Jean-Paul Sartre &

Existentialism

Quel Est Existentialisme?

In Sartres words, existence precedes
essence
Absolute freedom: We are condemned
to be free
Life is essentially meaningless

Does this mean theres no

point to my existence?

So if everythings left up to
me, it doesnt really matter
what I do, does it?

You are still responsible for

your own actions!

Lets Talk About Nothingness!

Being and Nothingness (Freedom
and Responsibility)
War: There are no innocent victims
Why was I born?

Who would Sartre blame for

the Creatures condition in
Frankenstein? Why? Is this a
valid argument?

On a similar note, would an

existentialist agree with
Rousseaus justification for his
behavior?

Is Sartre right?
Are we entirely
responsible for
ourselves?
What about nature
vs. nurture?
Is there any inherent
meaning in life?

Does our freedom to

choose really induce us
to take responsibility for
ourselves?
If I know Im going to
die in the end, why
should I bother to worry
about the effects of my
actions?

Bibliography

Banach, David. Ethics of Absolute Freedom. Saint Anselm College.

<http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/sartre.html>.
Drake, Tom. Existentialism Shorty Notes.
<http://www.class.uidaho.edu/engl_258/Lecture%20Notes/existentialism
%20quick%20and%20dirty.htm>.
Drake, Tom. Existentialism.
<http://www.class.uidaho.edu/engl_258/Lecture
%20Notes/existentialism.htm>.
Existential Ethics. Lander University.
<http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/sartre.html>.
Sartre, Jean-Paul. Being and Nothingness. The Norton Anthology of
Western Literature. Eds. Sarah Lawall, et al. New York: W. W. Norton &
Co., 2006. 2104-06.
Sartre, Jean-Paul. Existentialism Is a Humanism. Marxists Internet
Archive.
<http://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/sartre/works/exist/sartre.htm>.