Existentialism: Sartre’s Philosophy of Freedom
Existentialism: A Basic Conception of Human Existence According to Sartre
Introduction to Existentialism
Existentialism emerges when philosophers prioritize existence as the foundation of their philosophical inquiries. It can be seen as a response to philosophies centered on ideas and objects, emphasizing the concrete human experience.
Sartre’s Existentialism
Jean-Paul Sartre’s famous dictum, “existence precedes essence,” encapsulates the core of existentialist thought. This philosophy examines human existence with a dramatic and often pessimistic lens, characterized by what Sartre called “tragic lucidity.”
Existentialism, with roots in German philosophy, found its way to France through Husserl’s phenomenology and Heidegger’s hermeneutic phenomenology. It explores themes of freedom, responsibility, and the construction of the future based on the concept of existence.
Ontology of Consciousness
Sartre’s ontology of consciousness, understood as being-in-the-world, posits that intentional consciousness aims towards “being-in-itself.” This “being-in-itself” is characterized by opacity and stasis. However, consciousness is also “being-for-itself,” meaning it is not and cannot become “being-in-itself.” The subject of “being-for-itself” is perpetually separated from “being-in-itself.”
Human existence, therefore, is a “being-for-itself” that will never achieve “being-in-itself.” It is characterized by movement within the realm of possibilities: “The possible is what is missing when for-itself, to become being-in-itself” (Sartre). Self-existence is mundane and temporal, situated within the world and in relation to others. The attempt to transcend the limitations of “being-for-itself” and become a “being-for-another” leads to conflict and frustration. Sartre uses these concepts to argue against the existence of God, proposing an atheistic approach.
Freedom and Responsibility
Sartre’s work emphasizes the freedom inherent in human existence. Existing is an act based on intention and self-projection. Freedom is not merely a property but the foundation of human action, independent of external determination. The choice of a project, originating from the self, is fundamental in shaping one’s possibilities. This act of choosing oneself in the world is the primary act of freedom.
We have the capacity to change our existential project at any moment. Our choices are fragile, supported by our freedom, and exist as permanent possibilities, giving more weight to the past than the future. Our project is, therefore, unconditional.
Anguish arises from the awareness of our freedom and the ability to modify our existential project. Freedom makes us responsible for ourselves and for what happens in the world. This freedom is factual and subjective. Facticity, the limitations imposed by our circumstances, does not negate the unconditional nature of freedom.
Situation and Bad Faith
Our situation is shaped by our past, environment, relationships, and even our mortality. It is a position seized by the “for-itself.” While there are privileged situations, each individual creates their own. The situation is always concrete, a product of facticity illuminated by the free project of existence. It is created, owned, and chosen by us.
Sartre argues that we are condemned to exist forever and condemned to be free. The only limits to freedom are self-imposed. “Bad faith” occurs when we attempt to deny our freedom and responsibility by masking our nothingness and trying to incorporate ourselves into a fixed mode of being.
Responsibility and Commitment
Responsibility is the moral imperative of freedom. It is the “consciousness (of) being the author of an event or object.” This strict liability is a logical consequence of our freedom. We are responsible for our situation, and commitment is the logical consequence of responsibility.
Existentialism as Humanism
Existentialism is a form of humanism that acknowledges the consequences of the “death of God.” It is a doctrine of freedom, responsibility, commitment, and optimism. It emphasizes authenticity and opposes classical humanism, which views humans as having inherent value and purpose. Existentialist humanism sees humans as self-creating beings, responsible for their own existence, even in a world without inherent meaning.
Existentialism and Marxism
In his 1960 work “Critique of Dialectical Reason,” Sartre argues that Marxism is the dominant philosophical framework of his time and that existentialism is a parasitic ideology of the bourgeoisie. He attempts to reconcile his concept of freedom with Marxian historical materialism, suggesting that the meaning of history lies in the needs of the historical totality, which must be aligned with the lived freedom of individuals.
The project, the meaning given to a situation, determines its possibilities and limitations. This project is shaped by the material conditions of our existence and our childhood, mediated by the “field of instrumental possibilities.” Sartre integrates his vision of freedom with historical materialism, viewing the meaning of history as the need for the historical totality to align with the lived freedom of individuals.