JEAN PAUL SARTRE (ABSOLUTE FREEDOM)

Philosophers have been pondering the notion of freedom for thousands of years.
Everyone is free because we have the freedom to choose. This is the point that Jean-Paul Sartre makes in his writing “On
'Absolute Freedom '.” His main argument is expanded with the idea that all of us are always free and thus responsible for
not only our actions but for our present circumstances. He argues that everyone is responsible for who they are and that
everyone is individually defined by their self-conscious choices and their commitment to those choices. “

Freedom is an essential component of a human person; it is an intrinsic and essential property of the person it
affects not only us as an individual but also others. Therefore, it is very essential to understand fully the very essence of
freedom in our lives. Most of us mistakenly treat freedom as choosing and doing what we want. However, this kind of
thinking can lead to chaos because freedom is not only about choosing what we want. Freedom considers existence,
consciousness choosing and accountability.
Today we will dealing with the truth about freedom in Philosophy of Jean Paul Sartre in which he emphasizes the
importance of existence, consciousness, choice and accountability as altogether the very essence of freedom.
Guide Question
1. Why is facticity important in connection to freedom?
2. Why is consciousness of one’s existence significance to freedom?
3. What does it mean “choosing is absolute”?
4. What is the role of the other in man’s freedom?
5. Is freedom absolute? Why or Why not?

ABSOLUTE - something that is free from any restriction or condition. something that is independent of some or all
relations. something that is perfect or complete.
ABSOLUTE FREEDOM - Probably not, as absolute freedom is an internal state of being that is not determined by money
or social and political issues or any external factors but instead derives directly from the state of independence from all
negative dynamics within our own consciousness

Freedom is an essential component of a human person; it is an intrinsic and essential property of the person it
affects not only us as an individual but also others. Therefore, it is very essential to understand fully the very essence of
freedom in our lives. Most of us mistakenly treat freedom as choosing and doing what we want. However, this kind of
thinking can lead to chaos because freedom is not only about choosing what we want. Freedom considers existence,
consciousness choosing and accountability.
Today we will dealing with the truth about freedom in Philosophy of Jean Paul Sartre in which he emphasizes the
importance of existence, consciousness, choice and accountability as altogether the very essence of freedom.
Everyone is free because we have the freedom to choose. This is the point that Jean-Paul Sartre makes in his
writing “On 'Absolute Freedom '.” His main argument is expanded with the idea that all of us are always free and thus
responsible for not only our actions but for our present circumstances. He argues that everyone is responsible for who they
are and that everyone is individually defined by their self-conscious choices and their commitment to those choices.
Sartre strongly said that, “Man is condemned to be free.” Because we have not any choice in the matter of
freedom and being free. Sartre said we are thrown in this world and after that we are completely responsible, for
everything we do. When we have no chance in whether we will be free to choose and then be responsible for all our
activities in future is indeed ‘condemnation’. And further when we make things worse, we cannot blame anybody or
anything for it.
Sartre does not deny there are some things which we cannot change or influence. Such as, where we were born
and who our parents are, but Sartre believes that we can change our attitude towards them. It is useless to say and Sartre
totally rejects this concept that our genetics and upbringing shapes us who we are today. Instead Sartre contends that
humans have the responsibility to choose what we become “That man has to decide what he is and what others are” .
I believe that the whole purpose of Sartre’s philosophy is to make people aware about their existence, freedom
and responsibility and to show them that they are free and creative beings. According to him, nothing could be more
practical, affirmative and optimistic philosophy of human existence than showing people that they are free at all times.
And without freedom our existence becomes absurd and meaningless.

Sartre defined freedom as the being for-itself which is free to choose and make itself, freedom is not to obtain
what one has wished but rather to determine one to wish. If we talk about an object, being-in-itself, that is determined by
its essence, like a tree it is not free to choose its destiny because it must live its life according to its nature. Sartre said we
humans have no intrinsic nature or essence because we have the unique ability of conscious self-reflection and we are free
to determine ourselves
Sartre strongly said that, “Man is condemned to be free.” Because we have not any choice in the matter of
freedom and being free. Sartre said we are thrown in this world and after that we are completely responsible, for
everything we do. When we have no chance in whether we will be free to choose and then be responsible for all our
activities in future is indeed ‘condemnation’. And further when we make things worse, we cannot blame anybody or
anything for it.
It has been believed that life is predetermined because of past events, but Sartre strongly rejected this argument by
saying that we definitely are not forced by past events and choices. But Sartre believed that human beings are always free
to make their own decisions and choices.
Sartre does not deny there are some things which we cannot change or influence. Such as, where we were born
and who our parents are, but Sartre believes that we can change our attitude towards them. It is useless to say and Sartre
totally rejects this concept that our genetics and upbringing shapes us who we are today. Instead Sartre contends that
humans have the responsibility to choose what we become “That man has to decide what he is and what others are” .
Freedom allows individuals to create their own world and each individual being is totally free to fulfill their will
or craving and create their own meaning and destiny. So we can say, man is completely free but responsible being. Thus
man is not only free he is responsible also of his actions and decisions which he chooses.
According to Sartre, “Man is indeed a project which possesses a subjective life” . Man as being condemned to
free bears the charge of the whole world on his shoulders. In other words freedom means to take charge of one’s actions
and decisions and to take burden of responsibilities on ones shoulder.
I believe that the whole purpose of Sartre’s philosophy is to make people aware about their existence, freedom
and responsibility and to show them that they are free and creative beings. According to him, nothing could be more
practical, affirmative and optimistic philosophy of human existence than showing people that they are free at all times.
And without freedom our existence becomes absurd and meaningless.
 The matter of freedom and action has been a source of controversy throughout history. It refers to a person's
ability to choose a path of action and accept responsibility for it without being constrained by prior causes or necessity.
This is the question addressed by Jean Paul Sartre, a twentieth-century French existentialist philosopher in his philosophy
that 
Sartre strongly said that, “Man is condemned to be free.” Because we have not any choice in the matter of
freedom and being free. Sartre said we are thrown in this world and after that we are completely responsible, for
everything we do.

“Man is condemned to be free; because once thrown into the world, he is responsible for everything he does. It is up to
you to give [life] a meaning.”
“Existence precedes and commands essence”

Sartre's theory of existentialism states that “existence precedes essence”, that is only by existing and acting a certain way
do we give meaning to our lives. According to him, there is no fixed design for how a human being should be and no God
to give us a purpose. Therefore, the onus for defining ourselves, and by extension humanity, falls squarely on our
shoulders. This lack of pre-defined purpose along with an 'absurd' existence that presents to us infinite choices is what
Sartre attributes to the “anguish of freedom”. With nothing to restrict us, we have the choice to take actions to become
who we want to be and lead the life we want to live. According to Sartre, each choice we make defines us while at the
same time revealing to us what we think a human being should be. And this incredible burden of responsibility that the
free man has to bear is what relegates him to constant anguish.