Existentialism Is?

[hazelm]

Reading John-Paul Sartre's "Existentialism if a Humanism,  we (a friend and I) are trying to put a solid definition to "existentialism".  That is:  :what is existentialism".  So far, we come up with nothing exact. 

 

Knowing some of the basic beliefs of an existentialist, would you say that in existentialism, each and every person makes his own rules in regard to morality?

[Flummoxed]

Reading John-Paul Sartre's "Existentialism if a Humanism,  we (a friend and I) are trying to put a solid definition to "existentialism".  That is:  :what is existentialism".  So far, we come up with nothing exact. 

 

Knowing some of the basic beliefs of an existentialist, would you say that in existentialism, each and every person makes his own rules in regard to morality?

 

Is it not to do with exercising free will, and deciding for your self what is right or wrong ie not being told what to think by others. 

 

"a philosophical theory or approach which emphasizes the existence of the individual person as a free and responsible agent determining their own development through acts of the will."

[hazelm]

Is it not to do with exercising free will, and deciding for your self what is right or wrong ie not being told what to think by others. 

 

"a philosophical theory or approach which emphasizes the existence of the individual person as a free and responsible agent determining their own development through acts of the will."

That sounds like it and we did get close to that only to bring up the fact that everybody making up his own rules - pretty much what we have today - creates a problem.  Which, of course, doesn't alter the fact that this is what Existentialism is, does it?

 

Thanks.