Modern philosophy shifted focus from abstract speculation about the cosmos to the immediacy of human experience. Two influential traditions of the twentieth century, existentialism and phenomenology, sought to understand reality not as a detached, objective structure but as it is lived, perceived, and chosen. Both approaches emphasize subjectivity, freedom, and the depth of human existence, yet they explore reality in distinct ways.

Existentialism and the Weight of Existence

Existentialism begins with the recognition that reality is not given to us as a set of fixed meanings. Instead, existence itself precedes essence, a phrase made famous by Jean-Paul Sartre. This means that human beings are not born with predetermined purposes but must create their own through choices and actions.

Freedom and Responsibility

For existentialists, the defining feature of reality is radical freedom. Each individual is free to shape a life, yet this freedom carries immense responsibility. Reality is not just what surrounds us but what we continually construct through decisions. Even refusing to choose is itself a choice.

Confronting Absurdity

Albert Camus highlighted the tension between humanity’s search for meaning and a universe that offers none. He called this the absurd. Reality, in his view, is not ordered around human purpose, but this does not lead to despair. Instead, Camus suggested that we embrace the absurd and live fully in defiance of it, affirming life’s value without illusions.

Authenticity and Inauthenticity

Existentialism also examines the danger of living inauthentically, conforming to external expectations rather than embracing freedom. Søren Kierkegaard, often considered a precursor to existentialism, described the leap of faith required to live authentically, while Sartre warned against “bad faith,” the self-deception of denying responsibility for one’s freedom.

Phenomenology and the Structure of Experience

Phenomenology, pioneered by Edmund Husserl, takes a different route. It seeks to describe reality as it appears to consciousness. Husserl argued that every act of consciousness is intentional, directed toward something. Reality is always experienced in relation to the perceiving subject.

Lived Experience

For Husserl and later phenomenologists, reality is not a collection of abstract objects but a world revealed through lived experience. A chair is not just an arrangement of matter but something encountered as “something to sit on.” Reality is bound to the context of human meaning.

Heidegger and Being-in-the-World

Martin Heidegger expanded phenomenology into an exploration of “Being.” He described human existence, or Dasein, as fundamentally “being-in-the-world.” We do not stand apart from reality to analyze it; we are immersed in it, shaping and being shaped by it. Time, mortality, and the awareness of our finitude become central aspects of how reality unfolds for us.

Merleau-Ponty and the Body

Maurice Merleau-Ponty emphasized embodiment, showing that reality is not only known through abstract thought but through the lived body. Our perception of reality is grounded in movement, sensation, and physical presence. This insight has influenced fields ranging from psychology to cognitive science.

Shared Themes and Divergences

Existentialism and phenomenology share a focus on subjectivity and the immediacy of human life. Both reject purely detached or mechanistic views of reality. Yet they diverge in emphasis. Existentialism stresses freedom, responsibility, and the confrontation with meaninglessness. Phenomenology seeks to carefully describe the structures of experience and the way reality appears to consciousness.

Conclusion

Modern philosophy redefined reality by grounding it in human experience. For existentialists, reality is the open field of choices in which individuals create meaning. For phenomenologists, reality is the lived world, inseparable from perception, embodiment, and context. Together, these traditions highlight that reality is not just an external stage but a field of experience, choice, and meaning that unfolds within human existence.