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Teaching Tool Assignment
Glossary: Existentialism in Education
Alina Frey
September 1, 2025
EDUC305: Educational Philosophy for Teachers
Glossary: Existentialism in Education
Absurdity - The search for answers in an answerless world.
Albert Camus - French philosopher and novelist. Founder of absurd, also emphasized the
fundamental tension between the meaningless quiet of the universe and the human need for
purpose.
Authenticity - Ability to be genuine or real. The idea of being true to one self. In education, this
means encouraging students to express their real thoughts, feelings and values.
Choices - Students should have some kind of freedom to make decisions about their learning
and take ownership of the results.
Essence - Certain set of properties that are necessary, or essential for a thing to be what it is.
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Existence - We are born and then need to figure out who we are and what we want.
Existentialists - People that say “religion, social justice, education or seeking beauty in art will
give you meaning in life. At the same time, they say “none of them can”. Existence Precedes
Essence - An idea that humans are born without a predefined nature or purpose (essence) and
construct their own essence and significance via their choices and behaviors. (our birth
happens first).
Friedrich Nietzshce - Philosopher who criticised Judeo-Christian morality and religion for
relying on the non-existent concept of free will, AKA Nihilism.
Freedom - Where society has to choose their own path in life.
Individualism - acknowledging that every student is different, with varying interests, skills,
and objectives. Education ought to be tailored to each individual. Jean-Paul Sartre - A
french thinker who questioned that people are free and responsible for shaping own lives.
His ideas influenced existentialist approaches in education.
Meaning - something that represents a purpose or will.
Personal Responsibility - People or students who are accountable for the choices they make in
learning, and they must accept the consequences.
Self-Discovery - Process of understanding themselves, their identity, passions and purpose
through education.
Sezai Karakoç - One of the most important thinkers of Turkish literature and poetry for
combining existentialist issues with Sunni Islam's norms and philosophy via death. Soren
Kierkegaard - Danish philosopher who often was called the “father of existentialism” He
stressed individuality, choices, and the importance of personal belief. Student-Centered
Learning - An approach where teachers teach and guide you, but the students take an active
role in deciding what and how they learn. Authentic Assessment - A method of student
evaluation that goes beyond conventional testing and includes personal expression, such
journals, reflections, or creative endeavors.
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References
YouTube, YouTube, www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaDvRdLMkHs&t=69s
Çitler, G. D. (2020). Islam and existentialism in Turkey during the Cold War in the works of Sezai
Karakoç. British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies, 49(1), 70–85.
https://doi.org/10.1080/13530194.2020.1758035
Aho, Kevin. “Existentialism.” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Stanford University, 6 Jan.
2023, plato.stanford.edu/entries/existentialism/.
Panza, Christopher, and Gregory Gale. “Existentialism for Dummies Cheat Sheet.”
Dummies.Com, 10 Mar. 2022,
www.dummies.com/article/body-mind-spirit/philosophy/existentialism/existentialism-
fordummies-cheat-sheet-207743/.
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