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bittersweet_symphony's review against another edition
4.0
It is an accessible introduction to the radical philosophy that "existence precedes essence." Sartre offers a fierce challenge to mainstream philosophy and the futile attempts of metaphysics--which fails to give satisfactory answers to existence.
Sartre negates the idea of "human nature" while acknowledging a universal set of "human conditions" wherein we are "condemned to be free" to create our own moral universe. We are thrown into existence and forced to make meaning from the absurd world we occupy. We cannot defer to anybody else for meaning nor can we reject the immense responsibility that comes with our existence as agentic beings. "So choose!"
While existentialism's heyday was in the mid-20th century, it has much to offer in contrast to determinism, materialism, and rationalism which seem to do violence to human dignity and human sovereignty. Often characterized as a philosophy of "despair", Sartre argues it may actually be a philosophy of action, possibility, and optimism.
Sartre negates the idea of "human nature" while acknowledging a universal set of "human conditions" wherein we are "condemned to be free" to create our own moral universe. We are thrown into existence and forced to make meaning from the absurd world we occupy. We cannot defer to anybody else for meaning nor can we reject the immense responsibility that comes with our existence as agentic beings. "So choose!"
While existentialism's heyday was in the mid-20th century, it has much to offer in contrast to determinism, materialism, and rationalism which seem to do violence to human dignity and human sovereignty. Often characterized as a philosophy of "despair", Sartre argues it may actually be a philosophy of action, possibility, and optimism.
wextra's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
While more a defense of existentialism and the existentialist mind than a groundbreaking work of pure theory, Sartre so effectively defines the entire movement against all valid charges laid against it with righteous fury great thought, thoroughly refuting his critics in a deeply entertaining matter. Passion is the word to describe Existentialism is a Humanism and it is that passion for life that drives the movement this work so aggressively defends.
miss_ilsa's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
sweetchoas's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.25
very very interesting