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existential philosophy

existential philosophy

1 9.9
A philosophy that says people create their own meaning by choosing freely and taking responsibility
  • noun
  • /ɪɡˈzɪstɛnʃəl fəˈlɑsəfi/
translation icon : filosofía existencial
  • Many students are drawn to existential philosophy because it encourages them to question their own beliefs and choices.

Examples

  • College students during exam periods (particularly those studying existential philosophy), people who must work overtime, or those worrying about an important upcoming event could all experience these symptoms naturally.

    Academic text (2005)
  • Existential philosophy was more ardently translated into action twenty or so years ago.

    Academic text (1990)
  • It is of interest to note that during the period discussed in this paper, existential philosophy and communism were also imported to Japan.

    Academic text (1990)
  • In clinical work with adolescents, there is a clear similarity between what they experience and the concepts of existential philosophy that have been applied in psychology.

    Academic text (2005)
  • And you're dropping existential philosophy on them, and they're just sitting there hoping for some stupid modeling job they're never even gonna get an audition for, much less book.

  • In her essay, she explored the key themes of existential philosophy, emphasizing the importance of personal freedom and responsibility.

  • His interest in existential philosophy led him to reflect deeply on the meaning of life and his role in it.

Synonyms

existentialism
vsexistential philosophy
5 9.9

A way of thinking that says people are free and responsible for their own lives

focuses on individual freedom and responsibility in defining existence rather than willful development
existentialist philosophy
vsexistential philosophy
9.9

Ideas that say people are free and responsible for making their own meaning and values

stresses freedom and choice in defining existence rather than focusing on creation of values

Surface Forms

Morphology

existential + philosophy

The phrase is compositionally transparent: 'existential' describes something concerned with existence and 'philosophy' is the study of such matters, so a learner who knows both words can infer it refers to philosophy about existence. While specialist historical nuances (the 20th‑century movement and emphasis on freedom/responsibility) are advanced background knowledge, the core meaning is directly derivable from the constituents and is cross‑linguistically regular.

Etymology

Existential philosophy comes from focusing on existence, or simply being alive, and the picture of a person standing alone at a fork in the road who must pick a path. That image explains why it means people must 'choose' and 'take responsibility' for their own lives.