Description: Existentialism emphasizes individual freedom, choice, and responsibility, focusing on the meaning of existence and the human condition. Core ideas include the belief in the absurdity of life, the importance of personal authenticity, and the inevitability of existential angst.

Representative Figures: Jean-Paul Sartre, Friedrich Nietzsche, Søren Kierkegaard

Recommended Books:

– Being and Nothingness by Jean-Paul Sartre

Description: A seminal work exploring existential freedom and the nature of human existence.

– Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky

Description: A novel delving into the psychological and moral dilemmas of crime and redemption.

Description: An accessible introduction to existentialist thought, emphasizing individual freedom and responsibility.