PHIL 120W Lecture : Existentialism (Sartre)
28 Oct 2012
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Third candidate for the good life: hedonism & pleasure, tolstoy & faith, freedom existentialism. More like a philosophical spirit, not a system. Source grew out of post wwii, formalized through french philosophers. Atheist a (opposition) + theist (god-believing: heidegger, kirkegaarde. Stresses themes like existence, individualism, passion, commitment, integration of philosophy and life itself, most importantly choice and freedom! Another side to existentialism that is less cheery stresses dread, anguish, anxiety, death, loneliness . Sartre published in 1943 being and nothingness first official theory for existentialism. A few years later popular public lecture. Practiced what he preached got out amongst people and tried to make changes. Simone de beauvoir satre"s longtime lover and friend. Most philosophers believe in this: essence precedes existence. Essence = nature or purpose or function = comes before out physical existence. The essence of a knife is to cut. Its essence or function is there before it is ever manufactured.
