Philosophy 152 Philosophy of Human Nature Darwall Fall 1996 SARTRE III For next time: read the De Beauvoir selection from Abel, pp. 333-350. N.B. Addition to paper assignment: In order to make sure you are on the right track (or rather, a good track), you need to run the topic of your proposed paper by either Blain or me. Either during office hours or with an electronic message, let us know what issue and philosophers you propose to write on so that we can have some helpful input. E-mail addresses: sdarwall@umich.edu, blainen@umich.edu. I Last time we connection between Sartre's claims about freedom and what he calls "subjectivity." The idea is to appreciate the deep sense in which each of us is a subject. And we examined the relation Sartre observes between Descartes's claim that when it comes to belief and knowledge there is only one indubitable starting point, "I exist as a thinking being" and what Sartre believes is the analogous point in choice and action. If I am wondering what to believe, what I can know to be true, the only thing I cannot possibly doubt is that I think. Likewise, if I am deliberating about what to do, the only thing I cannot possibly doubt is my freedom to choose. Question: can I doubt the value of deliberation and choice? II There is a "weak" sense in which any conscious being has subjectivity. What Sartre is referring to, however, is that we are self- conscious. We are subjects to ourselves. Since we are nothing over and above what we do. In deciding what we are to do, we are deciding what we are to be. III But, again, we are not choosing something for ourselves, Sartre thinks. We are implicitly choosing an "image of man". And this fills us with a dread and anguish that we attempt to evade by various denials, evasions, "double dealing", internal and external public relations, and "bad faith." Cf. p. 316: "what is meant by anguish . . ." p. 317: "at every moment I'm obliged to perform exemplary acts . . ." IV But this creates two puzzles: A. When I choose something, I regard it as good independently of whether I choose it. But that commits me to thinking it would have been good even if I hadn't chosen it. But how can I think that and also believe existentialism? B. Sartre says that when I deceive myself or other wise deny my freedom, I manifest "bad faith." But why? If I do this, don't I choose to do so? And I thereby affirm the value of my doing so?