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Home , Absurdism, Difference (philosophy)

Socratic Seminar

Background Information: is the study of general questions related to existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and . Questions that philosophers undertake can include: “What is real?” “Is it possible to know anything?” “Do humans have ?” “What is the purpose of life?” and “Is there a best way to live?” The last two questions are ones the many philosophers have struggled with throughout the centuries. Over time, different philosophers have attempted to answer these questions, resulting in the creation of different traditions of philosophy—essentially shared ways of thinking about philosophical questions. One of these traditions is known as existentialism. At its core, existentialism seeks to address questions related to the of life and the process of living. This tradition of philosophy was popularized in Europe and few existentialist philosophers are more famous than , who happens to be the author of our novel, The Stranger. Due to Camus’ background as an existentialist, it is necessary for us to learn the basics of existentialism before tackling a novel that is inspired by existentialist ideas.

Purpose of Socratic Seminar: The purpose of this Socratic Seminar is for you and your classmates to analyze the fundamentals of existentialism. More importantly, this seminar will introduce you and your classmates to key themes and ideas that will be confronted in the class novel, The Stranger.

Key Questions for Socratic Seminar:

1. Which themes and ideas are the most important in understanding existentialism and why? 2. What would be the benefits and challenges of living an “existential life”? In words, what would be the pros and cons of going through life with an existential outlook on existence? 3. Look at the list of sociopathic traits and then consider what you have read about existentialism. What would be the similarities and differences between somebody living an existentialist life and somebody who is a sociopath?

Directions for Socratic Seminar:

• Read the provided documents. • As you read, text code the document: o ______evidence that answers the first question o Place [ ] around evidence that answers the second question o evidence that answers the third question o Some evidence may overlap, meaning some evidence can be coded more than once. • After you have finished reading and text coding the article, complete the following: o Review ALL the evidence that you have underlined or bracketed o Choose the FIVE BEST quotes for question 1, the FIVE BEST quotes for question 2, and the FIVE BEST quotes for question 3. o Record these quotes on the last two pages of this packet WITH LINE NUMBERS— DO NOT JUST PROVIDE LINE NUMBERS—PROVIDE TEXTUAL EVIDENCE. o Finally, explain why you chose EACH quote. You should have AT LEAST TWO sentences of explanation/reasoning per quote. These explanations should discuss HOW the quotes apply to one of the three key questions. • Finally, if you still have questions about the text, use the back of this page to record any clarifying questions you want to ask your peers.

Due Date:

• Monday, October 28, 2019

THIS IS A MASTERY ASSIGNMENT

Name: Date:

Clarification Questions

Question Stems:

• I was confused by lines…

• What does the author mean when he says…in lines…

• Could somebody share how they interpreted lines…

• I think the author means…in lines…but I’m not sure

Question 1:

Question 2:

Question 3:

Question 4:

Question 5:

1 Document A: “Existentialism” Bolded Definitions 2 Document Note: The following is an excerpt from Douglas Burnham and George Papandreo’s 3 article, “Existentialism,” which was published on Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Both authors are

4 professors of philosophy at prestigious universities.

5

6 Existentialism

7 Existentialism is a catch-all term for those philosophers who consider the nature of the human 8 condition as a key philosophical problem and who share the view that this problem is best addressed 9 through . Those philosophers considered existentialists are mostly from the continent of The study of 10 Europe, and date from the 19th and 20th centuries. being 11 12 1. Key Themes of Existentialism 13 Although a highly diverse tradition of thought, seven themes can be identified that provide some 14 sense of overall unity. Here, these themes will be briefly introduced; they can then provide us with an 15 intellectual framework.

16 b. Anxiety and Authenticity 17 A key theme of existentialism is that human existence is in some way 'on its own'; anxiety is the 18 recognition of this fact. Anxiety here has two important implications. First, most generally, many 19 existentialists tend to stress the significance of emotions or feelings, in so far as they were presumed 20 to have a relation to one's individual existence. Second, anxiety also stands for a form of existence 21 that is recognition of being on one’s own. What is meant by 'being on one’s own' varies among 22 philosophers. For example, it might mean the irrelevance of logical thought, moral values, or Unimportance 23 evidence, when it comes to making fundamental decisions concerning one's existence. Alternatively, 24 it might be a more specifically theological claim: the existence of a transcendent deity is not relevant 25 in life decisions. Finally, being on one’s own might signify the uniqueness of human existence.

26 Related to anxiety is the of authenticity, which is let us say the existentialist spin on the 27 Greek notion of 'the good life'. As we shall see, the authentic being would be able to recognize and 28 affirm the nature of existence…The notion of authenticity is sometimes seen as connected to 29 . Certainly, if authenticity involves 'being on one's own', then there would seem to be 30 some kind of value in celebrating and sustaining one's and independence from others. 31 However, many existentialists see individualism as a historical and cultural trend, or dubious political 32 value, rather than a necessary component of authentic existence.

33 c. Freedom 34 The next key theme is freedom. Freedom can usefully be linked to because a 35 person’s freedom is in part defined by the isolation of his or her decisions from any determination by 36 a deity…Likewise, freedom entails something like responsibility, for one’s own actions. There is 37 nothing else that acts through a person, or that shoulders a person’s responsibility. Thus, when a 38 person exists as an authentically free being, he or she assumes responsibility for his or her whole life. 39 40 d. Situatedness 41 The next common theme we shall call ‘situatedness’. Although one’s freedom is absolute, it always 42 takes place in a particular context. A person’s body and its characteristics, his or her circumstances in 43 a historical world, and his or her past, all weigh upon freedom. This is what makes freedom 44 meaningful… Human existence cannot be abstracted from its world because being-in-the-world is Separated 45 part of that existence. Freedom is situated socially: each of a person’s acts says something about how 46 he or she views others. A person’s freedom is situated with respect to the judgements of others. 47 48 e. Existence 49 Existentialism takes its name from the philosophical theme of 'existence.’ The existence with which Alive 50 we should be concerned here is not just any existent thing, but human existence. There is thus an 51 important difference between distinctively human existence and anything else. The existentialists 52 argue for the notion that the human being is all and only what that being does. A person’s existence 53 consists of forever bringing his or herself into being – and, correlatively, fleeing from the dead, inert Bolded 54 thing that is the totality of my past actions. For many existentialists, authentic existence requires a Definitions 55 certain tension to be recognized and lived through, but not resolved: this tension might be between 56 the animal and the rational or between and transcendence. Physical world 57 and existence 58 f. Irrationality/ beyond the 59 Among the most famous ideas associated with existentialism is that of 'absurdity'. Human existence physical world 60 might be described as 'absurd' in one of the following senses. First, many existentialists argued that 61 nature as a whole has no design, no reason for existing. Although the natural world can apparently be 62 understood by physical science, this might be better thought of as 'description' than either 63 understanding or explanation. Thus, the achievements of the natural sciences also empty nature of 64 value and meaning. We cannot expect the scientifically described cosmos to answer our questions Universe 65 concerning value or meaning. A second meaning of the absurd is this: a person’s freedom will be 66 undetermined by knowledge or reason. When a person chooses to follow a law, he or she does so 67 simply because he or she has chosen to. Thus, a person’s choice to follow a law can appear absurd 68 and so too will all actions undertaken to follow the selected law. Third, human existence is doomed

69 to always destroy itself.

70

71 g. The Crowd 72 Existentialism generally also carries a social or political dimension. Insofar as he or she is authentic, 73 the freedom of the human being will show a certain 'resolution' or 'commitment', and this will 74 involve also the being of others. In other words, instead of being formed authentically in freedom 75 and anxiety, values are just accepted from others because ‘that is what everybody does.’ The theme 76 of the crowd poses a question also to the positive social or political dimension of existentialism: how 77 could a collective form of existence ever be anything other than inauthentic?

78 Document B: “Albert Camus: Existentialism and ”

79 Document Note: The following is an excerpt from Austin Cline’s article, “Albert Camus: 80 Existentialism and Absurdism,” which was published on Learn on March 4, 2018. Cline 81 specializes in writing about philosophical beliefs. 82

83 Albert Camus was a French-Algerian journalist and novelist whose literary work is regarded as a 84 primary source of modern existentialist thought. A principal theme in Camus' novels is the idea that 85 human life is, objectively speaking, meaningless. This results in absurdity which can only be 86 overcome by a commitment to moral integrity and social solidarity. According to Camus, the absurd Cohesion among 87 is produced via conflict, a conflict between our expectation of a rational, just universe and the actual individuals 88 universe that it is quite indifferent to all of our expectations. 89 90 This theme of conflict between our desire for rationality with our experience of irrationality plays an 91 important role in many existentialists' writings. In Kierkegaard, for example, this produced a crisis 92 which a person needed to overcome by a , a conscious renunciation of any requirement 93 for rational standards and an open acceptance of the irrationality of our fundamental choices. 94 95 Camus illustrated the problem of absurdity through the story of Sysiphus, a tale he adapted for a 96 book-length essay, “The Myth of Sysiphus.” Condemned by the , Sysiphus continually rolled a 97 rock up a hill only to watch it roll back down again, every time. This struggle seems hopeless and 98 absurd because nothing will ever be achieved, but Sysiphus struggled anyway.

99 This figure represents an acceptance of the worst life has to offer. Sysiphus scorns the gods and 100 defies their effort to break his will: he's a rebel and refuses to back down. 101 It is, in fact, the process of creating value through rebellion that Camus believed we could create Bolded 102 value for all humans, overcoming the absurdity of the universe. Creating value, however, is achieved Definitions 103 through our commitment to values, both personal and social. Traditionally, many have believed that 104 value must be found in the context of , but Albert Camus rejected religion as an act of 105 cowardice and philosophical suicide.

106 An important reason why Camus rejected religion is that it is used to provide pseudo-solutions to the Not genuine 107 absurd nature of , the fact that human reasoning fits so poorly with reality as we find it. Indeed, 108 Camus rejected all attempts to overcome the absurd.

109 Document C: “The Difference Between Existentialism, , and Absurdism”

110 Document Note: The following is an excerpt from Daniel Miessler’s article, “The Difference 111 Between Existentialism, Nihilism, and Absurdism” which was published on June 29, 2019. Miessler 112 is a who specializes in themes related to . 113

114 For centuries there have been people who believe there is no intrinsic meaning in the universe. Here 115 I’ll summarize the three major branches of this , and how each proposes we deal with the 116 situation.

117 1. Existentialism is the belief that through a combination of awareness, free will, and personal 118 responsibility, one can construct their own meaning within a world that intrinsically has none 119 of its own. 120 2. Nihilism is the belief that not only is there no intrinsic meaning in the universe, but that it’s 121 pointless to try to construct our own as a substitute. 122 3. Absurdism is the belief that a search for meaning is inherently in conflict with the actual lack 123 of meaning, but that one should both accept this and simultaneously rebel against it by 124 embracing what life has to offer. 125 For those who come to accept that life is without intrinsic meaning, there are three main ways to 126 react.

127 § Embracing or creating a meaning framework, such as a religion or a framework— 128 because they believe it’s too hard to sad or difficult to live on without one 129 § Acceptance of the lack of meaning, and living on with—and in spite of—this knowledge

130 § Suicide, due to life being ultimately meaningless and therefore either too boring or too painful 131 I, however, view Camus’ ideas regarding absurdism as a fourth—and ultimately the most 132 satisfactory—response, as it remains practical without abandoning intellectual integrity. It teaches 133 simultaneous acceptance and rebellion.

134 Absurdism is about working within our human limitations, but without abandoning our respect for 135 ourselves or the truth. Absurdists often either adopt or construct a belief structure that provides a 136 day-to-day reprieve from the crushing impossibility of true meaning. Such constructs allow us to 137 trick our evolution-soaked brains into extracting meaning from the universe, while never forgetting 138 that the system itself is a trick.

139 This awareness is the difference between rebellion and surrender.

140 A person who has surrendered will say that they believe in their construct completely, and that it 141 provides true meaning in the universe, while someone who has not surrendered may say they’ve 142 adopted a construct for practical reasons, but they know it’s artificial. 143 The barrier is delicate between embracing a belief structure because not doing so is too empty or Bolded 144 painful, and only doing so for practical purposes while still knowing it’s false. Definitions

145 In my opinion, the defining characteristic of Absurdism/Rebellion is the maintaining of extreme

146 clarity between seeking the benefits of belief in intrinsic meaning all the while knowing it’s

147 impossible. Such a person can go to church with the family and mentally pray in some sort of secular

148 but semi-spiritual way, while simultaneously knowing (but not actively thinking about) the fact that 149 nobody is listening.

150 As humans, it’s virtually impossible to exist in both modes simultaneously. We either have faith in a 151 system, a structure, or a person, or we deconstruct that thing into its parts and see its flaws, 152 limitations, and—perhaps—that it’s false. Transparency removes magic. And unfortunately, our 153 brains are most happy when the magic is intact.

154

155 Document D: “The Existentialist’s Reluctant Guide to Life”

156 Document Note: The following is an excerpt from Ephrat Livni’s article, “The Existentialist’s 157 Reluctant Guide to Life,” which was published on November 18, 2018. Livni is a writer and lawyer. 158

159 Some people are apparently totally cool with living in an absurd world. Presumably, these folks don’t 160 experience existence as futile or see enthusiasm as foolish. Pointless 161 162 However, not all of us are so lucky or plucky, and so we’re left mustering up reasons to be and do 163 even as we sense it’s all pointless. 164 165 The reluctant have to make meaning up. We do things even when most of what humans do seems 166 pretty pointless and stupid given how many of us there are, how briefly we live, and how hard it is to 167 make a difference on this crowded planet. 168 169 Still, we are not doomed to perpetual gloom. We can still get a lot done. We can even have fun, 170 despite our underlying sense of dread, , and anxiety—perhaps because of it. 171 172 Forged in the fires of futility 173 174 Existential philosophers have already worked out some answers for you, so don’t despair. Or despair, 175 that’s fine, too. 176 177 But don’t let your fundamental gloominess be a reason to do nothing. For the great victory of the 178 reluctant is that we do despite knowing better—knowing our contributions will not change the course 179 of humanity. It turns meaninglessness into a sort of freedom that allows one to affirm life despite its 180 absurdity. 181 182 Think about it. Really, it’s no big deal to try to be a decent human who does no harm and maybe even 183 helps, is generous of spirit and labors diligently, if you think there’s a god, country, or boss who will 184 reward you now or in the afterlife. 185 186 But if you manage to live life based on certain values because you’ve examined them and found them 187 preferable under the circumstances to other less laudable or more destructive approaches, that’s no 188 joke. Then you have forged meaning in the fires of futility and you have overcome, which is 189 something. 190 191 Work 192 Because you’re not hung up on the rightness of any one way of acting, you can find meaning in just 193 being, in doing whatever it is that you choose to do despite the inevitability that you will die and life 194 will go on and every other living thing will die too, including, someday the universe. 195 196 The trick to living a full life despite fundamental reluctance is to just pick something, anything, and Bolded 197 do it. You don’t have to think it’s the most awesome thing. You don’t have to want to do it forever. Definitions 198 You don’t even really have to want to do it at all. 199 200 In fact, it’s probably better if you don’t imagine your actions are particularly special or important in 201 the grand scheme because then you’ll be as egotistical, delusional, and weird as all those other Self-centered 202 people who are driven by big missions, leading a “purpose-filled life.” And also, you’re likely to 203 revert to your fundamental sense of meaninglessness at times and get depressed by your previous 204 glee. 205 206 Focus on tasks at hand, and take each day and the chores and duties before you as opportunities to 207 forget the big picture. Throw yourself into work, whether it’s a dull office job, a customer-service 208 gig, tiring manual labor, teaching, or whatever. 209 210 In doing, there is liberation. During moments of focus on even very mundane endeavors, you are free 211 and have purpose. This purpose may be small. But it’s also huge. You are a hero of the mundane, Ordinary

212 like Sisyphus, rolling a boulder up a hill every day over and over again. It’s boring, glorious, and 213 rebellious. By endeavoring to keep on keeping on, you become a giant, a survivor. 214 215 Continuing in the face of futility is a revolt, and that’s meaningful. Consciousness of life’s smallness 216 and persistence transforms Sisyphus from apparent doomed fool to the philosophical hero of Camus. 217 218 Dating 219 Most people like to pretend there is a reason to life. But, according to Camus, that is quite ridiculous: 220 The world does not act in accordance to our goals, and, Camus argues, there’s no higher power that 221 establishes meaning in our actions. “[M]an stands face to face with the irrational. He feels within him 222 his longing for happiness and for reason. The absurd is born of this confrontation between the human 223 need and the unreasonable silence of the world,” writes Camus. 224 225 There is no more human need than to feel loved. Yet the silence of the world is most deafening when 226 it comes to love. We pursue partnerships and companionships with people who are indifferent to us 227 and ignore those who want us most. We roll the rock up the hill, meet, , fight, break up, and 228 are smashed by the rolling boulder on the way down. Like Sisyphus, those who seek love must return 229 to the beginning and continue on again, perpetually engaging in a struggle and knowing that all their 230 best intentions and calculations are futile against the whims and unpredictability of romance. 231 232 What is more Sisyphean than downloading a dating app, uploading a photo, and then perpetually 233 swiping through face after face, engaging in an utterly mundane task over and over, in the hope of 234 one day, perhaps, finding a connection and meaning. Engaging in the dating rituals at a quicker pace, 235 and on repeat, highlights the absurdity of relationships: You meet someone, date, break up, or stay 236 together, and at the end, of course, you die. 237 238 If you are lucky enough to fall in love, of course, the intense moments of authenticity that accompany 239 the experience are worthy of celebrating, even to the existentialist. And if not, then for Camus at 240 least, the absurd journey itself is worthwhile, as long as you are conscious of its absurdity. Like 241 Sisyphus, we must acknowledge the meaningless of our quests even while embarking on them. 242 243 Hosting 244 For existentialists, there’s nothing worse than inauthenticity. And there’s no greater example of 245 inauthenticity than playing host to others. Now, you might think you want to play host. But what if 246 that desire reflects an unquestioning need to fit in with the rest of society, rather than a true 247 individual want? As a host, you have no choice but to grapple with the customs and requirements— 248 “may I take your coat?”, “would you like a drink?”—and so, if you want to be authentic, you must be 249 truly, deeply sure that you are not merely enacting a shallow performance. 250 251 Maybe you want to have some friends over… But must you really serve them food and wine? If you 252 get tired or bored of the chatter, would it not be more authentic to take a little nap in the middle of the 253 party? Or kick them out? Existentialism demands that we ask ourselves repeatedly: Why am I acting 254 this way? What do I truly want to do? It’s only in the perpetual asking of these questions that you can 255 arrive at a glimmer of authenticity and, perhaps, meaning. 256 Bolded 257 Anyway, if all your questions lead you to the conclusion that you really do want to invite people Definitions 258 over, take their coats, and serve them delicious food and wine, then by all means do so. Just be aware 259 that, behind this charade of domesticity, lurks the forever-potential horror of bad-faith inauthenticity. 260 261 Document E: “Traits of a High Functioning Sociopath”

262 Document Note: The following is an excerpt from Nadia Khan’s article, “Traits of a High 263 Functioning Sociopath,” which was published on October 18, 2018. 264 265 266 It is estimated that sociopaths make up between three to five percent of the population. Chances are 267 you may have encountered one in your life. But did you know there are different classifications of 268 sociopaths-including high-functioning sociopaths? At first, a high-functioning sociopath could appear 269 charming, but their intentions are selfish, manipulative, and may even be dangerous. Relationships 270 with sociopaths, particularly high-functioning sociopaths-tend to be difficult, turbulent experiences. 271 272 What is a High-Functioning Sociopath? 273 274 A sociopath thinks and acts without regard for others, and their behavior may include lying, cheating, 275 and manipulating for personal gain. Typically, their narcissism and lack of remorse allows them to 276 achieve their desires. On the surface, sociopaths may appear like anyone else. Some sociopaths do 277 not function well in society and spend their time in and out of the justice system.

278 High-functioning sociopaths usually hold jobs, are married, and have children. In fact, they can be 279 extremely successful in life. Their sociopathic traits often surface under stress or during life 280 transition, such as marriage or divorce, layoffs, or whenever social pressures challenge their view of 281 self.

282 Traits of a High-Functioning Sociopath

283 Traits of a high-functioning sociopath may include the following:

284 • High IQ: High-functioning sociopaths often have a higher IQ than other sociopaths or people 285 without personality disorders. This helps them plan, manipulate, and exploit others. 286 • Lack of empathy: They find it difficult to empathize with others or understand the emotional 287 consequences of their actions. 288 • Narcissism: They often have strong self-love and grandiose self-image. This occurs because 289 of low esteem and delusional beliefs. 290 • Charming: Although most sociopaths lack empathy, they are capable of mimicking and 291 manipulating emotions to appear charming and normal. 292 • Secretive: A sociopath doesn't feel the need to share intimate details with others unless they 293 are using them to manipulate others. 294 • Sexually deviant: Since they lack guilt, remorse, and emotional attachments, high- 295 functioning sociopaths tend to have affairs and engage in the questionable sexual activity. 296 • Sensitive to criticism: Despite their lack of empathy, sociopaths desire the approval of 297 others. They feel entitled to admiration and are quick to anger when criticized. 298 • Impulsive behavior: Sociopaths often live in the moment and will do what they feel is 299 needed to reach their immediate goals. 300 • Compulsive lying: They will often disregard the truth to make themselves look better or get 301 what they want. 302 • Needing constant stimulation: Sociopaths often get bored easily and need to be actively 303 engaged. 304 • Addictive Behavior: Their compulsive mindset may result in addiction to drugs, alcohol, 305 sex, gambling, or other addictive behaviors. 306 • Criminal Behavior: Criminal activity associated with sociopaths could include theft, assault, 307 or destruction of . High-functioning sociopaths may also participate in more serious 308 crimes. Name: Date:

Metacognitive Journal Page 1

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Metacognitive Journal Page 2

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