who wrote Fear and Trembling please? I have also heard that there was a whole American branch of existentialism, but I don't know who this would include, so if anyone knows that... remember, I came across this way of thinking as French literature.
Dana On Wed, 15 Dec 2004 13:06:59 -0500, Won Lee <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Kevin Graeme wrote: > > EX doesn't even place any particular importance on > > humanity and any actions are simply futile but it can't hurt to do > > good (though it doesn't particularly help either). > > > > I would disagree with this. And I think Camus would too. In classic > major-religion teachings, the dominant theme is the doctrine of good > works. And within the doctrine of good works, two prominent arguments > are made why it should be followed. The most common is treasures in the > after-life idea. The second is an idea which has quickly been loosing > favor but still exists. The idea of doing good works because God the > powerful commanded one to. > > Some great thinkers, both Christian and non-Christians, have argued that > results without intent is often meaningless. This is a softer, and in > my opinion, a much more logical approach then the classic idea that > works without faith is meaningless. > > EX, as this is the great part, puts the responsibility to figure out > what is good and bad. You don't do something because you are told it is > good. Everything has meaning in itself and not because God told you to > do it. So EX does place an importance on the humans ability to decide. > Actions are only futile when compared in relationship for the ultimate > meaning. They are not useless when taken for what they are. You do > good works for the sake of doing good works. Because you know that is > the right thing to do. This is a lot of faith to put into man after he > saw man destroy half of Europe. At the same time Camus had to have > known how rotten man's soul was. But he believed we should try. And > that is what make us heroes. > > > > I haven't read Fear and Trembling but based on your description of it > > allowing the author to "fall back on the idea of God", I'm not sure if > > it will be that approachable to me but I'll add it to my list. > > Fear and trembling, while still an EX text, is first and foremost a > religious text. It is like a religious text, not because it argues to > existence of God or preaches a way to live. It is a religious text like > Plato's texts are. > > > -Kevin > > > -- > 2004 - The year $184M couldn't buy a pennant. > > Ron Artest: Extremely flawed, very accidental, semi-martyr > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Special thanks to the CF Community Suite Gold Sponsor - CFHosting.net http://www.cfhosting.net Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:5:140051 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/5 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:5 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.5 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
