Definition

Noun: An existential philosopher is a thinker who focuses on the nature of human existence, emphasizing concepts such as individual freedom, choice, personal responsibility, and the search for meaning. This philosophical approach often views human life as occurring within an indifferent or even hostile universe where traditional systems of explanation (like religion or pure rationalism) are insufficient.

Examples of Usage

• Søren Kierkegaard and Friedrich Nietzsche are considered early existential philosophers.
• The existential philosopher argued that we must create our own meaning through authentic choices.
• Her work was deeply influenced by French existential philosophers like Jean-Paul Sartre.

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used in academic contexts to categorize a specific branch of modern philosophy concerned with the lived experience of the individual.
• It can be applied retrospectively to thinkers who predate the 20th-century existentialist movement but whose work centered on similar themes of existence, anxiety, and freedom.

Variants and Related Words

• Existentialist (noun/adjective): A very close synonym. While "existential philosopher" is a more formal descriptor, "existentialist" is the more common general term.
  • Jean-Paul Sartre was a leading existentialist.
• Existentialism (noun): The philosophical movement or system of ideas associated with existential philosophers.
  • She studied the principles of existentialism.

Synonyms

• Existentialist
• Philosopher of existence

Related Phrases

• Philosophy of existence: A phrase sometimes used interchangeably with existentialism, highlighting the focus on the state of being.
• Thinker of the absurd: A related concept, often associated with existential philosophers like Albert Camus, who explored the conflict between the human desire for meaning and the universe's silence.

Noun

1. a philosopher who emphasizes freedom of choice and personal responsibility but who regards human existence in a hostile universe as unexplainable