Defining "who is an existentialist" moves beyond a simple biographical label to encompass a philosophical stance characterized by an emphasis on individual freedom, responsibility, and the subjective experience of existence. Existentialism, as a broad movement, posits that existence precedes essence, meaning individuals are born without inherent purpose and must forge their own meaning through choices and actions. Key figures like Søren Kierkegaard, Friedrich Nietzsche, Martin Heidegger, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Simone de Beauvoir, while differing in their specific doctrines, collectively articulate this central idea. They grapple with themes of anxiety, dread, authenticity, and the often unsettling freedom that comes with confronting a meaningless universe.
Søren Kierkegaard, often hailed as the father of existentialism, laid much of the groundwork in the mid-19th century. His focus on the individual’s subjective truth and the "leap of faith" necessary for religious belief highlights a core existential concern: the individual confronting profound, often agonizing, choices in a world devoid of absolute certainty. In Fear and Trembling (1843), he uses the biblical story of Abraham to illustrate the ethical and religious paradoxes inherent in subjective commitment. For Kierkegaard, true existence is found not in abstract systems or societal norms, but in the passionate engagement with one's own life and its inherent dilemmas, particularly the anxiety that arises from freedom.
Friedrich Nietzsche, writing in the late 19th century, further challenged traditional morality and religious foundations. His proclamation that "God is dead" was not a statement of atheism alone, but a recognition that the collapse of divine authority left humanity adrift, facing the imperative to create its own values. The concept of the Übermensch (Overman) represents an individual who transcends conventional limitations, embraces life's suffering, and asserts their will to power in a creative, self-affirming way. Nietzsche’s work, such as Thus Spoke Zarathustra (1883-1891), encourages individuals to confront nihilism head-on and become the architects of their own purpose.
Martin Heidegger, in the 20th century, explored the nature of "being" (Dasein) in his seminal work Being and Time (1927). He argued that human existence is fundamentally characterized by its "thrownness" into the world and its orientation towards death. The awareness of mortality, for Heidegger, is not a morbid obsession but a crucial element in achieving an authentic existence. By confronting the possibility of one's own non-being, individuals can break free from the inauthentic distractions of everyday life and engage with existence more fully and purposefully.
Jean-Paul Sartre, perhaps the most recognizable name associated with existentialism, popularized the movement in the mid-20th century with his philosophical writings and plays. His famous assertion that "existence precedes essence" became a cornerstone of existentialist thought. In Being and Nothingness (1943), Sartre argued that humans are "condemned to be free," meaning they are entirely responsible for their choices and the creation of their own values. This freedom, however, comes with profound responsibility and can lead to "bad faith"—the denial of one's freedom and the attempt to escape responsibility by blaming external factors.
Simone de Beauvoir, a close associate of Sartre, applied existentialist principles to feminist theory. In The Second Sex (1949), she argued that "one is not born, but rather becomes, a woman," challenging the notion of a fixed, essential femininity. De Beauvoir contended that women, historically defined as the "Other" by patriarchal societies, must actively define their own existence and transcend the social constructs that limit them. Her work exemplifies how existentialist ideas of freedom and self-creation can be applied to social and political liberation.
In essence, an existentialist is someone who recognizes the absence of preordained meaning and embraces the radical freedom and daunting responsibility that comes with it. They confront the anxieties of life, the burden of choice, and the inevitability of death not with despair, but with a commitment to creating authentic meaning through their actions and engagements with the world. This is not a philosophy of nihilism, but a call to active, conscious living, where each individual is the author of their own existence.