1. Existentialism

2. Major Themes The Individual The Individual Passion Passion Human Freedom and Responsibility Human Freedom and Responsibility Idea of Existence Idea of Existence

3. The Individual There is a strong emphasis on the individual There is a strong emphasis on the individual How the individual experiences life How the individual experiences life

4. Passion Passion plays the central role, as opposed to the usual philosophical emphasis on reason and rationality Passion plays the central role, as opposed to the usual philosophical emphasis on reason and rationality The emphasis instead is on a passionate commitment The emphasis instead is on a passionate commitment For the existentialist, to live is to live passionately For the existentialist, to live is to live passionately

5. Human Freedom and Responsibility Existentialists are concerned with personal freedom and responsibility Existentialists are concerned with personal freedom and responsibility Two sides of the same coin Two sides of the same coin Political Freedom Political Freedom Personal Freedom and Free Will Personal Freedom and Free Will

6. Existence The key component of existentialism’s idea of existence is the realization of one’s own “contingency” Will not always exist We will die Time is most important

7. Jean-Paul Sartre’s Moral Theory

8. Jean-Paul Sartre (1905-1980)FrenchAtheistExistentialist

12. Essence? That which a thing truly is That which a thing truly is The idea of a thing The idea of a thing The Essential Nature of a Thing The Essential Nature of a Thing

13. Existence? To be To be To exist To exist

14. In all things except human beings Essence precedes existence Essence precedes existence

15. Essence Precedes Existence 1. You have the idea of something in your mind before you create it 2. Then you actually create the thing

16. But what about Human Beings?

17. Existence Precedes Essence 1. Since God does not exist (atheist) 2. God cannot give us our essence before we exist 3. Therefore, we must create our own essence

18. There is no God to give us our essence We must create our own essence We are completely responsible for our actions

19. We will be whatever we choose to be We will be whatever we choose to be We will be the sum of all of our actions We will be the sum of all of our actions We have complete freedom to be whatever we want to be We have complete freedom to be whatever we want to be

20. “Man is condemned to be free”

21. “Man is a Plan that is aware of Itself”

22. While we cannot always choose our circumstances While we cannot always choose our circumstances We can always choose how we react to them We can always choose how we react to them We cannot blame anyone else for how our lives turn out We cannot blame anyone else for how our lives turn out

23. Born poor Born poor Born rich Born rich Born with handicaps Born with handicaps Born in the wrong country Born in the wrong country Born on the wrong side of the tracks Born on the wrong side of the tracks Bad mother and father Bad mother and father Abused as child Abused as child

24. Anguish The pressure of knowing that we are choosing for all humanity by the way we live our lives

25. The Alien Example God

26. Forlornness God does not exist and we have to face all the consequences of this fact

27. What happens to us when we die? Worm food!

28. Despair We must reckon with all the possibilities when we make a decision

29. Did I make the right decision? Did I make the right decision? I wish I could change my course I wish I could change my course I wonder what would have happened if I took the other road? I wonder what would have happened if I took the other road?

30. 1 st Principle of Existentialism Man is nothing else but what he makes of himself

31. Definition of Subjectivity It is impossible for a man to transcend the human condition We can only experience life as a particular human being

32. SUBJECT RATHER THAN OBJECT Humans are not objects to be used by God or a government or corporation or society. Humans are not objects to be used by God or a government or corporation or society. Nor are we to be "adjusted" or molded into roles --to be only a waiter or a conductor or a mother or worker. We must look deeper than our roles and find ourselves. Nor are we to be "adjusted" or molded into roles --to be only a waiter or a conductor or a mother or worker. We must look deeper than our roles and find ourselves.

33. BAD FAITH To be guilty of regarding oneself not as a free person but as an object. To be guilty of regarding oneself not as a free person but as an object. In bad faith I am hiding the truth from myself. In bad faith I am hiding the truth from myself.

34. CHOICE I am my choices. I cannot not choose. I am my choices. I cannot not choose. If I do not choose, that is still a choice. If I do not choose, that is still a choice. If faced with inevitable circumstances, we still choose how we are in those circumstances. If faced with inevitable circumstances, we still choose how we are in those circumstances.

35. OUR ACTS DEFINE US "In life, a man commits himself, draws his own portrait, and there is nothing but that portrait.“ "In life, a man commits himself, draws his own portrait, and there is nothing but that portrait.“ Our illusions and imaginings about ourselves, about what we could have been, are nothing but self-deception. Our illusions and imaginings about ourselves, about what we could have been, are nothing but self-deception.

36. PASSION IS NO EXCUSE "I was overwhelmed by strong feelings; "I was overwhelmed by strong feelings; I couldn't help myself" is a falsehood. I couldn't help myself" is a falsehood. Despite my feelings, I choose how to express them in action. Despite my feelings, I choose how to express them in action.

37. The boy who had to make a decision