Abandonment, in philosophy, refers to the infinite freedom of humanity without the existence of a condemning or omnipotent
higher power. Original
existentialism explores the
liminal experiences of
anxiety, death, "the nothing" and
nihilism; the rejection of science (and above all, causal explanation) as an adequate framework for understanding human being; and the introduction of "
authenticity" as the norm of
self-identity, tied to the project of self-definition through freedom, choice, and commitment. Existential thought bases itself fundamentally in the idea that one's identity is constituted neither by nature nor by culture, since to "exist" is precisely to constitute such an identity. It is from this foundation that one can begin to understand abandonment and forlornness.