The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast Ep. 334: Gabriel Marcel's Christian Existentialism (Part One)
Jan 22, 2024
Discussing Gabriel Marcel's essay on the need for meaning; exploration of the meaning of life and ontology; critique of Cartesian subjectivity; an advertisement for Shopify's e-commerce platform; examination of St. John's College and philosophical concepts of being and self; critique of skepticism and the concept of presence; exploration of the significance of chance encounters.
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French Style, Not Mysticism
- Wes joked that Marcel "replaces being mystical with being French," signaling a wry reaction to Marcel's style.
- The hosts note Marcel's clear writing and existential themes despite initial worries.
Engage Presence To Avoid Despair
- To avoid despair, Marcel recommends engaging actively with presence, hope, and love rather than reducing life to functions.
- Practicing participation and attentiveness revives meaning lost to technification.
Ontological Need Underlies Cognition
- Marcel locates an "ontological need": a primal desire for participation in being beyond problem-solving functions.
- This need underlies cognition and social roles and explains why technical reduction feels unsatisfying.