Concept Of Existence Research Articles

Existential psychological therapies: An overview of empirical research

BackgroundExistential therapies are a range of psychotherapies inspired by existential and phenomenological philosophers. Although relatively little empirical research was conducted on their therapeutic model and outcomes in the early days, a substantial body of research has evolved. AimThis article aims to give an overview of the empirical literature on existential therapies. This article will be divided into four parts: empirical research on existential practices, key concepts, critical therapeutic competences, and outcomes of existential therapies. MethodThis article will review findings from previous systematic literature reviews and meta-analyses. FindingsThe etiological model in many existential therapies seems to focus on how individuals may limit the totality of their subjective experiences. Ignoring or denying a part of the totality of their experiences limits their opportunities to live a meaningful, fulfilling and mentally healthy life and cope in beneficial ways with life's inevitable limitations and challenges. Their clinical concerns may include existential moods, detailed questions, or crises about life, meaning, identity or spirituality. Existential therapists may help via several evidence-based competencies: phenomenological and experiential skills, relational skills, explicating existential themes and processes, school-specific and meta-competences. Meta-analyses show that some existential therapies (particularly meaning-centred therapies) have large positive effects on psychological and physical well-being and overall quality-of-life. DiscussionA large body of empirical literature supports the key therapeutic existential concepts, competences, and outcomes. The discussion compares this literature with other therapies, showing that existential therapies have similarly strong empirical support. These findings indicate that existential therapies are bona fide therapies that may be considered for funding by health insurance and health services. Therapists and training institutes should focus on these evidence-based existential components.

Existential moods as resonances of being: Anchoring existential psychology in nature—An outline

An overview is provided of the psychological constituents of the emotional register, and special focus is given to the longer-lasting existential moods—our being-attuned to being—that we as humans experience. The classic concepts of existentialism (Kierkegaard, Heidegger, Sartre) are reviewed and challenged. Moods, such as emptiness, meaninglessness, existential anxiety for freedom and nothingness, have not always been dominating aspects of human existence, nor are they today. These moods primarily stem from urbanity and modernity; but worldwide the majority of people do not know what autonomy, freedom, and relativity means. The outer as well as the inner nature of humans, and of human existence, are underexposed in classic and modern existential thinking. The aim here is to remedy this shortcoming by presenting an empirically anchored outline of a natural existential psychology, which, based on modern neuroscience, evolutionary psychology, comparative psychology, and phenomenology, provides further knowledge about our basic existential moods and our species-specific resonances of being-in-the-world.

The Tragedy of Freedom: A Hypothesis of Existentialism in Jon Krakauer's "Into the Wild"

This paper examines the tragedy of freedom in "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer through an existentialist viewpoint. In the protagonist's pursuit of personal liberation, the study examines the concepts of autonomy, accountability, and the search for meaning through an understanding of existentialism. A qualitative case study method analyses the novel and investigates existentialist concepts. A summary of the literature work, close reading, theme analysis, and literary interpretation are all provided within the framework. This study aims to enhance our comprehension of the tragedy of freedom and its implications for human existence by casting light on the intricate interplay between individual liberty and societal norms. By exploring the existentialist perspective, the research contributes to the larger discourse on freedom, responsibility, and the pursuit of meaning in literature and human experience.

Проблема смысла смерти в эпосе Дж.Р.Р. Толкина «Властелин колец» Часть II. Бесконечный и смертный мир Толкина

This article deals with the theme of death in Tolkien’s trilogy “The Lord of the Rings”, which both the author himself and numerous researchers of his texts rec­ognized as the key to understanding of the entire religious and philosophical content of his work. Here this topic is analyzed within the framework of the se­mantic opposition formulated by the concepts of “being towards death” and “es­caping from death”. The article attempts to compare how the theme of death is revealed in a new literary genre which developed during and shortly after the Second World War – the author’s fairy tale (intended primarily for adults) – and how this theme is presented in the concepts of post-war existentialism, espe­cially by Sartre and Heidegger. As a methodology for this comparison this article uses the theory of P. Ricoeur – according to which both literature and philosophy can be considered as two different and partly opposite strategies for “taming time” (by turning it into human time, the time of culture). In the context of this theory, the article also analyzes another problem related to the first one, namely the problem of the mutual influence of the “real world” of human history and the “fictional world” of a literary work. The article confirms the idea expressed by Ricoeur that large-scale events of history can be reflected in a literary work indi­rectly (namely by using complication of the spatio-temporal structure that forms the artistic world of the work). In particular, events such as world wars, which sharply raise the questions of the meaning of history and the meaning of human life, can find interpretation in literary works that “recreate” the space of life and meaning with their own narrative means, both in relation to the individual – and the world as a whole.

The Existentialist “Inter-Subjectivity” And The Problem of “Other’: A Philosophical Approach to Politics of Recognition

Humans are ontologically positioned to interact with one another in order to satisfy the essential conditions of humanity individually and collectively. It is the extent and the nature of the relationships among human beings that defines the civilization of each age. However, the inevitable interactions among human beings as conscious beings provide the medium for conflicts, tensions and crises among individuals and social groups within the society. The history of philosophy has been occupied with rigorous analytical and speculative exercises to unravel the foundation of the suspicious antagonisms between individuals and groups. At the same time, attempts have been made in philosophy to establish a metaphysical or spiritual justification for the reconciliation of the ‘self’ and other’ and ultimately promote mutual respect and recognition of both. Existentialism is a philosophical orientation that has been predominant in this project. This paper, through analysis of existing discourse, attempts therefore, to critically examine the existentialist concept of intersubjectivity as a viable philosophical approach to the politics of recognition and present it as a theoretical framework for peaceful cohabitation of individuals and groups of diverse worldviews.

Проблема смысла смерти в эпосе Дж.Р.Р. Толкина «Властелин колец» Часть I. Издание «Властелина колец» и его исторические обстоятельства

This article deals with the theme of death in Tolkien’s trilogy “The Lord of the Rings”, which both the author himself and numerous researchers of his texts rec­ognized as the key to understanding of the entire religious and philosophical content of his work. Here this topic analyzed within the framework of the se­mantic opposition formulated by the concepts of “being towards death” and “es­caping from death”. The article attempts to compare how the theme of death is revealed in a new literary genre which developed during and shortly after the Second World War – the author’s fairy tale (intended primarily for adults) – and how this theme is presented in the concepts of post-war existentialism, espe­cially by Sartre and Heidegger. As a methodology for this comparison this article uses the theory of P. Ricoeur – according to which both literature and philosophy can be considered as two different and partly opposite strategies for “taming time” (by turning it into human time, the time of culture). In the context of this theory, the article also analyzes another problem related to the first one, namely the problem of the mutual influence of the “real world” of human history and the “fictional world” of a literary work. The article confirms the idea expressed by Ricoeur that large-scale events of history can be reflected in a literary work indi­rectly (namely by using complication of the spatio-temporal structure that forms the artistic world of the work). In particular, events such as world wars, which sharply raise the questions of the meaning of history and the meaning of human life, can find interpretation in literary works that “recreate” the space of life and meaning with their own narrative means, both in relation to the individual – and the world as a whole.

Artificial Intelligence and the Problem of Judgment

AbstractWill existing forms of artificial intelligence (AI) lead to genuine intelligence? How is AI changing our society and politics? This essay examines the answers to these questions in Brian Cantwell Smith's The Promise of Artificial Intelligence and Mark Coeckelbergh's The Political Philosophy of AI with a focus on their central concern with judgment—whether AI can possess judgment and how developments in AI are affecting human judgment. First, I argue that the existentialist conception of judgment that Smith defends is highly idealized. While it may be an appropriate standard for intelligence, its implications for when and how AI should be deployed are not as clear as Smith suggests. Second, I point out that the concern with the displacement of judgment in favor of “reckoning” (or calculation) predates the rise of AI. The meaning and implications of this trend will become clearer if we move beyond ontology and metaphysics and into political philosophy, situating technological changes in their social context. Finally, I suggest that Coeckelbergh's distinctly political conception of judgment might offer a solution to the important boundary-drawing problem between tasks requiring judgment and those requiring reckoning, thus filling a gap in Smith's argument and clarifying its political stakes.

Beyond Boundaries: A Critical Review of Amitav Ghosh’s Selected Works’ Cultural Hybridization and Integration

Major novels written by Amitav Ghosh, in which he expresses concern for the disadvantaged members of his society, have earned him widespread acclaim. In his most important works, you can see that he cares about the less fortunate. His writings reveal the issues of alienation, migration, and existential crisis faced by underprivileged individuals. By making them the main characters, special attention has been paid to these people’s voices, struggles, and sacrifices. This paper aims to examine the selected novels of Amitav Ghosh and highlight his existentialist conception of history and culture. The Circle of Reason, The Calcutta Chromosomes, The Hungry Tide, and The Shadow Lines are the novels chosen for this paper. He has realistically depicted the deplorable and difficult state of society, which is considered dynamic change in the society, in these novels.

Seeing Puppetry: Winter Report from New York City

Seeing Puppetry: Winter Report from New York City

The Islamization of Science and Its Consequences: An Examination of Ismail Raji Al-Faruqi's Ideas

This research is motivated by the advancement of science, which has varied effects on human life and the environment. Science, on the one hand, can help and reduce human burdens, but it also contributes to the destruction of human values, and even self-existence. Western science, which is secular in nature, is founded on the concepts of materialism, naturalism, and existentialism, producing information that is divorced from spiritual and moral values. As a result, Islamic scholars believe that the Islamization of science must be formalized. The goal of this research was to learn about Ismail Raji Al-Faruqi's concept of Islamization of Science. The literature study approach was employed in this study, which involved examining journals, books, research reports, periodicals, and other publications. According to the findings of this study, al-Faruqi is a figure with excellent ideas for resolving people's issues. The concept of education is inextricably linked to the concept of monotheism, which became known as the Islamization of knowledge. Islamization is accomplished by a process of rationalization and sacralization of knowledge, as well as through the integration of Western and Islamic science. Al-Faruqi's ideas contribute to the intellectual development of Muslim civilization by integrating Islamic moral standards with modern education, giving rise to intellectuals all over the world, including in Indonesia.

Wdzięczność i jakość życia w podejściu personalistycznym i egzystencjalnym

In the article there is measured and discussed the relationship between dispositional gratitude and the holistic concept of quality of life in the personalist-existential approach, with a psychophysical, psychosocial, subjective, metaphysical and global dimension of the quality of life. The aim of this study is to identify the relationship between gratitude, measured with the GQ-6 Gratitude Questionnaire by McCullough, Emmon and Tsang in Polish adaptation of Kossakowska and Kwiatek, and quality of life, measured with the Sense of Quality of Life Questionnaire. The research questions was “Is gratitude related to the psychophysical, psychosocial, subjective, metaphysical and global dimensions of the quality of life in the personalist and existential concept?”. The study involved 148 students, aged 17–59 ( M = 30.21; SD = 10.09). The results show the presence of low and moderate positive relationships between gratitude and quality of life in all dimensions. Moreover, the research discovered some gender differences in the correlations between gratitude and some dimensions of quality of life. Gratitude correlates with better quality of life in all spheres of human functioning – biological, social, subjective and metaphysical.

Blackness: The Color of Otherness in Kennedy’s Funnyhouse of a Negro and Genet’s the Maids

Adopting the perspective of critical race theory grounded in Black Existentialism, this article argues that we should consider Black Drama beyond conventional conceptions of author, identity, or content, expanding the category to consider abject human life and misery beyond the color line as exemplified by Kennedy’s ‘Funnyhouse of a Negro’ (1964) and Genet’s ‘The Maids’ (1948). The paper argues that both texts dramatize an existential conception of Blackness through the construction of essentialized otherness. The two plays present otherness as constructible rather than biological. By doing so, Kennedy and Genet contest the authenticity of the racial construction of identity. Consequently, Sarah’s experience of absorbing the symbols of power in Funny House speaks to the existential experience that Claire and Solange undertake in The Maids as “Black” human beings. The paper shows that the Blackness portrayed in the works of Kennedy and Genet is a “trapped identity” which results from being entangled between two opposed ontological poles: being and non-being. Therefore, the failure of establishing balance between human agency and their new existential situation leads to an inauthentic identity and a false mode of existence. Oscillating between Blackness and whiteness results in fragmented selves, embodying the existential notion of no exit, but is the liberator that is necessary for the Black Existentialism.

Acting and Race in Night of the Living Dead (1968)

Acting and Race in <i>Night of the Living Dead</i> (1968)

Existence and Essence of Cosmic Absurdity in Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the d’Urbervilles: A Pure Woman Faithfully Presented

Thomas Hardy, a world-famous English novelist, is not only known as the ‘Saint of Max Gate’ but also a ‘Proto-Existentialist’ in the domain of English literature. Both his life and his works are in the grip of Existentialism. As his novels, especially tragic ones, are, either directly or indirectly, affected by the themes, thoughts, and concepts of Existentialism, his sensitively hectic life is also, either directly or indirectly, influenced by the existential thinkers and writers like Kierkegaard, Dostoevsky, Sartre, Nietzsche, and Camus, etc. As his thoughts existing in his works prove, his novels reflect the predicament of human existence, which is concerned with the experiences of individuals’ life. The Absurdity of the cosmos and human life, angst, authenticity, dread, despair, existential crises, preceding existence over essence, facticity, and the Other and the Look, are such existential concepts as arebrimming in his novels. The concept of ‘Cosmic Absurdity,’ which is related to the concept of the ‘Absurd,’ that is the crux of ‘Absurdism,’ is an axis around which revolves around his most tragic novels. This article explores the existence and essence of‘Cosmic Absurdity’ in Thomas Hardy’s novel Tess of the d’Urbervilles. In addition, it discusses its tools and how more or less, they affect the plot, characters, and theme of the mentioned novel.

Life in the Time of COVID

This article discusses key existential concepts, and Jewish principles within the context of the experience of the 2020/21 COVID pandemic. The premise of the article is that existential concepts, ‘existentials’, while always underpinning our lives, have been highlighted during this period of crisis, with significant potential resultant learning. This kind of process, learning about ourselves in response to the circumstances of our lives, the circumstances in which we find ourselves, is at the heart of the enterprise of existential psychotherapy. Do we find the roots of these concepts within Jewish thought and theology? How do fundamental Jewish principles and contemporary existential ideas sit side by side?

Teaching history on the scale of the Anthropocene: Three ethical challenges

The Anthropocene strikes at the heart of the principle that making moral judgements involves a rich understanding of historical context. This article elaborates three subsequent challenges for history educators. First, locating human beings in geological time requires us to upscale our temporal conceptions of the human while downscaling our existential conceptions of the human. Second, we must make sense of a humanity that has combined an overwhelming power with a frightening loss of control, reviving the question of whether historical agents are to be morally judged by reference to their purposes and intentions. Third, history educators must be on guard against conceptions of the future that dispense with important notions of human and political agency. The challenges amount to a need to rethink the categories of scale employed by history educators to situate and explain human experience in time and space.

Human Beings and Social Structure in Frantz Fanon’s Philosophical Thought

In response to the Colonial discriminative and exclusive concept of humanism, Frantz Fanon, an Algerian postcolonial thinker, proposes that the idea of humanism needs to be inclusive. To avoid the trap of the essentialist concept of humanism, Fanon argues that our understanding of human beings needs always to be connected with the existing social structure. By utilizing a postcolonial theory as a lens of analysis, this study will explore Frantz Fanon’s existential concept of human existence and investigate his philosophical-political thoughts. This exploration is driven by these critical questions: how is Fanon’s new understanding of the existential concept of human existence, which he proposes as a more inclusive concept? How does Fanon draw the correlation between human existence and social structure? What is the significance of his thoughts to critically investigate the socio-political structure in the postcolonial Indonesia? Our critical research will focus mainly on several of Fanon’s works: The Wretched of the Earth, Toward the African Revolution, and Black Skin White Masks. His other works will certainly be considered. We will utilize a litterer critical analysis method in approaching these works of Fanon. This new concept of Fanonian humanism, we argue, gives a theoretical frame and direction to develop existentially our understanding of an inclusive Indonesian humanism.

Another Way of Seeing: Ecological Existentialism in Cortázar’s “Axolotl”

This study provides a reading of Julio Cortázar’s short story “Axolotl” through the dual lenses of ecocriticism and mid-century existentialism. Specifically, the critical perspective of this work is inspired by the writings of existentialist philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre, and German biologist Jakob Johann von Uexküll. Such an interdisciplinary approach is intended to articulate a unique ecological perspective known as environmental existentialism. This critical approach not only acknowledges the longstanding influence that the existentialist movement has had on environmental scholarship, but also suggests that existentialist concepts are especially relevant to our contemporary ecological moment, and thus should continue to be employed in current ecological discourse. The primary locus of critical attention in this work centers on Sartre’s theory of the Look, Uexküll’s notion of the search tone, and Cortázar’s emphasis on suffering. These concepts are examined in concert to suggest that the correlations between the dominant issues of existentialist thought and our contemporary moment ought to signal to readers the existential threat that the age of the Anthropocene poses, as well as the value of reading texts both old and new through the lens of existential ecocriticism.

The Writer and Existentialism: Fiction as a means of expressing existential ideas

The article examines the existential paradigm in fiction through the prism of the literary theory of the French philosopher and writer Jean-Paul Sartre. The author explores the relationship between the writer and the reader in their social context. It is argued that the task of a literary critic is mainly to study the writer's technique. The task of a philosophical critic can be defined as the study of the metaphysics of a writer. Writers need the freedom of the reader for their work to exist authentically. Without this, they will cease to exist as authors, and their works will be in obscurity. Literature is an ideal means for both the writer and the reader to realize their own freedom and each other's freedom.  The author of the article comes to the conclusion that Sartre's ideas are still relevant today. As the concepts of nationality and belonging are being revised and changed, the process of globalization is underway, Sartre's theories allow critics to contextualize writers beyond such obvious boundaries. Today it seems interesting to find out whether Sartre's ideas about existentialism and literature can be applied to writers and their work in such a way that the "critic" can analyze both the metaphysics of the novelist and his artistic technique, and, moreover, assess his role in society and beyond. In the light of Sartre's theories, literature is the most appropriate way by which a person can realize and change society. The theories of literature and existentialism of Jean Paul Sartre can be applied to identify and analyze existential concepts in a wide variety of works of fiction, including retrospectively, which is demonstrated in this article by the example of Russian writers – M. Y. Lermontov and F. M. Dostoevsky.

The Lived Experience of Mentally Disabled Persons Living in Group Homes

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the meaning and nature of the experience of mentally disabled persons living in group homes.Methods: Data were collected through individual in-depth interviews with six mentally disabled persons from April to October in 2017. The data were analyzed using hermeneutic phenomenological methodology based on four fundamental existential concepts: that lived space, lived body, lived time, and lived others.Results: Ten essential themes emerged: lived space-settle down in a strange environment, wish for my independent space in a daily routine; lived body-make a balance between soul and body, lead normal daily life by myself; lived time-rewrite my life; lived others-unapproachable relationship, meet my advocators.Conclusion: The meaning of living in group homes as mentally disabled persons was ‘living as an ordinary person’. This information would be useful in providing interventions to enable such people to return to the community.