Existentialism: Confronting Nothingness (1) — Jean Paul Satre
Gurinder Purewal
Introduction
“Existentialism Is a Humanism” discusses Sartre’s philosophy of existentialism and helped Sartre gain literary reputation as the main themes and arguments in this work are organized around a defence of existentialism against common critiques (Satre [1946] 2005). Sartre defends existentialism as a philosophy of human responsibility, empowerment, freedom, and rejection of despair. The main themes and arguments to watch for throughout the reading are listed below:
- Reproach of Quietism and Despair: The concept of existentialism is accused of supporting inaction and despair; implied in this thought is that if no solutions exist, then all actions are futile. However, Sartre rejects this idea and emphasizes existentialism’s focus on individual responsibility.
- Criticism for Pessimism: Sartre argues that the ability of existentialism to recognize the darkest elements of human life provides people with the tools to oppose reality so they can shape their own lives rather than give in to pessimism.
- Rejection of Objective Values: Sartre contends against the Christian argument that existentialism ignores objective moral values and the word of God (known as moral relativism). Sartre asserts that humans are free to create their own value without the predetermined essence of God. (Satre [1946] 2005)
Reading
Access the reading via the Marxists Internet Archive: Existentialism Is a Humanism (Satre [1946] 2005)
Discussion Questions
Existentialism and Freedom
- How does Sartre view of freedom (“existence precedes essence”) differ from the traditional philosophical or religious understandings of human nature?
Pessimism Vs. Optimism
- Sartre argues against the common criticism of Existentialism as being overly pessimistic as it focused on the darker aspects of human nature and instead claims that Existentialism is fundamentally optimistic. Which perspective do you find more convincing, and why?
Existentialism and Humanism
- Now that you have done the reading – what does Sartre mean by the claim “existentialism is a humanism” and what ways does existentialism affirm the value of human life?
Bibliography
Sartre, Jean-Paul. (1946) 2005. Existentialism Is a Humanism. Translated by Philip Mairet and edited by Walter Kaufman and Andy Blunden. Marxists Internet Archive. https://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/sartre/works/exist/sartre.htm.
How to Cite This Page
Purewal, Gurinder. 2024. “Existentialism: Confronting Nothingness (1): The Wall — Jean Paul Satre.” In Great Thinkers, edited by Gurinder Purewal and Jenna Woodrow. Kamloops, BC: TRU Open Press. https://greatthinkers.pressbooks.tru.ca/chapter/confronting-nothingness-satre/.
