Essay about Jean-Paul Sartre

📌Category: Philosophers, Philosophical Theories, Philosophy
📌Words: 576
📌Pages: 3
📌Published: 12 September 2021

INTRO TO JEAN-PAUL SARTRE AND SARTREAN WORKS

Jean-Paul Sartre was a Parisian writer, political activist, and philosopher of the 20th Century. He is hugely recognised as one of the key figures in Existential philosophy, as well as 20th Century European philosophy and Marxism. Alongside his spouse, Simone de Beauvoir, Sartre developed the key concepts around ‘bad faith’ and ‘authenticity’ in regards to how living people imbue their lives with meaning, typically associated with his famous work, ‘Being and Nothingness’ (L'Être et le Néant, 1943).  ‘No Exit’ is a 1944 existentialist play by Jean-Paul Sartre, first performed at the Théâtre du Vieux-Colombier. Plays, like other forms of entertainment, were approved or denied by German censors. ‘No Exit’ was denied and approved clearance to perform multiple times prior to the first performance, before the Liberation of Paris, in May 1944.(1)

EXISTENTIALISM (THEORY AND HISTORY)

‘Existentialism’ is a term that describes a system of ideas exploring the issue of human existence, centred on the lived experience of an individual. As a philosophical inquiry, Existentialism is based in the reactionary disbelief of an ‘essential property’ given by divine hand, thereby making it a countertheory to Essentialism, the widespread philosophy of the Ancient Greeks. As Essentialism dictates that one has an inner ‘essence’ that gives life meaning, (namely, that you were ‘born’ or created to adhere to said essence), it ultimately describes that the living person (the existence) is preceded by their purpose (the essence). Existentialism posits that no predetermined path or divine essence exists, suggesting that an individual comes into being and through life finds what gives their existence meaning. This is the core belief of existentialism: that existence lacks any inherent purpose or importance. As the world was not created with purpose or importance, it was also not created with absolutes, meaning there is no fairness, no order and no justice.

PRINCIPLES OF SARTREAN EXISTENTIALISM:

The inherent bizarreness of the world we are thrust into is the basis for much of Sartre’s philosophy. He explores the Absurd: the human craving for meaning in a world and existence that is totally meaningless. From this, came the Sartrean Perspective - acknowledging the radical strangeness of the world, by disavowing the value we have placed on material things around us and seeing them as they are with no context.

Further, from this a founding idea of Sartrean existentialism is born - the concept of ‘Monstrous Freedom’. As there are no rules, consequences, fairness or semblances of structure, we (the existing people) are not bound by essence, making us totally free. This freedom was described as ‘monstrous’ by Sartre, as he stated ‘man is condemned to be free, because once thrown into the world, he is responsible for everything he does.’ In a world of infinite choices, no authority and no guidance, the complete freedom of the world is agonising.

How does Sartre propose that we survive the profoundly strange world and it’s infinite choices? In light of knowing that you are completely free, Sartre prompts us to live in ‘Good Faith’: which is to say, to live authentically, accepting that all meaning, be it religious, romantic or otherwise that is attributed to your life, is given and dictated solely by you. ‘Good faith’ is the acceptance of the absurd - accepting that you are completely free, that all your choices are your own, that the meaning of your life has been given by you, and acting in accordance with that knowledge. Conversely, to live in ‘Bad faith’ is to refuse to accept the absurd and to refuse to accept one’s choices as their own or the responsibility of their freedom. 

‘HUIS CLOS’ (NO EXIT:

‘No Exit’ explores various dogmas of Sartrean existentialism, particularly the core philosophy of the completely autonomous individual and the power of one's will.

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