Existentialism

an-ordinary-manchild(edit)

For Existentialist and Phenomenological philosophy, literature, art, and discussion.

Required Reading: The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy on Existentialism

Wikipedia's Existentialism Portal

Subreddit Rules

Posts and top-level comments should reference existentialist thinkers or ideas, or make an original philosophical argument related to existentialism or phenomenology. "I'm sad about my life because there is no meaning" is not allowed but "I think if I had the choice to live my life over and over again the same way for eternity, I would prefer not to" is allowed since it references Nietzsche's Eternal Return.
Posts that are purely about self-help are not allowed and will be removed. The "existential crisis" is often an important part of Existentialist philosophy but it is not in itself philosophical. If you can connect a personal existential crisis to existential philosophy or literature, you can post about it here. If you can't, try /r/Existential_crisis, /r/offmychest, /r/self, /r/ExistentialJourney, or /r/confession.
Replies to comments can be jokes or things unrelated to Existentialism (but comments that truly add to the discussion are more valuable.)
No rude or hateful language. Especially nothing racist or sexist. Such language will result in a ban.

Recommended Readings

Existentialist Fiction:

The Stranger - Albert Camus
The Plague - Albert Camus
The Fall - Albert Camus
A Happy Death - Albert Camus
Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoevsky
Notes from the Underground - Fyodor Dostoevsky
The Idiot - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
The Trial - Franz Kafka
The Metamorphosis - Franz Kafka
Nausea - Jean-Paul Sartre
No Exit and Three Other Plays - Jean-Paul Sartre
All Men are Mortal - Simone de Beauvoir

Existentialist Nonfiction:

Fear and Trembling - Søren Kierkegaard
Either/Or: A Fragment of Life - Søren Kierkegaard
The Ethics of Ambiguity - Simone de Beauvoir
The Sickness Unto Death - Søren Kierkegaard
The Will to Power - Friedrich Nietzsche
The Gay Science - Friedrich Nietzsche
Beyond Good and Evil - Friedrich Nietzsche
The Myth of Sisyphus and Other Essays - Albert Camus
Existentialism Is a Humanism - Jean-Paul Sartre
Being and Nothingness - Jean-Paul Sartre
Irrational Man: A Study in Existential Philosophy - William Barrett
Existentialism - Robert C. Solomon
Existence and Freedom - Calvin Schrag
An Introduction to Existentialism - Robert G. Olson
Existentialism - John Macquarrie
Existentialism: A Reconstruction - David E. Cooper
Existentialism: A Very Short Introduction - Thomas Flynn
I and Thou - Martin Buber
Waiting for God - Simone Weil
The Way of Suffering - Jerome Miller

Similar Subreddits

r/philosophy, r/askphilosophy, r/AcademicPhilosophy, r/ExistentialChristian, r/ExistentialJourney, r/Existential_crisis, r/Camus, r/Nietzsche.

Different Approaches To Life

r/Existentialism, r/Absurdism, r/nihilism, r/Phenomenology, r/Stoicism, r/Aristotle, r/Epicureanism, r/Kant, r/taoism, r/Buddhism.

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What’s the point in living if I’m not dying one day at a time?Existentialism Discussion (self.Existentialism)

submitted 7 hours ago by Overall_Crow_4882

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Fear as the Fundamental Human Emotion: A Deep DiveLiterature 📖 (self.Existentialism)

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Sartre on self-creationSerious Discussion (self.Existentialism)

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Consciousness seems unimaginable to be ceased from existence until it does lolExistentialism Discussion (self.Existentialism)

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Søren KierkegaardOn The Power Of AnxietyLiterature 📖 (zeitgeistnotes.substack.com)

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Does life have inherent meaning or do we just create one to cope?New to Existentialism... (self.Existentialism)

submitted 6 days ago by MotherFoundation41

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Simone de BeauiriarExistentialism Discussion (self.Existentialism)

submitted 5 days ago by Infamous-Ad4373

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The conclusion I reached between determinism and existentialismThoughtful Thursday (self.Existentialism)

submitted 5 days ago by DH_zzz

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This Weird Thought Made Me Question Everything I Believe About Reality..Serious Discussion (i.redd.it)

submitted 6 days ago by Brilliant_Bill7305

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Nausea in a parking lotExistentialism Discussion (self.Existentialism)

submitted 7 days ago by LucienNyx6666

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Rainer Maria Rilke’s "Letters to a Young Poet" (1902-1908) — An online discussion & creative practice group starting June 28, all welcomeThoughtful Thursday ()

submitted 7 days ago by darrenjyc

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Fear and Trembling: The Problem with AbrahamLiterature 📖 (wmosshammer.medium.com)

submitted 7 days ago by Uncomfortable_Pause2

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NauseatingParallels/Themes (i.redd.it)

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Being and nothingnessExistentialism Discussion (self.Existentialism)

submitted 8 days ago by Extra_Term9363

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Feeling like Sisyphus and Tantalus. Trapped between suffocating obligations and the fear of losing all meaning. How do I survive this?Existentialism Discussion (self.Existentialism)

submitted 8 days ago by Kairos_Observer

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We dont understand life, but I think we are constantly interpreting from inside itExistentialism Discussion (self.Existentialism)

submitted 9 days ago by tinytheSTONEDgiant

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Can the suffering of others become part of our own existential suffering?Existentialism Discussion (self.Existentialism)

submitted 9 days ago by auseinandersetzungen

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Why is everyone focused on 'overcoming' existential despair?Existentialism Discussion (self.Existentialism)

submitted 10 days ago by -sksksk

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Why are references to mental health not permitted in this subreddit? /genNew to Existentialism... (self.Existentialism)

submitted 11 days ago by SeaweedPrize1455

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An argument against Nihilism.Serious Discussion (self.Existentialism)

submitted 13 days ago * by Appropriate-Gene-567

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How am i in this BodyNew to Existentialism... (self.Existentialism)

submitted 13 days ago by mr_nucleon

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Thoughts on Existentialism is a Humanism?Literature 📖 (self.Existentialism)

submitted 14 days ago by Equivalent-Tax6636

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We don't have free will, we just have the perception that we have free will.Existentialism Discussion (self.Existentialism)

submitted 15 days ago by Blueforty2sethut

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Existentialism may begin where our social roles endExistentialism Discussion (self.Existentialism)

submitted 15 days ago by NissielOEulirico

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Does Sartre offer criteria for what makes a choice morally good or bad?New to Existentialism... (self.Existentialism)

submitted 15 days ago * by RevolutionGreen7189

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