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Sartre on God and Meaning in Life

“The existentialist . . . finds it extremely embarrassing that God does not exist, for there disappears with Him all possibility of finding values in an intelligible heaven. There can no longer be any good a priori, since there is no infinite and perfect consciousness to think it. It is nowhere written that “the good” exists, that one must be honest or must not lie, since we are now upon the plane where there are only men. Dostoevsky once wrote: ‘If God did not exist, everything would be permitted’; and that, for existentialism, is the starting point. Everything is indeed permitted if God does not exist, and man is in consequence forlorn, for he cannot find anything to depend upon either within or outside himself. . . . Nor, on the other hand, if God does not exist, are we provided with any values or commands that could legitimise our behaviour. Thus we have neither behind us, nor before us in a luminous realm of values, any means of justification or excuse. – We are left alone, without excuse. That is what I mean when I say that man is condemned to be free.”

Jean Paul Sartre, “Existentialism Is a Humanism,” 1946

via Cloud of Witnesses

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9.18.09 The Problem of Dirty Hands

Attention Philosophers,

                Unlike at a special joint session of Congress, you are perfectly welcome to yell “You Lie!” at your president(s) during UPA meetings. So join us Friday @ 4:30pm on the 5^th floor of the PCL as we evaluate the ethical dilemmas posed by Michael Walzer in “The Problem of Dirty Hands”.

               "I have dirty hands right up to the elbows. I've plunged them in filth and blood. Do you think you can govern innocently?" These words of Jean-Paul Sartre, found in his play Les Mains Sales, form the central question Walzer challenges us to answer. We law-abiding citizens have certain unyielding expectations of our politicians. We wish them to be paradigms of virtue, honesty, and morality. At the same time, we want them to do what is right for the people they represent. On the face of it, these two demands don’t seem to conflict. But what if there are situations (as Michael Walzer believes) which require a politician to act immorally in order to act morally on behalf of his constituents? How is it possible to do right by doing wrong? Is it possible to succeed in leadership without getting one’s “hands dirty”? To put it more poetically, are politicians tragic heroes, sacrificing their morality for the good of the people?

               Could you govern innocently? Come to UPA and give us the answer (bring your friends too). Attached is Walzer’s paper- it clearly outlines the problem and provides the foundation for the contemporary philosophical discussion. We are also including the SEP entry- we encourage you to read all sections- but particularly section 3 “A Conceptual Confusion?”. 

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/dirty-hands/

Your dirty-handed, yet ever-devoted co-presidents,

Pavel Nitchovski and Justin Olaguer

PS- We have some awesome events on the horizon, so get excited!

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Echange Theatre Company presents the "Flies" by Jean Paul Sartre

After a huge success last year, Echange Theatre Company and "The
Flies" return for three weeks to Camden People's Theatre. The press
night is on Thursday 12th March 2009 at 19:30 and we are looking
forward to seeing you all there!

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