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Sartre's Existentialism: Humanism, Anguish, and Freedom of Choice, Study notes of Ethics

In this document, g.j. Mattey explores jean-paul sartre's philosophy of existentialism as presented in his essay 'existentialism is a humanism'. Sartre's unique perspective on human existence, essence, and the universal responsibility of individuals is discussed, along with the criticisms of communists and christians. The document also covers sartre's concepts of anguish, despair, and the consequences of subjectivity.

What you will learn

  • What is the role of anguish and despair in Sartre's ethics?
  • How does Sartre respond to the criticisms of communists and Christians regarding human solidarity?
  • What is Sartre's existentialist slogan?

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Sartre’s “Existentialism is a Humanism”
G. J. Mattey
Spring, 2017 / Philosophy 1
Existentialism
Jean-Paul Sartre (1905-1980) was a leading proponent of a style of philosophy
known as “existentialism.
He did a great deal to popularize existentialism through his literary work and his
popular essays.
In “Existentialism is a Humanism,” Sartre tries to explain what existentialism is
and to defend it from various criticisms.
Sartre’s existentialist slogan is that human existence is prior to human essence.
My essence, the kind of person I am now, is the product of the free choices I
have made in the course of my life.
In describing humans as self-made, Sartre faced two kinds of criticisms:
The communists say that we would be forced into inaction,
The Christians accuse him of overthrowing the basis of morality, which is
divine command.
Both sides claim that there would be no human solidarity.
Existence and Essence
The prevailing philosophical view of human beings is that they have a “nature”
or “essence” which greatly constrains what they can become.
For example, Christians take humans to be created by God in accordance with a
prior concept of humanity.
Sartre denies the existence of God, and he thinks that this has the consequence
that there is no human essence.
People first exist, then make themselves into whatever it is they become.
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Sartre’s “Existentialism is a Humanism”

G. J. Mattey

Spring, 2017 / Philosophy 1

Existentialism

  • Jean-Paul Sartre (1905-1980) was a leading proponent of a style of philosophy known as “existentialism.”
  • He did a great deal to popularize existentialism through his literary work and his popular essays.
  • In “Existentialism is a Humanism,” Sartre tries to explain what existentialism is and to defend it from various criticisms.
  • Sartre’s existentialist slogan is that human existence is prior to human essence.
  • My essence, the kind of person I am now, is the product of the free choices I have made in the course of my life.
  • In describing humans as self-made, Sartre faced two kinds of criticisms:
    • The communists say that we would be forced into inaction,
    • The Christians accuse him of overthrowing the basis of morality, which is divine command.
  • Both sides claim that there would be no human solidarity.

Existence and Essence

  • The prevailing philosophical view of human beings is that they have a “nature” or “essence” which greatly constrains what they can become.
  • For example, Christians take humans to be created by God in accordance with a prior concept of humanity.
  • Sartre denies the existence of God, and he thinks that this has the consequence that there is no human essence.
  • People first exist, then make themselves into whatever it is they become.
  • The subjectivity of their existence is unique to human beings and is their dignity.
  • Although the starting-point is the individual self, Sartre contends that the self chooses for all of humanity.
  • I determine what I ought to be, and in so doing I determine what humans in general ought to be.

Anguish

  • Sartre’s ethics builds on psychological categories described ealier by Kierkegaard and Heidegger.
  • If I am to choose for all of humanity, then I am deeply responsible for what humanity is to become.
  • I may try to deny that I have this universal responsibility, but this is only self- deception.
  • Many possibilities are open to me, and in many cases I have no proof that any one course of action is right.
  • This leads to “anguish” which is characteristic of the human condition.
  • Without a God to guide me in my choices, I am “forlorn.”
  • I am thrown into the world with no support and condemned to be free—responsible even for my passions.

An Example

  • A student has good reasons to remain with his mother (who needs him) or to leave her to fight the Nazi occupation.
  • It is certain that staying will help his mother, and staying is dictated by an ethics of sympathy.
  • It is not certain that he will have any effect on the occupation, but a social ethics dictates that he fight.
  • The moral laws of neither Christian nor Kantian ethics can determine what he should do.
  • In the end, the student remained with his mother because of his feeling of sym- pathy.
  • His feeling had no value in itself: it got its value from the fact that he chose on the basis of it.
  • God has been rejected, so there is no theological basis.
  • Kantian ethics is too abstract to provide real moral guidance.
  • It would be comforting for there to be another being to take away our forlornness, anxiety, and despair.
  • But as human beings, we must invent values for ourselves.
  • In so doing, we can create a human community.

Humanism

  • We can now show why existentialism is a kind of “humanism.”
  • It is not a humanism in the sense of taking individual credit as a human for the deeds of others. - We may only take credit or blame for our own actions.
  • But it is a humanism in the sense that in choosing for one’s self, one chooses for all of humanity.
  • The universe is a human universe, and the lawgivers of that universe are individ- ual human beings.
  • Neither God nor a human essence is required for there to be a genuine human community.