Introduction to Existentialism
Jean-Paul Sarte was a French philosopher who is considered one of the key figures in Existentialist philosophies. Existentialism is something I have talked about a lot in my talks and writings because I feel that it plays a key role in business and in the life of a leader. When I talk about the ‘Person’ in The Philosophical Enterprise, this person possess traits that are closely considered existentialist in nature.
I have selected just one concept for today’s newsletter which is
Existence preceeds essensce
Simply put by living and breathing we exist. But for us to have an essence about us we, need to create an essence about us. That essence can only comes from the self and the person himself.
The way I interpret this is that he is not dismissing the Essentialism philosophical ideas by the great ancients including by Plato and Aristotle in that humans have an essence from inception and a set of characteristics. He is aligned with those views in that respect but he considers those a starting point rather than the final article. In order for us to create the essence, the onous is on us. Whilst there is a great level of freedom that we can be anything, it comes with a great level of responsibility that we have no one else to blame. And he talks about it in this concept of ‘Freedom and Resonsibility’. I shall focus on the concept I have chosen for today.
He doesn’t believe that we are pre-ordaned with a purpose, but it is up to us to create it. He does not dismiss our individual nature and perhaps inherent capabilities but whether will we put the work for them to be materialised or not where we are live a fulfilled life is dependant on the work done on ourselves. In the absence of the work, the essence will never surface.
In the same way, busienss may not have a defined path at the start.