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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
A paper which looks at the differences between existentialism and humanism, with particular reference to Sartre's theories of existentialism.
Page Count:
3 pages (~225 words per page)
File: JL5_JLexishum.rtf
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Unformatted sample text from the term paper:
human nature as something which is essential and has an existence beyond, and outside of, actual human beings themselves, then it is evident that it is something which is not
only common to all humans, but also defines their humanity. This "human-ness" is not only the concept which we use to identify ourselves, it also has an abstract quality: if
there were not, and had never been, any real material human beings the essence of "human nature" would still exist as an abstract or spiritual form.
Existentialism, on the other hand, states that human beings do not share in
this common, pre-existing quality of essence, but instead, they create their own essence. What they are is defined through their own behaviour, their own thoughts and actions, and their own
decisions. Existence is the first instance, whereas essence is the second: the reverse of humanism, in fact. One cannot, therefore, classify human beings as a group with human nature in
common, since each individual creates their own existence and their own self-definition, which gives rise to their own individual essence. Each human being starts, in effect, from nothing and creates
whatever they become, defining their being through a projection of what they foresee of themselves in the future.
Sartre, for example, argues that each individual has infinite freedom and infinite choice, and asserts that this is something which human beings
find extremely difficult to accept. Whatever situation one finds oneself in, it cannot be blamed on the actions of others, since one has had the freedom of choice to make
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