the term
is impossible to define precisely. Certain themes common to virtually all
existentialist writers can, however, be identified. The term itself suggests one
major theme: the stress on concrete individual existence and, consequently, on
subjectivity, individual freedom, and choice.

Moral Individualism

Most philosophers since Plato have held that the highest ethical good is the
same for everyone; insofar as one approaches moral perfection, one resembles
other morally perfect individuals. The 19th-century Danish philosopher Søren
Kierkegaard, who was the first writer to call himself existential, reacted
against this tradition by insisting that the highest good for the individual is
to find his or her own unique vocation. As he wrote in his journal, "I must find
a truth that is true for me . . . the idea for which I can live or die." Other......

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Approximate Word Count: 1487
Approximate Pages: 6 (250 words per double-spaced page)

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