The introduction of existential philosophy in Turkey and it's effects

Existentialism is, rather than a philosophical theory with rigidly certain limits, an attitude processed and exhibited by various philosophers in different periods of history of philosophy. This attitude aims to comprehend and make sense of the human in its own relations network. As Sartre mentioned, "man is nothing else but he makes of himself" which means it is more than all the definitions and reductions. Human freedom is related with its own effort. Human is a project entity and it is the one who realizes oneself. The main concern of this study is to focus on the process in which existentialism introduced in Turkey. This study consists of three chapters which illustrate the ideas of the philosophers interrogating the human existence within the boundaries of the basic concepts of existentialism. In Chapter 1, the definitions of existence and existentialism as well as how the existentialism is perceived in the existentialist literature are analyzed. The history of existentialism is scrutinized in the frame of Western and Eastern cultures in an attempt to find out the process of integrity. It is investigated how the Theist and Atheist philosophers find out the preferences of humans in their lives, who they are and who they aim to be, and self-fulfillment etc. In Chapter 2, both the period that existentialism introduced in Turkey and the conditions in that period is examined. The perception of existentialism and the translation process of main works are analyzed in this study. Among various precious academicians with the works of existentialism theory, Prof. Dr. Kenan Gürsoy is analyzed in a different title due to his comprehensive works and his peculiar point of view. The introduction of existentialism in Turkey is discussed in the name of Hilmi Ziya Ülken. In Chapter 3, it is aimed to demonstrate the effects of existentialism in Turkey in the perspectives of art, literature and cinema. Apart from being regarded as a leading name, the existentialist literature has been analyzed within the boundaries of Bilge Karasu's existentialism-related-works. It is intended to explain to what extent the existentialism is acceptable in Turkey. In conclusion, the horizons of existentialism were expressed together with the works of academicians studying on the existentialism.