Existential Angst
1) Existential Angst in the Book of Job:
Existential angst is a central theme in the Book of Job, an ancient text from the Hebrew Bible. It refers to the fear and dread that arises from a sense of meaninglessness and purposelessness in life. In the Book of Job, the protagonist experiences a series of devastating events that challenge his faith in God and his understanding of the world. Through this experience, Job grapples with the fundamental questions of existence, such as “Why do I suffer?” and “What is the purpose of my life?”
Throughout the book, Job is torn between his faith in God and his feelings of confusion and despair. He curses the day he was born and questions why a just God would allow him to suffer so greatly. Despite the efforts of his friends to console him and explain his suffering, Job remains unsatisfied with their answers and continues to seek a deeper understanding of his situation.
It is only through his encounter with God that Job begins to find peace and acceptance. In the famous speech by God in chapters 38-41, God challenges Job’s limited understanding of the world and his right to question the divine plan. God reminds Job that he is not in a position to judge the workings of the universe and that his wisdom is limited compared to that of the Almighty.
This realization leads Job to a deeper understanding of his place in the world and the nature of suffering. He comes to accept that his life has meaning and purpose, even if he does not fully understand it. He acknowledges that his suffering has allowed him to grow and deepen his faith in God, and he repents of his earlier complaints.
2) Existential Angst in Pascal:
Existential angst, also known as existential anxiety or fear, is a pervasive sense of dread and uncertainty that arises from the realization of one’s own existence and mortality. This fear is often associated with the philosophical and religious beliefs of existentialism, which stresses the inherent meaninglessness of life and the freedom of individuals to create their own meaning. In the works of philosopher and mathematician Blaise Pascal, existential angst is a recurring theme that pervades much of his writing, particularly his Pensées.
In Pascal’s writings, he argues that the human condition is characterized by a profound sense of dissatisfaction and longing. He asserts that humans are plagued by a deep sense of emptiness and lack, which arises from our awareness of our own limitations and the inevitability of death. This sense of emptiness, he claims, is a product of our innate desire for happiness and fulfillment, which we are unable to attain in this life.
Pascal also reflects on the concept of death, which he argues is the ultimate source of existential angst. He writes that death is the final limit to our existence, and that our fear of it is a reflection of our innate desire to exist forever. He notes that our fear of death arises from our awareness of our own mortality, and our desire to hold on to life at all costs. He argues that our fear of death is rooted in our desire to escape the inevitable, and that our attempts to do so only serve to increase our suffering.
In addition to our fear of death, Pascal also writes about the inherent meaninglessness of life. He asserts that life is devoid of inherent meaning or purpose, and that we must create our own meaning through our choices and actions. He argues that our search for meaning is driven by our desire for happiness and fulfillment, and that our inability to attain it leads to existential angst. He writes that we must seek God to find meaning and comfort, and that our rejection of God leads to a life of despair and hopelessness.
Pascal’s reflections on existential angst have had a profound impact on both philosophy and religion. He is often seen as a pioneer of existentialism, and his ideas about the inherent meaninglessness of life and the freedom of individuals to create their own meaning have influenced many later philosophers. His thoughts on death and the fear of it continue to be a source of contemplation and inspiration for people of all backgrounds and beliefs.
3) Existential Angst in Kierkegaard:
Søren Kierkegaard, a Danish philosopher and theologian, is considered to be the father of existentialism, a philosophical movement that emphasizes individual freedom and choice in the face of an often meaningless or absurd world. Kierkegaard’s work is centered on the concept of existential angst, which refers to the sense of unease and anxiety that arises from the realization of the individual’s unique existence and the freedom that comes with it.
According to Kierkegaard, human beings are fundamentally different from other beings in the world because they are capable of self-awareness and reflection. This self-awareness, however, leads to a sense of anxiety because individuals are faced with the reality of their own existence and the responsibility that comes with it. This anxiety is rooted in the individual’s freedom to choose, which is a unique characteristic of human beings. This freedom, while seemingly liberating, can also be a source of fear, as individuals are faced with the reality of their own mortality and the meaninglessness of life.
Kierkegaard argues that the individual must engage in a process of self-discovery and reflection in order to come to terms with their own existence and to overcome the sense of anxiety and despair that results from this realization. He believed that individuals must make a conscious effort to confront their own freedom and to create meaning in their lives through their choices and actions. This process of self-discovery, according to Kierkegaard, is what he called the “leap of faith,” which involves accepting the reality of one’s existence and embracing the freedom and responsibility that comes with it.
Kierkegaard’s work is often seen as a response to the Enlightenment and its focus on reason and science, which he believed reduced human existence to a mere set of laws and regulations. He rejected the Enlightenment’s belief in the absolute certainty of reason and instead emphasized the importance of individual subjective experience and the role of faith in shaping one’s understanding of the world.
Kierkegaard’s concept of existential angst and the leap of faith remains a relevant and influential aspect of modern philosophy and psychology. His ideas continue to shape the way that individuals approach the meaning and purpose of life and the role of faith in shaping individual identity. Kierkegaard’s work serves as a reminder that the search for meaning and purpose is a personal and individual journey, and that individuals must be willing to confront their own existence and freedom in order to find meaning and fulfillment in life.
4) Existential Angst in Heidegger:
Existential Angst, also known as existential anxiety is closely related to the philosophical ideas of Martin Heidegger, who is considered one of the most influential thinkers of the 20th century. Heidegger’s philosophy is characterized by his focus on existence as a central concern. According to Heidegger, existence is not just a physical state of being, but it is a way of being in the world. He argues that human beings are not just objects in the world, but they are also subjects that have a unique way of being in the world. This way of being is what he calls Dasein, which is a German word that means “being-there”. Dasein is the term that Heidegger uses to describe the human being’s mode of existence.
Heidegger argues that Dasein is distinct from other forms of existence because it is aware of its own existence. This self-awareness leads to the realization that life has no inherent meaning, and this realization creates a sense of existential angst. According to Heidegger, this feeling of anxiety arises from the recognition of the human being’s finite existence and the realization that death is inevitable. The human being is faced with the choice of either accepting this fact or trying to escape it.
Heidegger argues that the human being’s response to existential angst is either to embrace it or to try to escape it. When the human being embraces the fact of their own existence and death, they are able to find meaning in life. This meaning is not something that is given, but it is something that the human being must create for themselves. Heidegger argues that the human being must create meaning in life through their own choices and actions.
On the other hand, when the human being tries to escape existential angst, they often try to find meaning in external things such as material possessions, power, or fame. Heidegger argues that this way of finding meaning is problematic because it is not a true reflection of the human being’s existence. Instead, it is a projection of their own anxiety onto the world. This projection creates a false sense of security and meaning, but it is not a true reflection of the human being’s existence.
5) Existential Angst in Sartre:
Jean-Paul Sartre, a French philosopher and existentialist, explored the concept of existential angst in his works and argued that it is an inherent part of the human experience. Sartre believed that humans are fundamentally free beings and that we create our own meaning and purpose in life. This freedom is both liberating and terrifying, as it means that we are solely responsible for the choices we make and the direction of our lives. This responsibility is a source of existential angst, as it leads to the question of what our purpose is and whether our choices are meaningful.
Sartre also argued that humans are inherently lonely beings, as our freedom means that we can never fully understand or connect with others. We are always separate individuals, and no matter how close we may become with another person, we can never truly enter into their subjective experience. This lack of connection contributes to existential angst, as it leads to feelings of isolation and disconnection from the world.
Furthermore, Sartre believed that our existence is always in a state of becoming, as we are constantly making choices and changing the direction of our lives. This means that we are never fully fixed in our identity and that we can never truly know ourselves. This sense of constant change and lack of stability is also a source of existential angst, as it leads to feelings of insecurity and unpredictability.
Despite these challenges, Sartre believed that existential angst can be overcome through a process of authenticity. Authenticity involves accepting our freedom and responsibility, and using this to create a meaningful and fulfilling life. This means embracing our own individuality and making choices that align with our values and goals. By accepting our existential freedom and using it to create a fulfilling life, we can overcome our feelings of anxiety and find meaning and purpose in our existence.
6) Existential Angst in Camus:
As a writer, Albert Camus was preoccupied with the meaning of existence and the purpose of human life. He sought to understand the human condition and the factors that contributed to the sense of meaningless and despair that he believed pervaded modern society. In his works, Camus explored the theme of existential angst, which refers to the feeling of anxiety and uncertainty that arises from the realization of our own mortality and the lack of purpose in life.
One of the central themes of Camus’ philosophy is the idea of the absurd. He believed that the human search for meaning in life was inherently flawed and that the universe was inherently meaningless and indifferent to human existence. This perspective was influenced by his experiences during World War I and the Spanish Civil War, which left him with a profound sense of disillusionment and despair. In his work, The Myth of Sisyphus, Camus presents the idea of the absurd as a central aspect of the human experience. He argues that the human quest for meaning and purpose is futile, and that the universe is devoid of any inherent meaning or purpose.
Another central theme in Camus’ works is the idea of the rebel. He saw the rebel as a person who refused to accept the meaninglessness of existence and instead sought to create meaning through their own actions. In his work, The Rebel, Camus argues that the rebel was not just someone who refused to conform to society but someone who actively sought to create meaning in their own life. He believed that the rebel was the only one who could truly overcome the sense of despair and meaninglessness that pervaded modern society.
Camus’ existentialist philosophy has been widely influential and has had a profound impact on modern thought. His ideas about the absurd and the rebel have inspired countless thinkers and writers to consider the meaning of existence and the purpose of human life. However, his ideas have also been criticized for being too pessimistic and for promoting a nihilistic view of the world. Critics argue that his ideas can lead to a sense of despair and hopelessness, rather than providing a meaningful path forward.
7) Existential Angst in Melville:
The existentialist idea that human beings are fundamentally alone in the world and that the search for meaning is a personal journey is a theme that is prevalent in the work of American writer Herman Melville. One of Melville’s most famous works, “Moby-Dick,” is an exploration of the existentialist idea that the search for meaning is a personal journey. The protagonist, Ishmael, embarks on a journey to capture the white whale, Moby-Dick. He is driven by a desire to find meaning in his life, and in doing so, he must confront his own existential anxieties. Throughout the novel, Ishmael grapples with the question of whether or not his pursuit of the whale is meaningful, and whether or not the whale itself has any inherent meaning. This sense of uncertainty and anxiety is a central theme of the novel, and is an example of the existentialist idea that the search for meaning is a personal journey that is accompanied by a sense of angst.
Another example of Melville’s exploration of existential angst can be seen in “Bartleby the Scrivener.” In this short story, the narrator encounters a strange man named Bartleby who refuses to do anything other than copy documents. As the narrator tries to understand Bartleby’s behavior, he realizes that Bartleby has given up on finding meaning in his life, and has instead retreated into a state of complete apathy. The narrator is left to grapple with his own existential anxieties, as he realizes that he too may be facing a similar fate. This story is an example of the existentialist idea that the search for meaning can lead to feelings of anxiety and despair, and that the only way to escape these feelings is to give up the search altogether.
Finally, Melville’s exploration of existential angst can also be seen in “Billy Budd.” In this novel, the protagonist, Billy Budd, is faced with a difficult dilemma when he is asked to betray his friend and turn him over to the authorities. Billy is torn between his sense of loyalty to his friend and his sense of duty to the law, and this dilemma leads to a sense of existential anxiety. Throughout the novel, Billy grapples with the question of whether or not his actions have any inherent meaning, and whether or not his life has any purpose at all. This sense of uncertainty and anxiety is a central theme of the novel, and is an example of the existentialist idea that the search for meaning can lead to feelings of anxiety and despair.
