KafkaesqueKafkaesque

►Nightmarish situationNightmarish situation►Surreal distortion and a sense of Surreal distortion and a sense of

impending dangerimpending danger

SurrealismSurrealism

►Artistic and literary style in which Artistic and literary style in which fantastic visual imagery from the fantastic visual imagery from the subconscious mind is used with no subconscious mind is used with no intention of making the work logically intention of making the work logically comprehensible.comprehensible.

►Proponents sought to express the Proponents sought to express the irrational and the unconscious, irrational and the unconscious, especially as manifested in dreamsespecially as manifested in dreams

Drawing Hands

The Spirit of Geometry

The Collective Invention

The Human Condition

The Persistence of Memory

The Lugubrious Game

Shadow

Metamorphosis of Narcissus

The Temptation of St. Anthony

The Little Deer

Some ideas about Some ideas about ExistentialismExistentialism

► Meaning is a social constructionMeaning is a social construction► Truth and moral standards are a human Truth and moral standards are a human

fabricationfabrication► No rational basis can be found for a moral No rational basis can be found for a moral

situationsituation► Our choices make who we are; there is no Our choices make who we are; there is no

human naturehuman nature► We define ourselves through livingWe define ourselves through living► Mankind has freewillMankind has freewill

► 1. Life is a series of choices which creates stress.1. Life is a series of choices which creates stress.► 2. There are no universal guidelines for most 2. There are no universal guidelines for most

decisions. Our choices are based on our decisions. Our choices are based on our experiences, beliefs, and biasesexperiences, beliefs, and biases

► 3. Because we make our own choices we are free. 3. Because we make our own choices we are free. This makes us completely responsible for our This makes us completely responsible for our choices.choices.

► 4. This leads to anxiety4. This leads to anxiety► 5. People try to escape this anxiety by ignoring or 5. People try to escape this anxiety by ignoring or

denying their freedom and responsibility.denying their freedom and responsibility.► 6. Existentialists criticize this flight from freedom 6. Existentialists criticize this flight from freedom

and responsibility.and responsibility.► 7. To live meaningfully one must become aware of 7. To live meaningfully one must become aware of

the human situation and accept it.the human situation and accept it.

KierkegaardKierkegaard

► ““I must find a truth that is true I must find a truth that is true for me…the idea for which I can for me…the idea for which I can live or die.”live or die.”

He believed we choose our own He believed we choose our own fulfillment. The human situation fulfillment. The human situation is ambiguous and absurd. The is ambiguous and absurd. The only meaningful response is to only meaningful response is to live a totally committed life, live a totally committed life, which can only be understood which can only be understood by the individual. He ultimately by the individual. He ultimately advocated Christianity which he advocated Christianity which he believed the only commitment believed the only commitment to the individual from despair.to the individual from despair.

HeideggerHeidegger

► He argued that humanity finds itself in a He argued that humanity finds itself in a incomprehensible, indifferent world. incomprehensible, indifferent world. Human beings can never hope to Human beings can never hope to understand why they are here. Instead, understand why they are here. Instead, each individual must choose a goal and each individual must choose a goal and follow it with passionate conviction, aware follow it with passionate conviction, aware of the certainty of death and the ultimate of the certainty of death and the ultimate meaninglessness of one’s life.meaninglessness of one’s life.