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Existentialism

/ˌɛɡzɪˈstɛnʃəlɪzəm/

(not countable) A twentieth-century philosophical movement emphasizing the uniqueness of each human existence in freely making its self-defining choices.

📖 Definitions of "Existentialism"

noun
  1. 1

    (not countable) A twentieth-century philosophical movement emphasizing the uniqueness of each human existence in freely making its self-defining choices.

    "The heyday of existentialism occurred in the mid-twentieth century."

  2. 2

    The philosophical views of a particular thinker associated with the existentialist movement.

    "Sartre's existentialism is atheistic, but the existentialism of Marcel is distinctly Christian."

🔄 Synonyms of "Existentialism"

1 synonyms found via WordNet and Google Books.

WordDefinition
existentialist philosophynoun(philosophy) a 20th-century philosophical movement; assumes that people are entirely free and thus responsible for what they make of themselves

💡 Words with a Similar Meaning to "Existentialism"

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WordDefinition
existentialist philosophynoun(philosophy) a 20th-century philosophical movement; assumes that people are entirely free and thus responsible for what they make of themselves
axiologynoun(uncountable, philosophy) The study of value(s), as regards origin, nature, functions, types, and interrelations; value theory.
indexicalismnoun(philosophy) A philosophy of indexicality
contingentismnoun(philosophy) The philosophy concerned with the contingency of existence or other metaphysical concepts.
ontologynoun(uncountable, philosophy) The branch of metaphysics that addresses the nature or essential characteristics of being and of things that exist; the study of being qua being.
epiphenomenalismnoun(philosophy, psychology, uncountable) The doctrine that mental states and processes are simply incidental effects of physiological events in the brain or nervous system and cannot themselves cause any effects in the material world.
expressivismnoun(philosophy, ethics) The doctrine that moral statements such as "this is wrong" express a moral evaluation rather than a statement of fact
experientialismnoun(philosophy) The theory that experience is the source of knowledge.
determinismnoun(philosophy) The doctrine that all actions are determined by the current state and immutable laws of the universe, with no possibility of choice.
agencynounAn establishment engaged in doing business for another; also, the place of business or the district of such an agency.
nietzscheanismnoun(philosophy) The philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900), or support for its views.
phenomenologynoun(philosophy) The study of structures of consciousness as experienced from the first-person point of view.
eternalismnoun(philosophy) The view that time resembles space and thus past and future events are in some sense coexistent.
personalismnounThe character of being personal.
ethopoieinnoun(Continental philosophy) The formation or transformation of one's own mode of existence.
experimentalismnounAn experimental practice or tendency, especially in the arts
materialismnounConstant concern over material possessions and wealth; a great or excessive regard for worldly concerns.
ontonomynounA philosophy of existence that emphasizes the harmonious coexistence of nonuniform entities.
autoctisisnoun(theology, philosophy) The “pure act” of self-creation through being conscious of oneself.
logosophynounAn ethical and philosophical doctrine developed in the 20th century

Words Strongly Associated with "Existentialism"

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