Hello Readers!
In this flipped learning blog, Existentialism is taken as a topic to learn. In the paper of Modernist Literature, an Absurd play, "Waiting for Godot" is studied part of the syllabus in M.A Sem 3. In order to understand the play better, it is necessary to know what is existentialism and how this philosophical movement leads one to think as an individual.
The process of fllipped learnig is very intersting. At first place a teacher shares his/her blog link to students, which leads them to another website and there they find another blog about the flipped learning topic and there studtends watch video resources and read the material. The task of the students is to ask questions from the videos they've just watched.
Please visit the blog link below for detailed videos and reading resources of existentialism.
1. Thoughts on video resources
- All videos are explaining the idea of Existentialism very clearly.
2. Video I liked the most
– Video series uploaded by Dasein. Through handmade sketches and infographics, the explanation was easy to grasp.
– A video titled, 'teach me like I'm five'. In that short video, two teachers are engaging kids to understand the heavy philosophical term existentialism and, Friedrich Nietzsche who was one of the existentialist thinkers.
– A video titled why I like existentialism by Eric Dodson. This video explains why one should be having holistic approach towards existentialism. The idea of rebel is also worth noting. One may ask a curious question that if existentialism gives such pessimistic and absurd views about life, then why one should live at all ? But here is the answer. Even after knowing that everything is meaningless is life, we are selecting the option to live the life. This choice is rebellious choice. Rebellion against the idea of absurdity, adversity, pain and agony. We live the life and continue to think. This mental activity of thinking itself is a rebellion against all the odds. Denying to think is a philosophical suicide for Albert Camus.
3. learning outcome
I've learnt the topic of existentialism in very easy way. I learnt that Existentialism and Nihilism are different from one another. Absurdity has much to do with existentialism.
It is believed that Jean Paul Sartre is the pioneer of this philosophical movement, Existentialism. But actually, before Sartre, Soren Kierkegaard, Friedrich Nietzsche and Martin Heidegger were the pioneers of this movement. But due to his seminal 1946 work “Existentialism is a Humanism”, Sartre got prominence in this movement.
4. My questions
Here are the questions raised during and after watching the videos.
• Question from Video 2.
The explanation of absurdity seems to be very true when one silently reflects upon life, ultimately all our attempts to decorate the life will go in vain.
But what might be the possible reasons to choose hope instead of suicide when one thinks of death ? (2:20) Is that so, that humans are deeply conditioned to look at only the brighter side of thinking? If one opts to find the escape from the thought of absurdity, why majority of humans cling to only hope, instead of suicide ? Is that so because there is a deep feeling of fear of death ?
• Question from Video 6.
Nietzsche believed for Nihilism that, highest values devalueate themselves. How this can be understood?
Can it be said that, Nihilism has some escapes like passive vision to accept what life is ? Whereas absurdity leaves no option but death.
• Questions from Video 8.
In this video, there is a reference of Übermensch. Does the Übermensch have killing instinct? If one refers to the survival of the fittest, then how Übermensch can be seen in today's world?
There's one more reference in an article that Übermensch looks at life in much different way. To cite a quote from that article,
"He (Übermensch) has got the feeling of unity of creation and destruction, good and bad taste of life and is able to say that life is good even it may seem terrible and questionable."
How can only Übermensch can have this sense of unity and living an all-good life ? And why not others?
Doesn't it seem a self contradictory idea of Übermensch? Because for Nietzsche, not everyone has potential to become Übermensch. As the statement says: "For Nietzsche, there are only some capable and talented who qualifies to be an overman from his point of view."
5. feedback
All the questions I asked, were answered very satisfactorily. The more enriching part of this flipped learning is even after watching all the videos students get many new things and ideas from live discussion.
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