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Existentialist, Mitwelt, And The Own-World

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In existential psychology there is a focus on our existence and lived experience in regards to various philosophical principles. There are several psychologists who delved into concept of existentialism and their ideals can be combined into six ontological principles. Being human equates to existing, being in the world, and this is through involvement and engagement. There exists no separation of body or self from the world, it is indeed a unified phenomenon, spanning across three planes of the realm, Umwelt, the around-world, Mitwelt, the with-world, and Eigenwelt, the own-world. The umwelt entails our drives, needs and physical facts of our existence in the environment. Mitwelt is our world with others, and the effects of relationships on us. Finally, eigenwelt is our inner relationship with ourselves, and how we perceive ourselves in the world. It is through these three realms that we come to terms our existence and meaning …show more content…

We are the only beings that we know of who are aware of our existence and who also ponder the questions surrounding the meaning behind our purposes. This allows us to step back and realize just how finite we are and the depth of meaning behind choices we make. The example that the text gives is from Frankle, who explains numerous examples of why even under such extremely taxing and brutal conditions that the inmates of the Nazi concentration camps still had the will to live. A personal example I can reflect on would be the countless times I have felt out of the loop in social situations and the disconnect that comes along with this interaction. I have found that on the occasion in my life, I have actually stepped back from myself and instead took a view from the outside. This self-reflection has always been somewhat mysterious to me in nature, but I believe it may be my consciousness trying to bring about an awareness of who I am at the current

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