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The Doctrine Of Freedom And Responsibility In Jean Paul Sartre - The Fundamental Principles In An Authentic Existence
CHAPTER ONE -- [Total Page(s) 6]
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CHAPTER ONE
1.0 GENERAL INTRODUCTION
This thesis has to do with the problem of freedom in man’s realization of authentic existence in the existentialist philosophy of Jean Paul Sartre. Looking at this topic, certain basic questions readily come to mind. These may include: What is freedom? Is man actually free? What do we actually mean when we talk of freedom? This thesis is devoted to an attempt to answering these questions and a whole lot of others.
A thorough introspection into the being of man reflects the fact and role of freedom. In fact Sartre writes, ‘Man does not exist first in order to be free’. Subsequently; there is no difference between the being of man and his being free.â€[1] The essential consequence of our earlier remarks is that man being condemned to be free carries the weight of the whole world on his shoulders; he is responsible for the world and himself as a way of being.
Considering the identity of the being of man and his freedom he said, “for lack of getting out of it, I have chosen itâ€[2]. We flee this knowledge and responsibility by lying to ourselves.
However, the essence of a lie implies that the liar is actually in complete possession of the truth. In fact, the ideal liar must know the truth precisely in order to conceal it. Unfortunately, when we lie to ourselves we usually half-believe ourselves, falling victims to our own untruths. Thus, though we should know that we posses absolute freedom as well as absolute responsibility, we do not.
Though man has been viewed as sharing similar characteristics with other creatures, it is deducibly provable that apart from the distinctive property fundamental to man, he is equally endowed with the special quality of being free. His freedom follows from his intellect. Hence, Aquinas notes that; “The very fact that man is rational, necessitates his being characterized by free decision (Liberum arbitrium)â€[3]. No one can freely choose or even will an alternative, which one does not know. The will only pursues the object, which the intellect presents to it as good. Moreover, everyman desires to be totally free irrespective of all the constraints that surround him.
In his philosophy, Sartre advocates for freedom. He maintains absolute freedom for man. He says that man creates himself and that man is condemned to be free. He goes as far as what may be considered as complete atheism and amoralism, and as such says that there is no God. Everything is permissible.
This work is divided into four chapters. On the first chapter we shall deliberate on the general notion of freedom, we shall as well consider stating the problem and the scope of research; some philosopher’s notion on freedom, the problem of freedom, and the nature of human freewill. The views of some philosophers on the term freedom will consist in the ancient philosophers down to the contemporary ones.
Having dwelt so much on the views of the philosophers in their history, we shall then move over to chapter two, in which we shall consider freedom in its absolute nature, with special reference to Sartre, we shall as well consider its relation to authentic self-assertion and, this freedom and moral responsibility.
For Sartre, freedom and responsibility are the two attributes, which belong necessarily and absolutely to man. In fact, he made man synonymous with freedom and responsibility, and this became the necessary condition for existence. Authentic existence is presupposed by living in freedom and responsibility and thus; any attempt to dodge these qualities (freedom and responsibility) brings man inauthentic existence. It is this inauthentic existence that Sartre called bad faith.
In chapter three we shall consider a juxtaposition of freedom with determinism, consider human law and the practicability of Sartre’s absolute freedom, and the world of being and nothingness in relation to passion and freedom. Combating Sartre’s absolute freedom some schools of thought have undermined human capacity and projected the existence of a higher law, order, and have maintained that human actions are not freely chosen but are determined. And even through the influence of passion and beauty, human actions come by chance.
Following from all these, the final chapter shall tackle the absolute position of Sartre on freedom and, considering some limitations to human freedom, shall give a reasoned critique on the notion of absolute freedom and, finally take a position or stand on human freedom, which is the final conclusion.
CHAPTER ONE -- [Total Page(s) 6]
Page 1 of 6
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