🧐
Existentialism: Key Milestones and Origins
Existentialism
This quiz explores the foundational aspects of existentialism, focusing on its historical roots, seminal works, and influential figures.
philosophy
existentialism
history
intellectualism
15 Questions
Easy
Ages 12+
Aug 11, 2026
About this Study Set
This study set covers Existentialism through
15 practice questions.
This quiz explores the foundational aspects of existentialism, focusing on its historical roots, seminal works, and influential figures. Every question includes the correct answer so you can learn as you go — pick any format above to get started.
Questions & Answers
Browse all 15 questions from the
Existentialism: Key Milestones and Origins study set below.
Each question shows the correct answer — select a study format above to practice interactively.
1
Which philosopher is widely credited with originating the term 'existentialism' in a significant philosophical context?
-
A
Friedrich Nietzsche
-
B
Søren Kierkegaard
-
C
Jean-Paul Sartre
-
D
Martin Heidegger
2
What is considered the first major published work to extensively explore existential themes, often cited as a precursor to existentialism?
-
A
Thus Spoke Zarathustra
-
B
Being and Time
-
C
Fear and Trembling
-
D
The Myth of Sisyphus
3
Which existentialist thinker famously explored the concept of 'the absurd' in his essay of the same name?
-
A
Simone de Beauvoir
-
B
Albert Camus
-
C
Karl Jaspers
-
D
Gabriel Marcel
4
In what year was Jean-Paul Sartre's seminal work, 'Being and Nothingness,' first published, a cornerstone of existentialist thought?
-
A
1938
-
B
1943
-
C
1950
-
D
1958
5
Who was the first prominent female existentialist philosopher to publish a major work on feminist existentialism, 'The Second Sex'?
-
A
Iris Murdoch
-
B
Hannah Arendt
-
C
Simone de Beauvoir
-
D
Susan Sontag
6
Which German philosopher, influential in existentialism, published 'Being and Time' in 1927, a foundational text for the movement?
-
A
Ludwig Wittgenstein
-
B
Martin Heidegger
-
C
Max Weber
-
D
G.W.F. Hegel
7
What key concept, central to existentialism, describes the idea that existence precedes essence, meaning individuals define themselves through their choices and actions?
-
A
Determinism
-
B
Nihilism
-
C
Existentialism
-
D
Absurdism
8
Which of these Danish philosophers is considered one of the earliest and most significant figures in existential thought, often contrasted with Hegel?
-
A
Georg Brandes
-
B
H. L. Mencken
-
C
Søren Kierkegaard
-
D
Hans Christian Andersen
9
In what city did Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir become prominent figures in post-World War II intellectual circles, fostering existentialist discourse?
-
A
Berlin
-
B
London
-
C
Rome
-
D
Paris
10
What was the original title of the philosophical essay by Albert Camus that introduced and explored his concept of the absurd?
-
A
The Rebel
-
B
The Stranger
-
C
The Myth of Sisyphus
-
D
The Plague
11
Which existentialist philosopher explored the idea of 'bad faith,' where individuals deny their freedom and responsibility by adopting societal roles or external justifications?
-
A
Maurice Merleau-Ponty
-
B
Jean-Paul Sartre
-
C
Martin Buber
-
D
Paul Tillich
12
What term did Friedrich Nietzsche use to describe the individual's self-overcoming and the creation of personal values, a concept that resonated with existentialists?
-
A
The Will to Power
-
B
The Eternal Recurrence
-
C
The Übermensch
-
D
The Herd Instinct
13
Which existentialist thinker, known for his work on phenomenology, explored the embodied nature of human existence and consciousness?
-
A
Emile Durkheim
-
B
Maurice Merleau-Ponty
-
C
Max Scheler
-
D
Edmund Husserl
14
What is the primary philosophical focus of Karl Jaspers' concept of 'the Encompassing' in existential philosophy?
-
A
The objective study of society
-
B
The subjective experience of reality and transcendence
-
C
The scientific method
-
D
The laws of nature
15
Which influential existentialist philosopher and theologian explored the concept of 'faith as passion' and the individual's leap of faith?
-
A
Reinhold Niebuhr
-
B
Paul Tillich
-
C
Søren Kierkegaard
-
D
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
