existentialism
/ˌeɡzɪˈstenʃəlɪzəm/
a philosophy emphasizing individual existence and freedom of choice
existentialism in a sentence
“Existentialism holds that we create our own meaning in life.”
Origin of existentialism
Latin existentia existence from existere to emerge, exist from ex- out + sistere to stand
Related Words
utilitarianism
the doctrine that actions are right if they benefit the majority
relativism
the doctrine that knowledge and truth exist only in relation to culture or society
rationalism
a belief or theory that opinions and actions should be based on reason and knowledge
idealism
the practice of forming or pursuing ideals, especially unrealistically
epistemology
the theory of knowledge, especially regarding methods and validity
ontology
the branch of metaphysics dealing with the nature of being