Publisher's Synopsis
An Insight into the Notion of Freedom What is the nature of Sartre‟s conception of existential freedom? How do we express the relation between freedom and human existence? We can start by analyzing a statement that echoes an existentialist theme - "Freedom is the necessity of human beings‟ existence‟. I would like to argue here that Sartre‟s early existentialist view reflects this idea. It can be noted that the use of the term "necessity‟ here should not be confused with the logical technicalities involved in the varied understanding of the word "necessity‟. Neither is this a question about whether existence is necessary or accidental. For, according to Sartre, existence is accidental and we are "thrown into this world‟. However, "necessity‟ is to be understood in answering the question that, if once one exists, what can be inferred about one‟s existence? As for the atheist existentialist, like, Sartre, his atheistic position articulates how one can‟t escape freedom. In the conception of it, the first defining characteristic of human existence is consciousness which is also expressed in relation to "freedom‟. The idea of freedom is, nevertheless, conceived differently by other atheist existentialists, like, Nietzsche. The issue concerned here highlights whether Sartre‟s conception of freedom is absolute or determined, or whether there is a possibility of absolute freedom given the contingent existence of human beings. One can, of course, argue that the idea of "freedom‟ so concerned here is not a "pure capricious, unlawful, gratuitous, and incomprehensible contingency". 1 The expression given above, "freedom is the necessity of human beings‟ existence‟, opens the possibility of several disagreements. The first disagreement with such a claim will arise from one‟s attempt to define what "freedom‟ is, let alone "existence‟. The ambiguity associated with these terms and the vagueness of such a statement as "Freedom is the necessity of human beings‟ existence‟ will certainly result in several disagreements. Such reprisals can come from various sides including.
