Existentialism Definition
ĕgzĭ-stĕnshə-lĭzəm, ĕksĭ-
noun
A philosophical and literary movement, variously religious or atheistic, stemming from Kierkegaard and represented by Sartre, Heidegger, etc.: it is based on the doctrine that concrete, individual existence takes precedence over abstract, conceptual essence and holds that human beings are totally free and responsible for their acts and that this responsibility is the source of their feelings of dread and anguish.
Webster's New World
Existentialism is defined as a philosophical theory that focuses on free will and personal responsibility.
A philosophical theory focusing on free will is an example of existentialism.
YourDictionary
Synonyms:
- existentialist philosophy
- existential philosophy
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Other Word Forms of Existentialism
Noun
Singular:
existentialism
Plural:
existentialismsOrigin of Existentialism
-
existential + -ism; borrowed from German Existentialismus.
From Wiktionary
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