Jean-Paul Sartre and Existentialism Or “Why is life?”

Jean Paul Sartre (1905-1980) Born in Paris. Father died and mother remarried a German professor who introduced Jean Paul to classical literature. Frequently bullied in school. Became interested in philosophy as a teenager, received a doctorate in philosophy.

Drafted into the army, where he served as a meteorologist in WWII. Captured by Germans in 1940 and was a POW for nine months, during which time he wrote his first play. Released from prison due to poor health. Wrote Being and Nothingness, The Flies, and No Exit, also Anti-Semite and Jew, in which he tries to explain hate.

Won the Nobel Prize for Literature but declined because he did not want to be seen as taking sides in the East vs. West struggle by accepting a Western award. Went blind in 1973 and died from fluid in the lung in 1980.

Existentialism (a la Calvin and Hobbes)

Existentialism Came out of the sense of despair after the Great Depression and WWII. Analysis how humans exist in the world. Affected literature, film, and philosophy.

Existential Principles There is no god, so there is no value or meaning inherent in the world. Myth of Sisyphus Sisyphus creates his own meaning. Traditional view: essence precedes existence. 

Basic Existentialism FIRST we simply exist – THEN we create the nature of who and what we are FREEDOM RESPONSIBILITY CHOICE

5 fundamentals of basic Existentialism 1. Mankind has free will 2. Life is a series of choices, creating stress (a.k.a. “dread,” “despair”) 3. Most decisions have at least one negative consequence 4. Some things are irrational or absurd, without explanation (i.e., no real objective truth) 5. If one makes a decision, he or she must follow through

Being-in-itself: inanimate objects (observer creates “essence”) Bad faith to see ourselves as determined by an outside influence: our nature, our body, the physical world, and/or the expectations and pictures others have of us Being-in-itself: inanimate objects (observer creates “essence”) Being-for-itself: human consciousness (one chooses his/her “essence”)