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Existentialism is a Humanism

Context:

1. What is Sartre trying to achieve? What is his purpose?2. How has existentialism been reproached?

The meaning of Existentialism

1. What is existentialism?

2. What are the two kinds of existentialists? What dothey have in common?

. What is meant by !"xistence comes before essence#?$. Summari%e the paper&knife example.'. Show how humans may be existentially di(erent from a

paper&knife.

Responsibility

1. What are some of the implications of the idea that!existence is prior to essence#?

2. )n what basis does Sartre hold that there is no humannature?

. What does it mean to say !*n choosing for himself+ hechooses for all men#?$. What is the importance of interconnectedness?'. How can existentialism respond to the criti,ue that it is

ego&centric?

Anguish

1. Why does the existentialist frankly state that man is inanguish?

2. What ,uestion should we ask ourselves when we act?. What does the example of -braham teach us?$. What does the story of the hallucinating woman teach

us?'. What is the moral status of !following orders#?. How is anguish a condition of action itself?

Abandonment

1. -ccording to Sartre+ what di(erence does it make if thereis no /od?

2. What did 0ostoevsky write about /od which providesthe starting point of existentialism?

. What implication does this have on freedom?$. What does the existentialist believe about the !power

of passion# and !signs#?'. What does the example of the student teach us?

. What does the example of the esuit teach us?. What does !abandonment# imply? What goes well

with this abandonment?

Despair

1. What does Sartre mean by !despair#?2. Why does Sartre think that when 0escartes said+

!3on,uer yourself rather than the world+# what hemeant was !we should act without hope#?

. What is the 4arxist ob5ection and Sartre6s reply?$. 0oes that mean that * should abandon myself to

,uietism?

'. How does Sartre go beyond a re5ection of ,uietism?. How could some people be horri7ed by this view?. What is meant by !sternness of our optimism#?8. What counts+ in the end?

Subjectivity

1. What do Sartre and 0escartes agree on?2. Why does Sartre think that this theory alone is

incompatible with the dignity of man?

. What is the aim of this view?

The ther

1. What do Sartre and 0escartes disagree on?2. Why does Sartre say+ !* cannot obtain any truth

whatsoever about myself+ except through themediation of another#?

. How is the )ther indispensable to any knowledge *can have of myself?

!nter"subjectivity

1. How should we understand our role and the role ofothers in the human condition?

2. What is the !human condition#?. *s it possible to understand and value something

about all people given this idea?

#ad $aith

1. What are some implications of the existentialemphasis on freedom?

2. What is the di(erence between free being andabsolute being?

. How is a person acting in good faith di(erent from aperson acting in bad faith?

$. Sartre says people make choices !without referenceto any pre&established value#+ but it is un5ust to taxhim with caprice. 0o you agree?

'. What does Sartre mean when he says that we makeourselves?

$reedom

1. *n what sense is it both true and false to say+ about anexistentialist !9ou are unable to 5udge others#?

2. What is the goal of freedom and of people of goodfaith?

. How can the existentialist form 5udgments of others?

$. What does Sartre mean by !)ne can chooseanything+ but only if it is upon the plane of freecommitment#?

!nvention of %alues

1. What is Sartre6s response to the ob5ection: !9ourvalues are not serious+ since you choose themyourselves#?

2. What kind of humanism does Sartre disagree with?Why?

. What does Sartre mean by !;ranscendence#+!transcendent aims# and !self&surpassing#?

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$. How can man<kind= reali%e itself as truly human?

Conclusion

1. Would it make any di(erence to Sartre if /od existed?

2. How is existentialism a !doctrine of action#?