Sartre Philosophy: Freedom and Choice

Study Notes

Sartre believed that our choices are bound by the time in which we live.
He argued that we would make different choices if we lived in a different time, as our circumstances and the options available to us would be different.
This means that our actions are shaped by the historical and societal context we find ourselves in.

Sartre emphasized that humans are free to define themselves through their choices, and are responsible for the choices they make.
He believed that our essence is subjectively created through our choices and that we are constantly projecting ourselves into the future.
Sartre argued that this freedom is both a blessing and a curse, as it makes us responsible for shaping not only our own lives but also the values we hold.
Our values shape how we see the world, and by making choices we inherently deem those choices as “good,” not just for ourselves but for everyone.

Sartre believed that our existence is made up of both “transcendence” and “facticity.”
Facticity refers to the concrete facts of our lives - our past experiences, our social positions, our physical characteristics.
Transcendence, however, refers to our ability to go beyond these concrete facts and choose what we want to be.
Sartre saw the “self” as something that exists outside of consciousness, as it is a concept we grasp through thought.

Existentialism is not a set of fixed doctrines but rather a way of approaching life and philosophy.
While existentialists may have differing views about life, they generally agree that individual meaning and truth are crucial.
They are not focused on the "nature of ultimate reality," but rather on the individual's experience and choices.

Existentialists believe that in most cases, things have an essence that precedes their existence. This means that a thing's purpose or nature is defined before it is created.
However, for human beings, Sartre argued for the opposite: existence precedes essence. We are born without an inherent purpose, and it is through our choices that we create our essence.

For Sartre, human existence is inherently free, but also fraught with anxiety.
This is because we are constantly making choices, and are responsible for those choices.
We are free to create meaning and value for ourselves in a meaningless and value-less universe.
He believed that this freedom to choose is both a cause of anxiety and a necessary part of authentic living.
Being responsible for these choices is challenging, as it makes the weight of our actions fall entirely on us.

Sartre saw every situation as an opportunity to make a choice, which impacts the course of our lives.
We are constantly making decisions that define our future, and we bear the full responsibility for these choices, as we cannot shift the burden onto anyone else.
This can cause anguish, as we are left facing the consequences of our choices without any external guidance.