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Existentialism Is a Humanism

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Though short, this book - viz. the lecture - contains what is often seen as some of the primary concepts in Sartre's existentialist philosophy: Existence precedes essence, humanism, and responsibility. The commentary on Camus's "The Stranger" provides Sartre's insights and alternative perspectives on Camus's work.

The lecture, "Existentialism is a Humanism", give the reader the general ideas of Sartre's philosophy. However, it does more than that, which leads to other considerations both good and bad: In the lecture Sartre is explaining and modifying his philosophical position to the general public. As such, some ideas surface which were not explicitly present in his other major work "Being and Nothingness". The lecture should not be viewed as an introduction to that book; his "Humanism" lecture, rather, should be thought of as a work of transition. In fact, with this lecture Sartre is facing the reality handed to society by a post-war France, and he felt he had to answer his critics who felt he were offering society a nihilistic and narcissistic philosophy that offered no hope whatsoever. With these two thoughts in mind, Sartre is basically thinking out loud with this lecture, using no notes, giving the lecture an unpolished feel. As a result, there are inconsistencies in it that Sartre was later to regret. However, the core ideas, some of which are Kantian in their source, are ones that Sartre felt society needed to confront if it is to be humanistic and responsible - two notions especially significant when considering the context is post-war France of 1945. Nevertheless, the ideas still remain significant to the modern reader, which is why this lecture remains one of the necessary readings in existentialist philosophy.

Included in the book is Sartre's "A Commentary on The Stranger", which, in style, stands in sharp contrast to the lecture. In his commentary, Sartre approaches Camus's work with dexterity and skill using literary comparisons, grammatical analysis, and philosophical resemblances. In this commentary, Sartre has time to unfold his ideas clearly and see where one thought leads him - a luxury not afforded to him during his lecture.

Nevertheless, don't be misled by the bare-bones lecture and the well-crafted commentary: Both offer significant insights into their respective objects of thought. While the former shows that Sartre is (thankfully) human, all to human; the latter reveals his engaging and insightful literary prowess. After reading this book, you will have an idea why he was called France's conscience.

By now, everyone is aware of the impact of this essay. So my review is concerned solely with the book, which is a typical, laminate-front-and-back paperback which seems to be bound well enough and arrived in due time. I may have looked harder for a version that would fit in a jacket breast pocket, but really, portable Sartre is so 1969.