Delivered 06 Dec 2006
www.philorum.org
www.philorum.org
Speech Outline:
Key themes of existentialism
- "Existence precedes essence" (Sartre): Existential philosophies reject any pre-determined human nature. Humans exist first, starting out as "nothingness" and then define themselves through their choices and actions.
- We are what we do: "Man is nothing else but what he purposes, he exists only in so far as he realises himself, he is therefore nothing else but the sum of his actions, nothing else but what his life is." (Sartre)
- Freedom/responsibility/anxiety: The individual is free to make choices but is responsible for the consequences of those choices. Because every action is a choice, we always have choices and are not pre-determined in any way, there is no escaping or, as Sartre put it, "no exit" from our freedom; the individual is "condemned to be free"
- Authenticity: Being "true to oneself". Individuals are true to themselves when they engage in projects which are their own and not governed by any externally imposed ideals (e.g. religion).
- Bad faith: Denying or evading one's freedom or facticity is bad faith, and is the closest thing to an existential "sin". One is in bad faith when one allows one's role or situation to rule one's choices and actions. Bad faith also arises through self-deception, i.e. lying to oneself by deliberately avoiding facing up to painful facts about ourselves.
Who Sartre & Beauvoir were
- Sartre realised he was ugly at a very young age and decided he'd have to use his intelligence to seduce women.
- Though of himself as a "scholarly Don Juan".
- Loved the game of seduction but preferred croissants to sex.
- Thought a great man shouldn't be restricted and offered all his girlfriends the "precious gift of freedom".
- Met Beauvoir in 1929 at the Sorbonne.
- Beauvoir accepted Sartre's pact of freedom.
- Inspired each other for the rest of their lives.
Sartre & Beauvoir's existential romantic love relationship
- They wanted to create a philosophy that could be lived.
- Agreed that they would be primary lovers but free to have contingent/secondary lovers.
- Biggest risk in having a "free" relationship is jealousy.
- Attempted to overcome jealousy by "transparency" (telling each other everything).
- Realised that the truth often hurt the ones they loved so both lied to protect the other lovers.
Key issues in romantic existential love
- Were Beauvoir & Sartre in bad faith because they lied to their lovers (rather than accepting consequences & responsibility for their actions)?
- Can freedom and fidelity be reconciled in the existential framework?
- Was Sartre just a predator using philosophy to seduce women?