A comparison from a 20th century (existentialist) perspective.
"The time frame from 1776 through the start of the 20th century was period of evolution for the West in determining what we believed and how we would govern ourselves. The time period proceeding this revolutionary period is known as the Enlightenment." (Hooker) A time where the philosophers of Greece where remembered, brought back to "life" by Islam. Western Europeans rediscovered Aristotelian and Platonic philosophy, theoretical origin of empirical thought. With this old "new" way of thinking came huge changes in how people viewed the world around them. Having become more analytical they began to even view God differently. They micro-analyzed every aspect of their lives and made a "holy" connection. This world, the medieval world, did not allow for individualism or "free will". .
By comparison it is easy to see how we (in the 21st century) take for granted our freedoms. In the medieval world human perception was untrustworthy, one had to live by the will of what the "church" dictated was the "sort of life that would get you into heaven." There was no thought on "fairness" or "equality". To speak out on these topics would show that you were not thinking according to the "divine plan" and that could bring about a most horrible and untimely death. It was not until the 14th century that the idea of humanism came about and brought with it the perception that human intellect and creativity were something value. However, one was still scrutinized by the church. In our "free" world we've got a lot of liberties and freedoms that were not even considered in this time period. Take for example how racial equality evolved from a tired black woman not giving up her seat on a bus on a hot summer afternoon in Southern America. Had she done that in the period of so called "Enlightenment" she"d have been killed for sure. Fairness was not a consideration of the time period either.
Existentialism was born from common religion. ... This is the idea that happiness, enlightenment, and the sense of well-being reflect superficial understanding of life. ... The fifth theme of existentialism is death. ... The final existentialism theme is that of alienation. ... Grendel incorporates all the existentialism themes within himself. ...
Existentialism is often seen as a revolt against traditionalist philosophy (History). ... Here we have the true voice of Existentialism (Warnock 54). ... Existentialism says that man is nothing else but his own conscious existence. ... This theme is as old as Kierkegaard within existentialism; it is the claim that anguish is the underlying, all- pervasive, universal condition of human existence (Existentialism). ... This dark and foreboding picture of human life leads existentialists to reject ideas such as happiness, enlightenment, optimism, and a sense of well-being, because these can on...
The statement "No man is an island" gives a comprehensive summation of the existential enlightenment. ... When examining existentialism, many names find their way into the discussion. ... Jean Paul Sartre was best known for his study of existentialism and human Emotions. ... Sartre believed in aesthetic existentialism. ... Existentialism is owning up to the consequences of our actions. ...
Voltaire's Candide is a satire against some aspects of the popular movement of his day, the Enlightenment. ... Contrary to his denouncement of apathy towards our purpose, however, Voltaire ends Candide with the resolution that all philosophical consideration is a waste of time, thereby further complicating any definitive identification of his view towards existentialism. ... Still, without explicitly outlining his beliefs, Voltaire clarifies them by refuting the Enlightenment through exposing the contradictions caused by an attitude toward life of blind, unquestioned acceptance of reali...
Introduction Soren Kierkegaard, appropriately admired as the father of existentialism lived between 1813 and 1855 in Denmark. ... His submissions are therefore not as important currently as they were during post-enlightenment modernity. ... Conclusion Despite its essential role in shaping the conventional German philosophy as well as existentialism, Kierkegaard's ideas are difficult to understand from a philosophical standpoint. ...
Methodology of the Jesus Seminar How does the Jesus Seminar reach their conclusions? This research paper will search for answers to this question through investigating the methodology from the Jesus Seminar. I will then present views of this methodology used by from other scholars. Then I will make a personal summation of my own of the methods. The declared objectives of the Seminar are 1) to find out what critical historiography can say about the historical Jesus. 2) to communicate responsibly the results of our scholarly work to the public. ...
BAPTISED WITH AN UNHOLY SPIRIT The Exercise of Mind-Control Techniques in the Pentecostal & Charismatic Movements by Paul Thompson In other papers on this website (on Healing and Visualisation), we have examined the magical use of the spoken word as an outworking of occult word-power in order to effect change in one's environment. We now turn to the use of verbal suggestion as a powerful method of effecting change in others " a form of Shamanism which has become astonishingly widespread throughout the Christian Church. As Charismatic teachings have become increasingly p...
