PHL100Y1 Study Guide - Final Guide: Simone De Beauvoir, Existence Precedes Essence, Jean-Paul Sartre
Document Summary
Sartre and de beauvoir: sartre gives two characterizations of existentialism, referring to existence, essence, and subjectivity. Explain these characterizations: what reasons support them, and how are they related: ma(cid:374)"s e(cid:454)iste(cid:374)(cid:272)e p(cid:396)e(cid:272)edes esse(cid:374)(cid:272)e: man first exists in the world, then encounters and defines himself. Be(cid:272)ause the(cid:396)es (cid:374)o god to (cid:272)o(cid:374)(cid:272)ei(cid:448)e of it the(cid:396)es (cid:374)o hu(cid:373)a(cid:374) (cid:374)atu(cid:396)e, o(cid:374)l(cid:455) (cid:449)hat (cid:373)a(cid:374) (cid:373)akes of hi(cid:373)self. For aristotle and plato essence came first. Subjectivity refers both to sovereignty of will and limitations of knowledge: freedom of individual to choose what he will be/mans inability to transcend human subjectivity. Subjectivity as willing what should be: no source of external values without god, the subject is now the only creator of value. In choosing yourself, you choose what everyone should do/you choose man. Bad faith: denying your freedom/pretending you are not free, and denying your facticity: pretending your freedom absolves you of all responsibility for past actions.
