Exploring Existentialism: A Guide to Understanding Humanism

Melissa Garcia: Llego sellado y sin ningún daño.

Mexico on Dec 22, 2022

Dkoi Acc: This book feels more like a long conversation with Sartre. Since he didn't write the book, instead it is a written version of a speech he held, it seems more life like. I can reccomend this book for everyone who wants to expand his horizon of philosophy or wants to start reading books alike. Good for beginners in the field.

Germany on Sep 30, 2022

Hridoy: Nice book.

India on Aug 12, 2021

H: Great short intro on the topic. Will be buying more of Sartre.

Canada on Apr 20, 2020

Jeremy David Stevens: The author, philosopher Jean Paul Sartre, gave a lecture, followed by a question-and-answer session in Paris, late in 1945. He set out to more clearly define existentialism, which even he admits during the talk is somewhat complicated by the fact that some approach existentialism from a religious point-of-view (such as Jaspers and Dostoevsky) while others approach existentialism from an atheistic point-of-view (such as himself and Heidegger). The transcription of that lecture (which is said to be lightly edited by Sartre himself) makes up the text of this book, including a section for the Q and A that follows.

The guiding principle of existentialism, according to Sartre, is as follows:

“Existence precedes essence.”

Simply put, Sartre wants his listener/reader to understand that we have the power to shape our own lives through our choices. In that sense, we are a blank canvas waiting for the artist (ourselves) to create our own masterpiece. For example, we may not have control over how our boss treats us at work, but we have complete control of how we respond and how we act in the first place.

This concept of being in control of the direction of our...

United States on Jun 05, 2019

Silvia Apalaghiei: I’ve always felt as Sartre was speaking directly to me. He had such a kind spirit and amaizing personality. Existentialism is a humanist is like my bible, and I trust every word in it.

United Kingdom on Dec 29, 2018

MJ Smith: Many of the existialist writings have influenced me, such as The Age of Reason and The Stranger, but in this book we see Sartre define what Existialism is. The book is a printed version of a lecture Sartre gave defending Existialism because it was being loosely misrepresented in many circles from religious groups, Marxists and people using it as a catch phrase for loose behavior or being artistic. If you want to understand what Existialism is, whether you are new to it or a long term admirer of it, there is no better book to explain it than this one.

Sartre begins his lecture explaining how some people misinterpret what Existenialism is, encouraging people to quietism and despair, emphasizing what is despicable, suspicious, base and pessimistic, and how the notion of Existentialism isolating individuals away from society, so they only consider themselves is a false notion.

Notable statements from Sartre include: “Man is not only that which he conceives himself to be, but that which he wills himself to be, and since he conceives of himself only after he exists, just as he wills himself to be after being thrown into existence, man is nothing other than what he makes...

United States on Feb 13, 2018

ELT: In this one talk Sartre provides a clear overview of the varying aspects of existentialism, clarifying each (as he is refuting arguments against the philosophy throughout) which leaves the reader with a solid understandings of the tenets of the philosophy. It is extremely readable and will certainly leave you thinking. Great if you want to find a starting place for existentialism but aren't sure which area to dive into in regards to fiction or non-fiction (A good follow-up to this piece is Camus' The Stranger)

United States on Dec 16, 2015

Brian J. Hendricks: This is a great book for someone looking to start examining the philosophy of existentialism or for the person that has already begun on the path and wants to still know more before diving into Being and Nothingness. This is not a systematic approach to the finer points of existentialism which is good for the above stated purposes. What you will get from reading the first part of the book (Sartre's remarks that Existentialism is a Humanism) is a basic explanation of what makes existentialism in its atheistic setting what it is. The book is lacking in the esoteric and abstract theories that are found in the heavier works.

The most helpful part of the discourse that is the first part of the book is that Sartre gives a very basic outline of the belief system and answers some of the most basic questions that a person may struggle with in regard to the negative connotations that existentialism can propose once a person comes to the understanding of the "absurdity of life." There is one part of the book that may seem a little dated, this being the part in which Sartre confronts the Communists and their issues with his philosophy. Even so, these parts are still beneficial because...

United States on Sep 13, 2012