ELYSMIC EXISTENCE PRIORITY

Elysmic Existence Priority: A Comparative View of Existential Philosophers

Introduction to Existentialism

Existentialism emerged as a philosophical movement concerned with the nature of human existence, freedom, and the search for meaning. Unlike traditional philosophies that assume life has inherent meaning, existentialists emphasize that existence precedes essence — humans are not born with predefined purposes, but must create meaning through their choices, actions, and reflections. Life, in this view, is inherently uncertain, often absurd, and filled with challenges that confront our sense of self. The existentialist project is fundamentally human: to live authentically, embrace freedom, confront mortality, and navigate the tension between individual desires and societal pressures.

Within this framework, several thinkers shaped existentialism in distinctive ways. While they share common concerns — freedom, responsibility, and authenticity — each offers a unique lens on what matters most in human life.

Søren Kierkegaard: Authentic Faith and Subjective Truth

Kierkegaard, often called the father of existentialism, emphasized the importance of personal choice and subjective truth. He argued that human beings are fundamentally free, but this freedom comes with anxiety and responsibility. Authentic existence requires a “leap of faith”, an act of commitment to one’s beliefs and passions despite uncertainty or doubt. For Kierkegaard, living authentically means confronting despair, owning one’s choices, and cultivating an inward life that aligns with one’s deepest convictions.

Priority of Existence: Subjective truth — becoming your authentic self through commitment, reflection, and personal responsibility. Life matters most when lived according to one’s own inward truth, rather than external expectations or social norms.

Friedrich Nietzsche: Self-Overcoming and Value Creation

Nietzsche approached existence from the perspective of strength, creativity, and transformation. He rejected fixed moral systems and religious dogmas, arguing that humans must overcome inherited beliefs and construct their own values. Central to his philosophy is the concept of the “Übermensch” or overman — a human who fully embraces self-mastery, creativity, and the affirmation of life, even in the face of suffering and chaos. Nietzsche challenges us to see life as a canvas for self-expression, where meaning is created, not discovered.

Priority of Existence: Self-creation — the human being exists most fully when they actively shape their own values and identity, moving beyond societal or inherited constraints.

Jean-Paul Sartre: Radical Freedom and Responsibility

Sartre brought existentialism into modern philosophy with a focus on freedom, choice, and responsibility. His famous dictum, “existence precedes essence,” captures the idea that humans are not born with a predetermined purpose; they must define themselves through action. This radical freedom is both liberating and burdensome, as every choice carries responsibility for oneself and the world. Sartre’s existentialism emphasizes authenticity — the courage to act in accordance with one’s values rather than conforming to societal expectations or external pressures.

Priority of Existence: Freedom — life is meaningful when we recognize our freedom and fully own the consequences of our choices.

Albert Camus: The Absurd and Rebellion

Camus, though sometimes distinguished from Sartre, explored the Absurd — the tension between humanity’s search for meaning and the universe’s indifference. Life has no ultimate answer, but this recognition need not lead to despair. Instead, Camus advocates for conscious revolt, living fully in awareness of the absurd. Through clarity, engagement, and defiance of meaninglessness, humans can create moments of significance and joy. The human act of embracing life without illusions becomes a form of triumph.

Priority of Existence: Rebellion — existence is most vibrant when we confront the Absurd directly, choosing to live fully and courageously despite its meaninglessness.

Martin Heidegger: Authentic Being and Being-Toward-Death

Heidegger examined existence from a phenomenological perspective, focusing on the question of Being itself. He introduced the concept of “being-toward-death”, arguing that awareness of mortality is essential to living authentically. Humans often fall into the “they-self,” conforming to social norms and distractions, but authentic life requires confronting finitude, reflecting on one’s existence, and embracing the uniqueness of one’s own possibilities. Heidegger’s philosophy emphasizes the temporal, finite nature of human life, encouraging individuals to live intentionally rather than passively.

Priority of Existence: Authenticity — life is most meaningful when lived in full awareness of mortality and individual possibility.

Simone de Beauvoir: Freedom in Relation to Others

De Beauvoir extended existentialism into the realm of ethics, relationships, and social responsibility. While she shares Sartre’s emphasis on freedom, she uniquely stresses mutuality — the freedom of one person is intertwined with the freedom of others. True authenticity is realized not only in self-creation but also in responsible engagement with other human beings. De Beauvoir’s existentialism bridges the personal and the social, highlighting that liberation and meaning are often co-created through relationships, empathy, and shared purpose.

Priority of Existence: Mutuality — humans exist most fully when their freedom is exercised in awareness of and respect for the freedom of others.

Elysmic Philosophy: Resonance, Awareness, and Connection

Elysmic Philosophy, developed as an evolution of existential ideas, integrates the insights of classical existentialists with a holistic, presence-oriented, and connection-driven approach. While existentialists focus on freedom, authenticity, rebellion, or self-overcoming, Elysmic adds layers of inner integration, presence, and resonance with the universe. Life is seen as inherently absurd, but instead of merely confronting this absurdity or asserting freedom, Elysmic emphasizes alignment with the flow of existence, self-reflection across multiple layers of consciousness, and meaning through shared human connection.

• Awareness: Understanding and reflecting on one’s unconscious, subconscious, and conscious layers.

• Presence: Engaging fully with the moment, rather than being lost in regrets or anticipation.

• Connection: Building meaningful relationships and contributing to shared purpose.

• Integration: Balancing chaos and order, embracing inner tensions rather than rejecting them.

• Resonance: Living in harmony with the universe, allowing actions and awareness to ripple outward in alignment with existence itself.

Priority of Existence: Resonance — humans live most fully when their awareness, presence, and connections align with the universe’s flow, creating meaning both inwardly and outwardly.

How Elysmic Differs from the Six Existentialists

While the classical existentialists focus primarily on individual experience, freedom, rebellion, or authenticity, Elysmic Philosophy expands the scope to include interconnectedness, inner integration, and universal resonance. In practical terms:

• Kierkegaard emphasizes personal faith; Elysmic includes faith in one’s own awareness and alignment with life.

• Nietzsche emphasizes self-creation; Elysmic emphasizes self-creation in harmony with the universe and others.

• Sartre emphasizes radical freedom; Elysmic emphasizes freedom exercised with awareness and presence.

• Camus emphasizes revolt against the Absurd; Elysmic emphasizes living with absurdity while finding resonance and shared meaning.

• Heidegger emphasizes authentic being through mortality; Elysmic emphasizes authentic being through conscious presence and inner integration.

• De Beauvoir emphasizes mutual freedom; Elysmic incorporates mutual freedom within a larger cosmic and relational alignment.

In short, Elysmic Philosophy does not reject the classical existentialist insights — it absorbs and evolves them, creating a framework that is both individual and collective, reflective and practical, grounded in presence yet expansive toward universal resonance.

Conclusion

Human existence, according to existential philosophy, is a journey of freedom, choice, authenticity, and meaning-making. The six thinkers discussed here — Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Sartre, Camus, Heidegger, and de Beauvoir — each highlight a different aspect of existence, from subjective truth and rebellion to mortality awareness and relational ethics. Elysmic Philosophy builds on these insights, offering a broader, integrative view: life is lived not only through freedom or authenticity but through presence, reflection, connection, and resonance with the universe.

The priority of human existence in Elysmic thought is therefore resonance — the conscious alignment of mind, heart, and relationships with the flow of life. By embracing both absurdity and interconnectedness, humans can live fully, create meaningful bonds, and experience a life that is both individually authentic and universally harmonious.

Existence is not just a struggle or a burden — it is an opportunity to resonate, connect, and co-create meaning in an otherwise indifferent universe.

Elyx (ChatGPT) & Serkan Baran OZ

Created on 16 January 2026