Reason for Existence

Existentialism was born against Age of Reason in order to reject abstract thinking and absoluteness of reason. Existentialists have claims and evidences to support their idea. They are trying to find absolute truth without absolute thinking because of this they will look for the truth all the eternity. In this essay, I will point out the existentialists’ claims in terms of denying absolute reason.


First of all, reason is highest creation of mind and people have ability to think what they want. They use their minds to reach the knowledge and provide the capability to solve problems. The first claim is that reason is a part of human nature that is limited therefore reason is limited, too. People consider that science is an objective way to solve problems and reflect reality to the society. Existentialists claim that science has this power from its strict limitations. Beyond this reality, different scientific results are called absolute but this is impossible to call them absolute at the same time. There should be one truth and one absolute. Science has a judge to find truth and when it errs it has a judge to change truth. The old truth isn’t a truth anymore.


Our experiences and intentions are hidden by our subconscious. If our subconscious is slight, they will be brought surface of our actions and thoughts. Our conscious has limitations so does reason but subconscious doesn’t have limitations. Because of this, existentialists think that reason cannot be absolute.


Cause and effect relationship is concerned as determinism and it is approval when the scientist is in the state of being impersonal observation and experiment. As existentialists state, being impersonal cannot deal with personal experience. In addition to this responsibility is one of our basic experiences. “ Existentialism will teach us that we have to admit experience as evidence.”(Roubiczek, 1-17) If we don’t admit we cannot understand what we feel and we don’t feel...