Existentialism

I first became aware of Existentialism in 1965 through a psychiatrist friend, Erle Fitz.  He introduced me to the book “Search for Authenticity” by James Bugental which explores Existentialism through the psychology of human experience. The individual’s freedom to choose and to act is done in circumstances in which the individual associates with and relates to others. Bugental refers to this relatedness, “Human consciousness includes an awareness of oneself in the context of other people.” The final condition of existence is the dilemma: we are aware that we will die. 


The dilemma of death has been more than people are prepared to accept and cope with. To deny the finality of death civilization has created belief-based institutions that promise an eternal afterlife. Dubious as this promise is most people accept the religious tradition they are born into.  My serious study of Existentialism began in 2014 when I audited a philosophy course in which we studied the philosophy of Martin Heidegger through his book “Being and Time.”