Most Important Assumptions of Existentialism are given below:
1. The centre of existence is man rather than truth, laws, principles or essence. Man is characterized by decisions, will and choice. Although existentialists emphasize man’s place in the world, or man’s relationship to being, or even man’s relationship to God, they still indicate that there is a certain uniqueness and mastery about the human person. The phenomenon of man is life as it is lived, and the mystery is an awareness of man’s deep and complex meaning. Science and rational thinking cannot grasp or explain it.
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2. This notion of the uniqueness and mystery of man implies that previous definitions of man have been completely unsatisfactory. The uniqueness of man comes from his emotions, feelings, perception and thinking. The philosophy of existentialism stresses meaning: only through development of meaning in his life can man make something of the absurdity which surrounds him. Man is the maker and therefore the master of culture. It is man who imposes a meaning of his universe, although that universe may well function without him. Man cannot be “taught” what the world is about. He must create this for himself.
3. Man is not alone in the world. He is connected to other man: he communicates with others; therefore, he cannot live in a state of anarchy. Life is seen as a gift, which, in part is a mystery. Man is free to choose commitments in life, in his choices, he becomes himself. He is the product of his choices. He is therefore, an individual who is different from other persons. The real living person is more important than any statement we can make about him. Man’s existence is more important than his essence.
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4. Existentialism propounds the belief that man cannot accept the ready-made concepts of existence forced upon him. He is a free agent capable of shaping his own life and choosing his own destiny. Thus, we cannot treat people as machines, first pulling one lever, then another, and expect predictable results. Therefore, we cannot say that the stimulus- response or conditioning is a sufficient description of man’s behaviour. Man can transcend both himself and his culture.