On Existential Inspiration

This paper starts with the examination of present researches, and focuses the main part on the exposure of the shortage of researches within psychological and anthropological fields, that is, they are all object researches on inspiration in epistemological field, no discovery made on its existentialism connotation. Research done in this paper is to accomplish an understanding and explanation to inspiration within existentialism horizon.Through tracing back to the origin of inspiration, the author points out that spirit theory is the basis of inspiration theory, without which man won't have any inspiration experience. Spirit is the origin and innate strength of life and inspiration is big leap and self-promotion of spirit. The paper also finds the common point for various inspiration experiences through some famous cases: inspiration is an experience of integration (encounter) between man's spirit and one invisible being. The integration is non-rational (or super-rational), emotional, and with some transcendence as well. In this integration (encounter), what man experiences is a"leap"of spirit, aside from a psychological fantastic experience.In the third par the author investigates some related theories, all of which reveal the existential characteristics of inspiration from different angles:Apocalypse is inspiration in religion, which stands for the gospel of God's saving human being, and the encounter between man and God as well. This encounter is personal event as historical existence which triggers man's new understanding of his living being and brings fundamental change to man's spirit.Plato's divine inspiration refers to the state of mania in which man can directly see the ultimate truth and The Idea itself. It is man's recollection of his transcendence which exists in the value context of his spiritual seeking for Good and spiritual immortality, promising man's noble existence at the same time.Kant's innate genius transcends the natural and physiological limitation to genius in romantic genius theory. Geniuses are those who realize their own freedom and inspiration is no other than the realization of freedom.In phenomenological existentialism, inspiration is demasking of existence and auto manifestation of life value to man, As a existential event, it calls people"Zu-sein", get rid of depravity of life and return to the origin of existence.Seen in the context of interpretation, as perception at the ontology level, inspiration demonstrates how understanding activities happen---reaching new understanding based on the understanding of man's self, so as to create meaning for man's living. Inspiration is always realized by some kind of symbolization. But in perspective of existentialism, symbolization is not only representation of some common essence, but an intermediary between man and spirit, therefore, symbolization is an existentialism phenomenon. Perhaps the apocalypse in religion can most indicate this very attribute and its relation with inspiration.The investigation to these theories is not only a deduction of existentialism connotation but also an explanation to various variants of inspiration in different fields. Therefore, existentialism has been implemented in both research methodology and exploration into inspiration connotation.On this basis, the author draws the conclusion: all inspirations are ultimately existential. Inspiration is a meaning attribution and creation, which can't be separated with human psychological field and value issue, the research of inspiration on existentialism can lead people to explore the foundation of existence.