UNDERSTANDING THE SELF
and what it is. “It is what it is.”
Introduction: The Self According to
Existentialists
Existentialism
Existentialists movement started between
16th and 20th century.
It is a philosophical doctrine or school of
thought that has complicated concepts and
ideas.
It renders human life possible that affirms
that every action and truth imply both an
environment and human subjectivity.
Different viewpoints of existentialists shared
a common thing, and it is the subjectivity
and authenticity of human.
There are well known existentialists such as
Soren Kierkegaard, Martin Heidegger,
Friedrich Nietzsche, and Jean Paul Satre.
Themes of Existentialism
Existence Precede Essence – (your
essence) what you are is the result of your
choices (Existence). Essence is your destiny.
You are what you make yourself to be.
Time is of the essence – We are
fundamentally time-bound. Being
timebound makes us to maximize our time
to do things in a meaningful way. Our time
as a human is qualitative and finite, it
cannot be duplicated and reproduce. “There
is no such thing as next time.”
Humanism – It is the focus of the human
on the pursuit of identity and meaning
amidst the social and economic pressure of
mass society for superficiality and
conformism. Realization of who you are
rather than listening to what others say.
“Create your own identity.”
Freedom/Responsibility – We can stand
back and reflect on what we’ve been doing.
It makes us think that we are more than
ourselves. We are responsible as we are
free (Responsible Freedom). There is always
a choice (no choice is a choice).
Sartre’s concept of being-in-itself, being-for-
it-self, and nothingness
Being-In-Itself (en-soi) – being as it is
Being-For-Itself (pour-soi) – Is co-
extensive with the realm of consciousness.
Doing, pursuing, and creating our own
things. It is not what it is, we as a human
have capacity to transcend. “You don’t
submit to what people say.”
Nothingness – The consciousness we have
is a negation that it all starts from
nothingness. All established knowledge and
truths are not absolute. Started creating
your own definition from the start
(Nothingness).
The Self from Heideggerian Perspective
Dasein – a German word meaning being-
there. For Heidegger it is being or the
human itself being immersed in the world.
Self-interpreting (We let ourselves do what
it wants to unfold/discover)
What is the IN in “Being-in-the-World”?
Categorial Sense - (Characterized by
WhishIndifference)
Inclusion - (Spatial inclusion)
Existential Sense – (Concern)
Involvement - (Personal Involvement)
To reside and to dwell. We get and involve
to the people in the world. Being-IN is not
the idea of inclusion like chalk in a box – or
just a relation in space.
What is the THE-WORLD in “Being-in-the-
World”?
It signifies the person living and involved in
this world and no other world.
Our Temporality is very important
dimension of a person’s “being-in-the-
world.” We are being towards death. Thus,
human existence has a dimension of having
a Past, Present, and Future.
Human’s past is called Facticity,
existence of the human person that cannot
be changed or givens without the person
being consulted” Being Thrown in the
world”.
 Human’s future is called existentiality, Following Lacan, Badiou believes that there
the possibility that a human person can are no such thing as sexual relationships.
choose or have. Love fills the absence of sexual relationship;
The connection between facticity and you can love or be in love without sex.
existentiality is “Thrown possibility.” Sex Separates doesn’t unite.
The present of human is called Unlike Fromm’s perspective that lovers
fallenness, a state when a person lives in should be one, for Badiou mantains that
inauthentic existence (not the one making lover should be in the scene of two.
decision for himself/herself)
Construction of love (Alain Badiou)
A human person exists in the world not just
a mere location in space but primarily as Love contains an initial element that
involved or engaged in various things. separates, dislocates, and differentiates. It
makes us change in positive way.
Love in Relation to Understanding the Self
Love always starts with an encounter.
(by Erich Fromm)
We could say that love is a tenacious
Many people forget to think that there are adventure. The adventurous side is
things to be learned about love. necessary but equally as the need for
tenacity.
Things to learn about love:
To give up at the first hurdle, the first
Many people see the problem of love as quarrel is only to distort love.
being loved, rather than that of loving one’s Real love is one that triumphs lastingly
capacity of love. sometimes painfully, over the hurdles
Many people see the problem of love as the erected by time, space and the world.
problem of an object and not the problem
of faculty. (You yourself might be the factor
of being love not just your physical
appearance)
Many people are confused between initial
falling in love and being in love or standing
in love. (They are different)
If we want to learn how to love, we must
proceed if we want to learn any other art.
Love is an activity not a passive effect. It is
standing in not a falling for.
The active character of love is primarily
giving, not receiving.
Love means to commit oneself without
guarantee.
Love is an act of faith.

Alain Badiou on Love

Love is under threat:

The safety-first concept of love, it gives the
notion about love is about safety not risk. It
discourages us to be a risk-taker.
When love is being denied as important, the
way we see, or value love is not being
deemed important and less dignified.