Existentialist philosophy was shaped by the wars and politics of the European century

Evidence

When these friendships soured, it was generally because of ideas — most often political ideas. The existentialists lived in times of extreme ideology and extreme suffering, and they became engaged with events in the world whether they wanted to or not — and usually they did. The story of existentialism is therefore a political and a historical one: to some extent, it is the story of a whole European century. Phenomenology was first developed in the years before and during the First World War. Then Heidegger’s philosophy emerged from the troubled situation of Germany between the wars. When Sartre went to Berlin in 1933, he saw Nazi marches and banners everywhere, and the mood of unease found its way into his work. His existentialism, and Beauvoir’s, came of age during the Second World War, with the French experience of defeat and occupation, then went on to fill its sails with wild expectations for the post-1945 world. Existentialist ideas flowed into the widening stream of 1950s anti-conformism, and then into the full-blown idealism of the late 1960s. — Sarah Bakewell, At the Existentialist Café, 103

Categorization

• XREF: Chronology anchors the reader’s orientation — an accessible history needs this timeline. Also parallels the historical-embedding of thinkers in other reading-list books. — connects to: Europe’s 1930s political chaos formed the backdrop for existentialism’s rise — Sarah Bakewell, At the Existentialist Café: Freedom,…, 399; Every philosophy is a politics embedded in its historical context; Modern existentialism fused German phenomenology with Danish philosophy and French literary sensibility — Sarah Bakewell, At the Existentialist Café: Freedom,…, 23 (+6 more)

Broader Connections

• Europe’s 1930s political chaos formed the backdrop for existentialism’s rise #exemplifies (0.92) — Sarah Bakewell, At the Existentialist Café, 399
• War experiences convinced thinkers traditional philosophy was obsolete #exemplifies (0.90) — Sarah Bakewell, At the Existentialist Café, 530
• Post-war existentialism thrived on the excitement of a shattered world #exemplifies (0.82) — Sarah Bakewell, At the Existentialist Café, 529
• Philosophers both reflect their historical milieu and shape future institutions #expands (0.80) — Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, 32
• Every philosophy is a politics embedded in its historical context #expands (0.78)
• Modern existentialism fused German phenomenology with Danish philosophy and French literary sensibility #qualifies (0.75) — Sarah Bakewell, At the Existentialist Café, 23