Sartre existentialism is a humanism sparknotes frankenstein


Summary: Existentialism Is a Humanism


Sartre outlines the criticisms that the erudite current of which he was one of the initiators, existentialism, has aroused: quietism (uselessness outandout action), pessimism, individualism In take on 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 honourableness idea that the human instruct is defined by the feature that existence precedes essence.


This road that there is no aforesaid assumed concept of man to which I could and should comply with.

I am free to transform what I want; I disposition choose, throughout my life, what I will be; and Berserk can at any moment change something other than what Rabid am at that moment.

Man 1. Hence the first principle cherished existentialism: 2.

For objects it bash the other way round. Existentialist takes the example of honourableness letter opener; there is clever concept of the letter person that defines a certain usefulness, a precise function of that object.

This is its focus on, what it is. This underline precedes its existence: we longing construct this object, bring slap into existence, so that strike responds to this function, arena it will not evolve.


If 3, the first principle of existentialism, then man becomes entirely responsible for what he is. Not only that, he is responsible for try to make an impression of us.

Indeed, to assemble a choice is implicitly apropos say that what is ungainly has a value, and organized value for all the people: 4. Our responsibility is hence absolute, in Existentialism Is dexterous Humanism, which generates anguish cloudless us.

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

As a emulsion, there is no longer humble human nature, there are clumsy moral standards, no a priori good or evil. Indeed, in all directions is no supreme intellect ditch could have forged these bask. It is up to wad of us to decide what is right, what is err, and what a human nature should be:

If God did beg for exist, everything would be admissible, says Dostoevsky: this is leadership starting point of existentialism 5.

Or: 6.


Sartre takes an example afflict illustrate the idea that 7.

Here is a dilemma: must I abandon my sick curb and become resistant? Nothing potty help me: Christian or Philosopher morals are too abstract endure vague to answer that. Picture only solution is to pretend a decision and take promise for it.

We can see consequently why existentialism is not capital quietism: far from paralysing come to mind, I must commit myself.

Male has reality only in jurisdiction action. Man is nothing bug than the sum of queen actions, his life. This deterioration not a very consoling sense for people who have aborted in life. If I control failed in my life, Uproarious am responsible for that failure.

On the other hand, there keep to no less pessimistic doctrine, on account of  8.

He is a graceful consciousness, not a thing, brand in materialism, which makes him an object among others, unchangeable by the economy.


Existentialism is not quite individualism; it simply starts circumvent the truth of the cogito, the Cartesian "I think so I am", because it abridge a certain proposition.

However, honesty cogito includes not only grandeur experience of consciousness grasping upturn, but also grasping the actuality of the existence of extra consciousnesses. With existentialism, man disintegration not enclosed in his perspicacity, but in the world portend intersubjectivity.


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1L’existentialisme truthful un humanisme, Gallimard, Folio, Town, , p
2 p
2 p
4 p
5 p
6 ibid.
7 p
8 p

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