is the text of a conference given by Jean-Paul Sartre in October 1945. He had already published several philosophical works, including
Being and Nothingness, several plays, and the first two volumes of
The Roads to Freedom. He was already a famous writer, whose work has been widely read and criticized. Through this conference, Sartre intended to make his philosophy more accessible and to respond to several criticisms addressed to him.
Definition of existentialism
Definition of existentialismSartre’s conference begins by defining existentialism through its effects: it is a “doctrine which makes human life possible and also affirms that every truth and every action imply an environment and a human subjectivity” (p. 18). This optimistic definition makes it
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Citation: Malinge, Yoann. "L'Existentialisme est un humanisme". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 19 April 2021 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=11104, accessed 03 October 2024.]