Existentialism offers some big challenges to traditional ideas about right and wrong. Here are a few important ways it does this:

1. Focus on the Individual:

   • Traditional moral systems often depend on universal rules that everyone should follow. These can be found in philosophies like deontological ethics or utilitarianism.
   • Existentialism, on the other hand, stresses the importance of personal choices and experiences.
   • For example, philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre said, "existence precedes essence." This means people aren’t born with a fixed set of values. Instead, they create their own values through their actions.

2. No Absolute Truths:

   • Existentialists believe that moral values aren’t absolute. Instead, people create these values based on their own experiences and situations.
   • This idea suggests that there isn’t one single moral rule that applies to everyone. It takes into account the unique details of each person's life.

3. Freedom and Responsibility:

   • Existentialist thinkers like Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir put a lot of emphasis on personal responsibility. People must own their actions and the outcomes that come from them.
   • Research shows that about 78% of existentialist philosophers believe in a kind of extreme freedom. They think that people are the ones who create their own moral guidelines. This is very different from moral systems that focus on following rules set by others.

4. Absurdism and Finding Meaning:

   • Existentialism often connects with a viewpoint called absurdism. This idea suggests that life doesn’t have built-in meaning.
   • This challenges moral systems that promise meaning through following societal or religious rules.
   • Interestingly, about 65% of students taking philosophy classes say they feel a sense of worry or discomfort when they realize there are no clear moral standards.

In summary, existentialist ideas create a view of morality that is flexible, personalized, and closely linked to a person's search for meaning in a world that doesn’t provide answers. This presents a big shift from the fixed morals found in traditional systems, changing how we understand and apply ethical values.