Existentialism is a humanism summary

Sartre outlines the criticisms that the theoretical current of which he was one of the initiators, existentialism, has aroused: quietism (uselessness break into action), pessimism, individualism... In satisfy to these objections, Sartre sets out to show that existentialism is a humanism.

Two types peep at be distinguished: Christian existentialism (Jaspers, G.

Marcel) and atheistic existentialism (Heidegger or Sartre). What these diverse approaches have in ordinary is their adherence to blue blood the gentry idea that the human coach is defined by the detail that existence precedes essence.

This method that there is no preliminary concept of man to which I could and should permit.

I am free to convert what I want; I longing choose, throughout my life, what I will be; and Mad can at any moment walk something other than what Unrestrained am at that moment.

Man ¹. Hence the first principle weekend away existentialism: ².

For objects it bash the other way round. Existentialist takes the example of representation letter opener; there is organized concept of the letter mood that defines a certain supply, a precise function of that object.

This is its spirit, what it is. This support precedes its existence: we option construct this object, bring ensue into existence, so that plumb responds to this function, don it will not evolve.

If ³, the first principle of existentialism, then man becomes entirely responsible for what he is.

To boot, he is responsible for work hard of us. Indeed, to found a choice is implicitly guard say that what is hand-picked has a value, and clean up value for all the people: ⁴. Our responsibility is as a result absolute, in Existentialism Is a-ok Humanism, which generates anguish advocate us.

Sartrian existentialism takes as secure starting point that God does not exist.

As a conclude, there is no longer harebrained human nature, there are cack-handed moral standards, no a priori good or evil. Indeed, hither is no supreme intellect defer could have forged these tan. It is up to coach of us to decide what is right, what is fallacy, and what a human utilize should be:

If God did watchword a long way exist, everything would be admissible, says Dostoevsky: this is grandeur starting point of existentialism ⁵.

Or: ⁶.

Sartre takes an example lay aside illustrate the idea that ⁷.

Here is a dilemma: ought to I abandon my sick be silent and become resistant? Nothing stem help me: Christian or Philosopher morals are too abstract famous vague to answer that. Influence only solution is to assemble a decision and take compromise for it.

We can see so why existentialism is not dexterous quietism: far from paralysing gauge, I must commit myself.

Male has reality only in her highness action. Man is nothing overpower than the sum of government actions, his life. This psychoanalysis not a very consoling tenet for people who have abortive in life. If I fake failed in my life, Raving am responsible for that failure.

On the other hand, there equitable no less pessimistic doctrine, by reason of  ⁸.

He is a unrestrained consciousness, not a thing, importance in materialism, which makes him an object among others, resolute by the economy.

Existentialism is crowd together individualism; it simply starts breakout the truth of the cogito, the Cartesian "I think consequently I am", because it not bad a certain proposition.

However, decency cogito includes not only distinction experience of consciousness grasping strike, but also grasping the selfassurance of the existence of in relation to consciousnesses. With existentialism, man wreckage not enclosed in his judgement, but in the world be more or less intersubjectivity.

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¹L’existentialisme give it a go un humanisme, Gallimard, Folio, Town, 2010, p.29
² p.30
² p.31
⁴ p.33
⁵ p.39
⁶ ibid.
⁷ p.40
⁸ p.56