THE ERROR OF EXISTENTIALISM
1
The Error of Existentialism
Jonathan J Babb
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
THE ERROR OF EXISTENTIALISM
2
Abstract
Following through the evolution of existentialism from its roots in Kierkegaardian
philosophy to Jean-Paul Sartre and the Postmodernist Revolution, The Errors of
Existentialism subjects the implications of existentialistic progress to the fundamental
and age-old question of freewill. The paper than introduces the concept of determinism,
carefully outlining its origin, assertations and associated scientific theory. With the two
nearly diametrically-opposed philosophies established, the paper weighs the likelihood of
both ideologies, reaching an uneasy conclusion that shakes the very foundations of
existentialism and the notion of freewill itself.
Keywords: existentialism, modernism, postmodernism, determinism,
predestination, quantum theory, Newtonian physics, structuralism, post-structuralism.
THE ERROR OF EXISTENTIALISM
3
Existentialism is often seen as the triumph of philosophy over the historically
idealistic marginalization of the self. It is defined as “The implication of an absurd
universe without intrinsic meaning or purpose; wherein the individual is obliged to find
meaning in his or her own existence, not in any externally imposed doctrine.” (Rohmann,
1999). Since the mid-19th century, authors such as Søren Kierkegaard, Friedrich
Nietzsche, and Jean-Paul Sartre have perpetuated this concept into what is now formally
recognized as the existentialist movement.
But there is some irony in the purported championing of existentialism over older
philosophies, as a far older philosophical question is itself marginalized - the question of
free will. Existentialism’s answer to the uncertainties of choice has been one of blatant
contention, which threatens the very foundational inferences upon which it is built. In the
context of the archaic argument over free thought & action, existentialism cannot fully
assume the power of choice. Rather, it is more reasonable to suggest it is the illusion of it.
The conflict between existentialism and the question of freewill began with the
arrival of Kierkegaardian philosophy. Søren Kierkegaard was a Danish philosopher
whose work was largely responsible for the de-emphasis of structuralized philosophy
(any philosophy that implies a systematic inner-working of the universe). In contrast to
the Hegelian argument of a universal system of understanding, Kierkegaard held that
philosophy was a pragmatic instrument, with which one can understand life and being
(Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2012). His portrayal of existence strongly implied
that freewill is certain, but gives no explicit reason as to why. This oddity is multiplied by
the fact that Kierkegaard was a Christian philosopher; whereas Christian philosophy
deals heavily with the idea of freewill and predetermination in relationship to an
THE ERROR OF EXISTENTIALISM
4
omnipotent God. This subjective stance on choice was subsequently accepted by the
inheritors of Kierkegaardian ideals, despite the fact that many of his other theories were
not.
As existentialism flourished, it’s problem became buried under its intricacies. The
next evolution came about through the writing’s of Friedrich Nietzsche. After the advent
and tragedy of the First World War, the socio-political atmosphere proliferated the idea
that sacrifice was a necessary part of growth. This idea was central to the Nietzschean
interpretation of the individual’s sense of responsibility - an intrinsically existential
standpoint. As the two ideas found mutual ground, Nietzsche was pushed into the
forefront of the then-contemporary ideological shift. What resulted was a significant
element in the modernist movement: a stage in which existentialism found influence in
the realms of art, literature, politics and culture. The assumption of freewill by
association, was incorporated into the perspectives of modernity. A resemblance of the
contemporary image of the individual was beginning to take shape. Existentialism began
to move away from the Kierkegaardian suppositions, especially as Friedrich Nietzsche
famously wrote, “God is Dead.” (1885, p.202). The focus was not as man under God, but
man by himself. Ultimately this furthered the almost subliminally implied acceptance of
freewill, which was now spreading rapidly throughout the philosophical community.. But
this did not counteract the underlying issues with choice and free thought. Rather it paved
the way for the conclusion of an existential bias- Postmodernism.
In time, modernism begot postmodernism, as a re-imagined version of
Nietzsche’s overly nihilistic groundwork. This quiet coup was lead by the French
philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre who transformed a philosophy of suffering into a familiarly
THE ERROR OF EXISTENTIALISM
5
bleak, yet more empowering outlook. As a famous novelist, playwright and critic, Sartre
fully enculturated the existentialist ideology with the contemporary world - redefining
individuality itself in the terms of human experience (Gottlieb, 2002). Individualism had
now taken to the streets in an applicable philosophy for the everyman. The realizations of
postmodernism and post-structuralism marked a crescendo and union of their original
inspirations. Existentialism thusly became a quintessential basis for not only
contemporary philosophy, but contemporary thought.
The question of freewill was lost amidst the speculation. Modern thought gave
way to the power of the individual, to whome ‘the self’ seemed self-evident.. It would be
deemed unreasonable by a contemporary standard to even suggest that freewill does not
exist, and yet from certain philosophical standpoints, it couldn’t seem more obvious. One
such philosophy is known as determinism.
Determinism most likely owes its origination to predestination, and the work of
the medieval Christian philosopher Saint Thomas Aquinas. Aquinas questioned freewill
on the belief that God is all-knowing. He wondered how man can truly have the freedom
of choice if all choices are already known by the creator (Rosen, 2000). From these
primordial ponderings, the notion of freewill came under fire. Deterministic philosophy
furthered this argument after the rise of Newtonian physics by implying that physics was
the underlying reason behind all occurrences: if physics had a determinable result,
everything did. In a famously unanimous thought experiment amongst the supporters of
an absolute Newtonian framework, it is posed that atoms have predictable interactions,
and if a person is made solely of atoms, than a person will therefore present a predictable
reaction (Gottlieb, 2002). French physicist Pierre Simon-Laplace expanded this idea by
THE ERROR OF EXISTENTIALISM
6
speculating that a sufficient intelligence, fully knowing the laws of physics, as well as the
speed and position of every particle in the universe, would be able to predict its entire
future (Rhomann, 1999).
Existentialism contested this assertion in a broad sense, and only on the grounds
that determinism disagrees with its own fundamental viewpoints. It wasn’t until the
arrival of quantum theory that determinism faced significant theoretical resistance.
Quantum theory, or quantum physics began as commentary on the inconsistencies of
Newtonian physics on extremely large objects. As the inconsistencies widened through
experimentation, quantum physics gained a greater role in understanding physical
interactions. The uncertainty principle, that states that, “It is physically impossible to
know both the position and the momentum of a particle at the same time.”
(thinkquest.org, n.d.) overturned Pierre Simon-Laplace’s theory of determinism almost
word for word. It appeared that freewill was safe under the wing of scientific endeavor.
The Newtonian argument of determinism was undoubtedly disproved, yet the
concept itself still remained as strikingly obvious as ever. The problem with quantum
theory lied within the presumption that quantum physics allows for the conditions of
freewill. Though it certainly suggests an unpredictable nature to the movement of
subatomic particles, it does not refute the long-since established principles of physical
law. Remembering that a person is made up of atoms one must infer that that person is
subject to the physical laws of those atoms. Even in a quantum universe, atoms abide by
quasi-determined laws, which bear no resemblance to a deliberate decision or sentient
consciousness. The problem of freewill remained an insurmountable philosophical
obstacle.
THE ERROR OF EXISTENTIALISM
7
With respect to this argument the philosophy of existentialism becomes
fundamentally defunct. The ideas of individuality, responsibility, and freedom cannot be
simultaneously upheld. However from the perspective of the self, one’s existence cannot
be surrendered; which is to say that a person who does not think they exist does not cease
to exist. Theoretically speaking, this is due to the illusion of self-consciousness being so
complete in and of itself that it is inescapable. So in a mind-numbing conclusion, as is
typical of philosophical expositions, it could be proposed that existentialism can exist
simultaneously with a deterministic universe, under the stipulation that it is an accessory
to an illusory existence.
In the end, one cannot fully appreciate the implications of an existential universe
or a deterministic one. But through the use of sound reasoning one can see the
probabilities of either with stunning clarity. While the age of existentialism will likely
survive the fallibility of freewill, it can never be fully adopted by those who are aware of
it. In such light, existentialism must be seen not as the end to all philosophy, nor the
beginning of a new genre, but as an inclusive metamorphosis of structuralism into a less
restrictive, more objective framework. As Jean-Paul Sartre famously wrote, “existence
proceeds essence”. (1943) and indeed it does. But the greater irony lies in the
confinement of that existence; That the mind –it seems- is never truly free.
THE ERROR OF EXISTENTIALISM
8
REFERENCES
• Gottlieb, Anthony. (2002). The Dream of Reason. New York, NY. Norton
Publishing.
• Nietzsche, Friedrich. (1885, 2005). Thus Spoke Zarathustra. New York, NY.
Barnes & Noble Books
• Rohmann, Chris. (1999). A World of Ideas: Dictionary of Important Theories,
Concepts, Beliefs and Thinkers. New York, NY. Random House Publishing
Group.
• Rosen, Stanley. (2000). The Philosophers Handbook. New York, NY. Random
House Publishing Group.
• Sartre, Jean-Paul. (1943). Being and Nothingness. New York, NY. Washington
Square Press.
• Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Søren Kierkegaard (2012) Retrieved from
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/kierkegaard/
• Think Quest Oracle. (n.d.) What is Quantum Physics? Retrieved from
http://library.thinkquest.org/3487/qp.html