<<Existentialism is a kind of humanism>> --- Note 1

1 The problem is complicated by the fact that there are two kinds of existentialism. On the one hand, there are Christian existentialists, among them Jaspers and Gabriel Marcel, both of whom claim to be Catholics; on the other hand, there are existential atheists, among them Heidegger and those existentialists in France and myself.

2 What they have in common is the belief that existence precedes essence

3 So we say that the essence of the paper cutter, the sum of the many formulas and textures that make it possible to make and define it, precedes its existence. The world is seen from a technological point of view, and we can say that making precedes existence.

4 God created man according to a certain procedure and a concept, exactly like a craftsman making a paper cutter according to definitions and formulas.

Sample. So everyone is the embodiment of some concept hidden in divine reason.

5 If existence really precedes essence, man is responsible for what he is. So the first consequence of existentialism is to make everyone understand who he is and to take responsibility for his existence entirely by himself.

6 For if existence indeed precedes essence, man can never interpret his actions with reference to a known or specific human nature, in other words, there is no determinism - man is free, man is freedom.

7 Gide said it well, a disguised emotion, a sincere emotion, the two are indistinguishable.

8 Emotions are formed by human actions; so I cannot refer to my emotions to guide actions. I can neither find a real impulse to act within me, nor can I expect to find any formula in ethics that will help me to act.

9 You are free, so you choose—that is to say, invent. There is no universal moral code to tell you what to do: there are no signs of heaven in the world.

10 One could draw entirely different conclusions from this series of bad luck—for example, it would be better for him to be a carpenter, or to join a revolution. However, he takes full responsibility for interpreting the sign. This is what "letting go" means, that it is we who determine our existence.