Jean-Paul Sartre and existentialism

Jean-Paul Sartre (1905–1980) was a French philosopher, writer, and public figure who became the leading figure of 20th-century existentialism. His works not only shaped an entire school of philosophical thought but also had a profound influence on literature, theater, politics, and ideas about human freedom and responsibility.

Sartre was born in Paris and studied at the École Normale Supérieure, where he met Simone de Beauvoir, his lifelong companion and an equally significant philosopher. After surviving German captivity during World War II, Sartre returned to France convinced of the need to understand human freedom amid the absurdity and chaos of existence. In 1964, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature but declined it, declaring that a writer should not become an institution.

Existentialism is a philosophical school that focuses on the existence of the individual, their freedom of choice, and personal responsibility for their actions. Unlike classical philosophical systems that sought a universal human nature, existentialists argued that humans first exist and then create themselves through their actions.

Sartre's famous thesis, "existence precedes essence," means that humans are not born with a predetermined nature or destiny. Unlike an object, such as a knife, which is created according to a preconceived design by a craftsman, humans are first born and then, through their choices and actions, define who they are. This places enormous responsibility on the individual: since there is no predetermined essence, it is the individual who, through their actions, creates themselves and, in a sense, the entire image of humanity.

One of the central concepts of Sartre's philosophy is radical freedom . According to Sartre, man is "condemned to be free": he cannot avoid choice, since even the refusal to choose is still a choice. This freedom generates anxiety (angoisse), for with it comes full responsibility for the consequences of one's own decisions—not only for oneself, but, in a certain sense, for all of humanity, since by choosing for oneself, one simultaneously offers a model of behavior for all.

Sartre introduces the concept of "bad faith"—a self-deception in which a person refuses to acknowledge their own freedom and responsibility, hiding behind social roles, circumstances, or supposed predetermination. For example, a waiter who overzealously plays the role of a waiter, as if he were nothing more than a function, demonstrates a classic example of bad faith: he tries to convince himself that he is a thing, not a free being capable of making other choices.

Sartre expressed his philosophical ideas not only in treatises such as Being and Nothingness (1943), but also in fiction and drama. The novel Nausea (1938) conveys the existential experience of the absurdity of existence through the experiences of the protagonist Antoine Roquentin. The play Shut In (Huis clos, 1944) gave the world the famous phrase "Hell is other people," illustrating the complexity of interpersonal relationships and the constant pressure of others' gazes on our freedom.

In his lecture "Existentialism is a Humanism" (1946), Sartre responded to critics who accused existentialism of pessimism and amorality. He argued that it is precisely the recognition of complete freedom and responsibility that makes a person a truly humanistic being: since there is no God and no predetermined values, then man himself, through his actions, creates values ​​and meaning for his own life.

Sartre was not only a closet philosopher but also an active public figure: he supported leftist movements, opposed colonialism, criticized the Vietnam War, and participated in the 1968 student protests in France. For him, philosophy could not be divorced from practice—the freedom he wrote about had to be embodied in the real struggle for justice.

Sartre's ideas had a significant influence on philosophy, psychology, literature, and culture in the second half of the 20th century. His existentialism became emblematic of an era that questioned the meaning of life amid wars, totalitarianism, and the loss of traditional religious foundations. Today, Sartre's works continue to inspire reflection on freedom, choice, and the personal responsibility of each person for their own life .