DefinePK

Abstract

Existentialism is a philosophical movement that emphasizes individual freedom, responsibility, and self-definition. According to this philosophy, human existence precedes essence, meaning individuals are not born with a predetermined purpose but must create their own meaning through actions and choices. The existentialist school of thought was expanded by prominent 19th and 20th-century philosophers such as Søren Kierkegaard, Friedrich Nietzsche, Jean-Paul Sartre, Gabriel Marcel, Martin Heidegger, and Karl Jaspers. This article critically explores the fundamental principles of existentialism, the contributions of key philosophers, and the influence of existentialist thought on modern philosophy and literature.