Member-Led Discussion Group

John Trauth

In our member-led discussion group, John Trauth will discuss the concept of existentialism and how it has evolved, starting in the 19th century through the mid-20th century, spanning philosophy, literature and culture.

John is the former President of the Alliance Francaise of San Francisco and he was initially exposed to French existentialism while studying French civilization, language and philosophy at the Sorbonne in the mid-1990’s.   

Existentialism is often considered a complex theory, but at its core, it is rather straightforward. John will present the basics of the philosophy and explain how it evolved from religious roots (Kierkegaard) to ontological philosophy (the concept of “being” as expressed by Heidegger and Nietzsche) to human freedom and politics (Sartre and de Beauvoir) and finally to literature and the absurd (Hesse and Camus). This evolutionary diversity demonstrates existentialism’s broad and continuing effort to understand and make sense of the human condition.

The session will conclude with an open discussion as to how existentialism might be relevant in today’s world.