Existentialism Reading: Sarte, Kierkegaard, Nietzshe, Husserl

[Greg Bernhardt]

I have gained an interest in learning a bit of the existential attitude and would like to hear if anyone has recommended readings. So far I've read papers by Sarte, Kierkegaard, Nietzshe and Husserl. Thanks!

 

[philosophking]

My roommate who is a philosophy major said that there is a difference between 'literary' existentialism and 'intellectual' existentialism. What that definition is precisely is for him to know and for me to have passed through one ear and out the other :) .

I read Dostoevsky's The Brother's Karamazov (which is supposedly an early example of existentialism). In fact, most people place the beginning of existentialism with him, but I think that is more for his Notes from the Underground and Dream of a Ridiculous Man. I would check out the latter two especially, because they are much shorter (TBK is around 700 pages, NU is like 60 and DRM is a short story of like 15 pages).

Sartre's supposedly the champion of intellectual existentialism, so good choice there :) . Supposedly 'No Exit' by him is good. Have you heard of 'Waiting for Godot'? I don't think it's Sartre but that is also a good one for existentialism.

 

[metrictensor]

This depends on what you want to get out of reading. Camus is an excellent source for existentialism because it is from a literary perspective. There are many different approaches and what is important is the message not the medium.

I have gained an interest in learning a bit of the existential attitude and would like to hear if anyone has recommended readings. So far I've read papers by Sarte, Kierkegaard, Nietzshe and Husserl. Thanks!