...existentialism.
Existentialism was born out of the uncertainty in modern thought during the age of anxiety (ca. 1900-1940). Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) was the father of existentialist thought. In his famous "God is dead" statement, the foundations of existentialism are present:
God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him...what water is there for us to clean ourselves? What festivals of atonement, what sacred games shall we have to invent? Is not the greatness of this deed too great for us? Must we ourselves not become gods simply to appear worthy of it?
(The Gay Science, sec. 125)
This correlates to the theory posited by thinkers such as Jean Paul Sartre. Sartre believed that existence precedes essence; because God does not exist, humans are not born with a purpose. And because of this, humans are "condemned to be free", meaning fully responsible for their actions.
God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him...what water is there for us to clean ourselves? What festivals of atonement, what sacred games shall we have to invent? Is not the greatness of this deed too great for us? Must we ourselves not become gods simply to appear worthy of it?
(The Gay Science, sec. 125)
This correlates to the theory posited by thinkers such as Jean Paul Sartre. Sartre believed that existence precedes essence; because God does not exist, humans are not born with a purpose. And because of this, humans are "condemned to be free", meaning fully responsible for their actions.