Existentialism is a philosophy that emphasizes individual freedom, subjective meaning, and the absurdity of life. Thinkers like Søren Kierkegaard, Friedrich Nietzsche, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Albert Camus shaped its core ideas. They argued that life has no inherent purpose and that people must create their own meaning.
Anti-existentialism rejects these views. It asserts that meaning exists objectively, independent of personal choice. Critics argue that existentialism leads to moral relativism, anxiety, and social instability. Instead, they promote essentialism, theism, rationalism, and objective morality. This article explores anti-existentialist perspectives, their arguments against existentialism, and how they apply in philosophy, ethics, and society.
Understanding Existentialism
Existentialism emerged in the 19th and 20th centuries, influenced by thinkers like Søren Kierkegaard, Friedrich Nietzsche, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Albert Camus. Kierkegaard emphasized personal faith and the struggle with despair. Nietzsche rejected traditional morality and promoted the idea of the “will to power.” Sartre and Camus explored human freedom, absurdity, and the burden of creating meaning in a meaningless world.
Key existentialist ideas include the absurdity of existence, radical freedom, and individual responsibility. Existentialists argue that meaning is not given but must be created. They reject objective moral truths, emphasizing subjective experience and personal choice in defining one’s purpose.
Defining Anti-Existentialism
Anti-existentialism challenges the idea that meaning is purely subjective and self-created. It asserts that meaning, morality, and human nature exist objectively, independent of individual perception. This perspective is rooted in various philosophical traditions, including classical theism, essentialism, rationalism, and objectivism. These frameworks argue that existentialism leads to nihilism, moral uncertainty, and psychological distress.
Thinkers opposing existentialism include Aristotle, Thomas Aquinas, and Ayn Rand. Aristotelian essentialism claims that human beings have a fixed nature and purpose. Theism asserts that meaning comes from a divine source. Rationalism prioritizes reason over subjective experience, while objectivism promotes objective moral and philosophical principles.
Key Arguments Against Existentialism
Critics of existentialism argue that it promotes moral relativism, subjective meaning, and psychological instability. They claim it overlooks objective truths about human nature, morality, and society. Anti-existentialist perspectives come from various traditions, including essentialism, theism, determinism, and political philosophy.
Below are key arguments against existentialism, each addressing a fundamental weakness in its ideas. These critiques come from philosophical, ethical, and psychological perspectives, demonstrating why many reject existentialist thought.
#1. Objective Meaning & Essentialism
Existentialism denies that human beings have a fixed essence or purpose. It claims that people define their own meaning through choices. In contrast, essentialism argues that human nature is objective and unchanging. This view comes from thinkers like Aristotle, who believed that everything has an inherent purpose (telos). Thomas Aquinas later integrated this idea into Christian theology, stating that humans are designed by God for a specific purpose.
Rejecting essentialism leads to instability. If meaning is purely subjective, no belief can be considered universally valid. This opens the door to nihilism, where life has no inherent value. Essentialists argue that meaning exists outside personal interpretation, providing a stable foundation for ethics, identity, and purpose.
#2. Determinism vs. Radical Freedom
Existentialists like Sartre emphasize radical freedom, arguing that people are entirely responsible for shaping their lives. However, determinists reject this idea, claiming that biology, society, and physics limit human choices. Scientific determinism, for instance, suggests that genetics and environment heavily influence behavior. Neuroscience also shows that subconscious processes shape decisions before conscious awareness.
Denying determinism can lead to unrealistic expectations. If individuals are entirely free, failures and suffering become personal faults rather than results of external forces. Critics argue that recognizing constraints—such as human nature, biological instincts, and social structures—leads to a more grounded, realistic philosophy of life.
#3. Moral Objectivism vs. Subjective Ethics
Existentialism promotes subjective ethics, where morality is based on personal choice. Sartre, for example, argued that people create their own values. However, critics claim this leads to moral relativism, where no action can be judged as universally right or wrong. If morality is subjective, ethical decisions become arbitrary, lacking a stable foundation.
Moral objectivists argue that ethical truths exist independently of human beliefs. Thinkers like Immanuel Kant and Thomas Aquinas propose that moral principles are rooted in reason or divine law. Without objective morality, societies risk moral chaos, as each person defines their own ethical standards without accountability to universal principles.
#4. Metaphysical Realism vs. Absurdism
Existentialists like Camus argue that life is absurd because it has no inherent meaning. They claim that humans seek meaning in a universe that offers none. However, metaphysical realists reject this view, asserting that objective meaning and truth exist. Philosophical realism, supported by thinkers like Plato and Aristotle, posits that reality is independent of human perception.
Absurdism, critics argue, leads to despair and passivity. If life has no objective meaning, then purpose and truth become illusions. Metaphysical realism counters this by asserting that meaning exists beyond human subjectivity, whether through divine purpose, natural law, or rational order in the universe.
#5. Social Responsibility vs. Individualism
Existentialism emphasizes individual choice and personal meaning. While this promotes autonomy, it can also undermine social responsibility. If people are free to define their own morality, they may disregard societal obligations. Critics argue that stable societies require shared ethical values and collective duties.
Communitarian thinkers, such as Alasdair MacIntyre, stress the importance of traditions, cultural values, and social roles. They argue that existentialism, by prioritizing the individual over the community, weakens the social fabric. Anti-existentialists believe that responsibility extends beyond personal freedom to obligations toward family, culture, and society as a whole.
#6. Theistic Foundations vs. Atheistic Existentialism
Many existentialist thinkers, including Sartre and Camus, were atheists. They rejected the idea of a divine plan, arguing that humans must create meaning without God. However, theists argue that this rejection leads to existential despair. Without God, they claim, moral and existential certainty collapse, leaving only subjective interpretation.
Religious traditions provide a framework for purpose and morality. Christianity, Islam, and Judaism teach that life has inherent meaning given by God. Thinkers like Aquinas and C.S. Lewis argue that a divine foundation for meaning is necessary for ethical consistency and psychological well-being. Without it, existentialism can lead to moral confusion and spiritual emptiness.
#7. Psychological Stability vs. Existential Anxiety
Existentialism often results in anxiety, as individuals struggle with the burden of defining their own meaning. Sartre described this as “anguish,” the feeling of overwhelming responsibility in a meaningless world. While existentialists see this as a necessary confrontation with reality, critics argue it leads to emotional distress and psychological instability.
Studies in psychology suggest that humans need structure, certainty, and external sources of meaning. Viktor Frankl, a Holocaust survivor and psychiatrist, argued that finding purpose beyond oneself—such as through religion, love, or service—promotes mental well-being. Anti-existentialists believe that embracing objective meaning reduces existential anxiety, offering a more stable foundation for life.
Anti-Existentialism in Practice
Anti-existentialist ideas are not just theoretical; they influence religious beliefs, ethical systems, political ideologies, and scientific perspectives. While existentialism encourages subjective meaning and radical freedom, anti-existentialism promotes structured frameworks, objective truths, and shared values.
The following examples show how anti-existentialist principles manifest in different domains. These perspectives emphasize stability, purpose, and responsibility over existentialist individualism and absurdity.
#1. Religious Worldviews and Divine Purpose
Religious traditions reject existentialism’s claim that meaning is self-created. Christianity, Islam, and Judaism teach that purpose comes from God. The Bible states, “For I know the plans I have for you” (Jeremiah 29:11), affirming divine purpose. In Islam, submission to Allah defines human existence. Hinduism and Buddhism also offer structured paths to enlightenment and moral living.
Theistic frameworks provide stability by anchoring meaning in divine will rather than personal choice. This contrasts with existentialist anxiety over self-defined purpose. Religious adherents argue that faith offers a deeper, more enduring sense of meaning than existentialist individualism.
#2. Aristotelian Essentialism and Fixed Human Nature
Aristotle’s philosophy contradicts existentialism’s claim that humans have no fixed essence. He argued that everything has a specific nature and purpose (telos). This idea influenced later thinkers like Thomas Aquinas, who integrated essentialism into Christian theology, asserting that humans are designed for specific ends.
Essentialism holds that human beings are naturally rational, social, and ethical. Existentialism, by denying innate human nature, creates identity crises and moral uncertainty. Essentialists argue that accepting a fixed human essence leads to a more stable and fulfilling life, as people align with their natural purposes rather than inventing arbitrary meanings.
#3. Stoicism and Rational Order in the Universe
Stoicism, a philosophy developed by thinkers like Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius, rejects existentialist absurdity. Stoics believe the universe follows a rational order (logos), which people must accept rather than rebel against. Unlike existentialists, who see life as chaotic, Stoics emphasize discipline, virtue, and duty.
By focusing on self-control and objective moral laws, Stoicism offers a structured approach to meaning. Instead of existential anxiety over personal choice, Stoicism encourages inner peace through acceptance of natural laws. This anti-existentialist mindset promotes resilience, purpose, and ethical living.
#4. Natural Law Theory and Objective Morality
Natural law theory, rooted in Aristotle and Aquinas, asserts that moral principles exist objectively. It opposes existentialist ethics, which rely on individual choice. Natural law argues that moral truths are inherent in human nature and discernible through reason.
Without objective morality, critics argue, ethical systems collapse into relativism. Existentialist ethics lack a foundation beyond personal preference. Natural law, by contrast, provides a universal moral framework that guides justice, governance, and personal conduct. This structured approach to morality prevents the uncertainty and inconsistency found in existentialist ethics.
#5. Political Conservatism and Traditional Structures
Political conservatism opposes existentialist individualism, emphasizing tradition, order, and collective responsibility. Thinkers like Edmund Burke argued that societies thrive on inherited customs, not radical freedom. Conservatism values institutions—such as family, religion, and government—that provide stability and meaning.
Existentialism, critics say, weakens social bonds by promoting personal autonomy over communal duty. Conservatives argue that rejecting existentialist freedom in favor of tradition leads to stronger societies. Stability comes from established structures, not self-created meaning. This approach prioritizes continuity over existentialist rebellion against norms.
#6. Communitarianism and Collective Responsibility
Communitarianism challenges existentialism’s emphasis on individual choice. Thinkers like Alasdair MacIntyre argue that humans are fundamentally social beings, shaped by communities and traditions. Unlike existentialists, who define meaning personally, communitarians believe meaning emerges from relationships and shared values.
By prioritizing collective responsibility, communitarianism opposes the existentialist idea that people are isolated meaning-makers. Ethical obligations extend beyond personal choice to family, culture, and society. This anti-existentialist perspective fosters cooperation, duty, and stability in contrast to existentialism’s focus on individual autonomy.
#7. Scientific Determinism and Biological Constraints on Free Will
Scientific determinism contradicts existentialist claims about radical freedom. Studies in neuroscience and psychology suggest that behavior is influenced by genetics, environment, and subconscious processes. Free will, as existentialists describe it, may be an illusion.
Determinists argue that existentialism overestimates human autonomy. Choices are shaped by biological and social forces, not pure personal will. Recognizing these constraints leads to a more realistic understanding of human nature. Anti-existentialists favor scientific explanations over existentialist ideas of absolute freedom, reinforcing a structured, law-governed view of existence.
Closing Thoughts
Anti-existentialism presents a structured alternative to the uncertainty and subjectivity of existentialism. While existentialists emphasize personal meaning-making, radical freedom, and the acceptance of absurdity, anti-existentialist perspectives argue for objective meaning, moral realism, and structured human nature.
By embracing religious doctrines, essentialist philosophy, Stoic discipline, and scientific determinism, anti-existentialism offers stability and purpose beyond self-created values. Whether through divine purpose, social responsibility, or biological constraints, these perspectives reject existentialist individualism in favor of a more ordered and meaningful existence.