Existentialism A Philosophical Position On Mankind

â€Å"Why do we exist? What is the purpose of our life? What is our relation to the world and to other people?† (Gravail, Richard 7). These are the types of questions raised in the heart of philosophy. Existentialism is simply a philosophical approach that focuses on human freedom and responsibilities. Moreover, I agree with the philosophical position on mankind presented in Jean-Paul Sartre’s â€Å"Existentialism.† Man will be what he plans to be, solely depending on his will. Man creates himself and his future because he has full control of the choices he makes. Lastly, the existence of God would not make a difference in the world. From the past century, existentialism has greatly impacted the western culture. When a man has a plan, it is his responsibility to do what it takes to be what he plans to be, and not what he will want to be. Sartre says, â€Å"Man is nothing else than his plan; he exists only to the extent that he fulfils himself; he is therefore nothing else than the ensemble of his acts, nothing else than his life† (Sartre 668). In other words, man first must exist and at this point he is nothing. Then, he begins to define himself, where he becomes what he plans to be. Hence, man has full control to create himself, what he wants to be and to create his future. Sartre also talks about how existence precedes essence, which means that man needs to create himself in order to define himself. For example, Sean Noah Walsh states in her essay that, â€Å"Because the existence of a humanShow MoreRelated Sartre’s Existentialism in Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot1572 Words   |  7 PagesSartre’s Existentialism in Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot Critics often misunderstand the quintessence of Sartre’s philosophy. 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