The Jewish Idea of God
Existentialistic View
Author, lecturer, and philosopher Dr. Eugene Borowitz discusses the existentialist view of God. This lecture is part of a series about philosophical perspectives on the Jewish idea of God. Borowitz credits the development of modern existentialism to the Danish philosopher Søren Aabye Kierkegaard as a reaction against German Idealism. He defines existentialism as a philosophy centered around the experiences of individuals rather than the supposed objectivity of ideas–truth and reality are entirely subjective to individual experiences and realities. Borowitz contends, therefore, that “God only becomes important to an existentialist as far as the personal relationship.” Focusing solely on the idea of God could be considered blasphemous, as the idea then replaces the individual reality. Borowitz also discusses some particular existentialist philosophers and theologians including Blaise Pascal and Martin Buber.
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