Sartre Lives On

By Ben Wood Johnson

This short opus explores the current debate regarding the moral philosophy of Jean-Paul Sartre. It examines the many issues that are often levied against this brilliant thinker. This text is only a preamble to several other works the author compiled on the subject. It does not assess the ramifications of misguided views towards the Sartrean legacy. View other publications to learn more.

There is no doubt that Jean-Paul Sartre was a pioneer in human literature. There are few disagreements regarding the analytical prowess of this giant philosopher. Yet, few people are willing to vouch for him in the ethical domain. Here, the author sought to rebuke misapprehensions about the literary valor of this unparalleled intellectual artisan.

Why Defending Sartre? Ben Wood Johnson is a philosopher himself. He felt the need to defend Jean-Paul Sartre for various reasons. But the most prominent motive he articulated is the need to achieve academic excellence. In other words, this text is not a personal defense of the Sartrean Legacy, though the author’s arguments are unmistakably passionate.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tesko Publishing
• Release date: Apr 28, 2017
• ISBN: 9780997902853

Ben Wood Johnson

Ben Wood Johnson is an author, educator, and philosopher. He graduated from Penn State and Villanova University. He is a multidisciplinary scholar. Johnson writes about philosophy, law/legal theory, public and foreign policy, education, politics, ethics, race, and crime. His intellectual roots reflect several literary traditions, including, but not limited to, Modern Existentialism, Survivalism, Pragmatism, and Marxism. Johnson is fluent in many languages, including, but not limited to, French (native tongue), English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian. He enjoys reading, poetry, painting, and music.

Book preview

Sartre Lives On

Sartre Lives On

Ben Wood Johnson

Tesko Publishing

Contents

Preface

Acknowledgments

Introduction

I. Introducing Jean-Paul Sartre

1. A Philosophical Brilliance

2. Complete Bewilderment

II. The Sartrean Literary Legacy

3. A Philosopher Par Excellence

4. Sartre Is Living On

III. Unparalleled Disdain

5. Sartre and the Haters

6. A Threat to Society

IV. Jean-Paul Sartre and His Shortcomings

7. Delaying His Own Works

8. Examining Arguments

V. Establishing My Relevance in the Debate

9. Argumentative Relevance

10. Pedagogical Concerns

Afterword

About the Author

Other Info

Other Works

Notes

Copyright © 2017 by Ben Wood Johnson (Eduka Solutions)

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The information illustrated in this book was originally compiled for a school project. The analysis contained herein is based on class notes and other non-academic materials.

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All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, or by any information storage and retrieval system without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

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eBook Format

ISBN-13: 978-0-9979028-5-3 (eBook)

ISBN-10: 0-9979028-5-X

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Johnson, Ben Wood

Sartre Lives On /

Ben Wood Johnson.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Cover illustration by Wood Oliver J

For Michaelle Polo (Michou)

Life is now; there is no life-after-life. Enjoy your life in the present. Don’t waste your precious time today hoping for a better tomorrow.

BWJ/2017

Preface

I am a devotee of Jean-Paul Sartre. I am fascinated by his works. But my interest in Sartre has a lot to do with his literary collections about philosophy.

After reading Sartre’s illustrious text about human ontology, I became captivated by the notion of human freedom. ¹ I became enamored with Sartrean philosophy. Today, I must also admit, the concept of freedom itself is the foundation of my own philosophy.

With the above confession out of the way, I must point out that I do not consider myself an avid follower of the Sartrean philosophical model. Despite my admiration for both the man and his accomplishments, I do not necessarily agree with some of the views Sartre echoed in his works. I do not share Sartre’s approach on various issues, notably when it comes to the way he deciphers the reality of human existence. I do not share Sartre’s depiction of human freedom. I hold differing views about Sartre’s assessment of human ontology.

In spite of my potential disagreements with Sartre about his philosophical model, I hold tremendous respects for his philosophy. I recognize Sartre as a major thinker. Nevertheless, I am not the only one who has issues with the way Sartre distills his arguments.

In recent years, I noticed a little bit of hostility towards Jean-Paul Sartre. It can be difficult to find a piece of literature that is not harshly critical of the man himself, including his meticulous works. In his defense, many of these criticisms are in error.

Here, I have taken it upon myself to defend the Sartrean literary legacy. I am aware that I may not be the right person for this task. Nonetheless, I have a note worthy background, which may lend me some credence.

Ever since I was a high school student, I have been exposed to many of the works, which Sartre produced during his career. As a graduate student, I conducted several inquiries about both the man and his writings. As an author as well, I have compiled several works about Sartre and his philosophy. Thus, I am not a neophyte in this domain.

I must concede that the literature about Sartre can be a bit depressing. In many occasions, I have had to witness Sartre being pummeled simply because he failed to outline his ideas in a way that pleases everyone. Sartre is often scolded for failing to compact his major philosophical thoughts in a universally accepted manner.

A facet of Sartrean philosophy that is laden with criticisms is ethics. For some, the Sartrean approach to ethics is intellectually inconsequential. Presumably, his works in this discipline are incomplete. Therefore, Sartre is not a moral philosopher, they say. Well…, I disagree.

In the last few years or so, I have put together a number of works treating the subject in depth. I recently published a couple of texts, which detail my concerns about the state of the literary discourse. The present work is an addendum to the mentioned publications.

Within the next few chapters, I will endeavor, fervently of course, to dissect the congruity of Sartre's literary portfolio. I will strive, meticulously as well, to decipher the man, his views, his passion, and his contributions to human literature. I will explore Sartre’s glorious past in the most germane manner.

I will examine the nature of his philosophy. I will analyze the relevance of views criticizing Sartrean ethics. I will explore the intellectual weight of criticisms against this giant intellectual artisan.

Some observers might say that it would be hard to dissect the philosophy of one of the greatest thinkers in human history. Some people might even be reluctant to read this book, doubting its epistemological essence or its academic relevance. After all, plenty has been said about Jean-Paul Sartre.

As you (i.e., the reader) are going through the many pages featured in this modest work, you might be wondering why defending Jean-Paul Sartre. You might be asking yourself, inquisitively of course, does Sartre need a defense. You might be asking whether this book presents any argumentative novelty in the debate. Fair enough, I would not refute such viewpoints. I would admit that it might prove difficult to explore all contentions that plague the literature against Sartre.

Let me be frank; this book provides no new information about Jean-Paul Sartre.