Sartre
 Sartre was arguably the most important philosopher of the 20th
Century, and is one of the founders of existential philosophy
 Nothing can exist, because every different person’s perception of
something is different from everyone else’s
 Perceptions cannot exist either, because each time someone
perceives something, each perception will be different

The self does not exist, because each time we perceive our self
it will always be different
 The self is a false story that we create to try and give us comfort
from the fact that our identity is meaningless, because it is
impossible to define something that is always changing (is never
the same)
 If nothing can be truly defined, then nothing can truly exist. If
nothing can truly exist, then existence itself can’t exist. If nothing
exists, the only thing that we can know is nothingness
 Understanding that the only true reality is nothingness brings us
freedom. With the absence of truth in morals and values (etc.),
there are no limitations to our actions!
 We are given complete freedom to define ourselves, even
though these definitions are truly false and meaningless lies,
because the self doesn’t exist
 According to Sartre, interacting with other people is “Hell”. By
interacting with other people, we become slaves to their false
perceptions and definitions of us. This takes away our freedom
of defining ourselves, because we are limited to the limitations
that they have imposed upon us.
o Regardless, in the end, both of our perceptions are equally
just as false, though it is more comforting to be able to
create your own identity, than to be subject to that which
another person has created for you
 Sartre’s Optimism – As meaningless as identity, definition, and
existence are, we continue to persevere by giving our existence
meaning, even though that meaning is false, so that we are at
least in control of our own existence… even if it is all false.