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# existentialism

## Basic idea

20th-century European movement holding that existence precedes essence — humans first exist, then define themselves through choice. Meaning is not given; it must be made in the face of an indifferent or absurd universe.

## Key tenets

* Existence precedes essence (Sartre).
* Radical freedom and the inescapable responsibility it brings.
* Authenticity vs. bad faith / inauthenticity.
* The Absurd — the gap between our craving for meaning and the world's silence.