Key Messages
Explore The Complexities Of Existentialism: Make Smart Choices With Practical Advice From The Classics
If you’re reading this, it means that you are here and now, making the choice to learn about philosophical questions.
Decisions like these come with incredible freedom – the freedom to choose your own life and take control of your destiny.
But how do you make sure that these choices lead you down the right path? How can you guarantee that you achieve your full potential?
The answers to these questions can be found in The Ethics of Ambiguity, a classic text from 1947 which explores existentialist thought.
In its chapters, it outlines a moral taxonomy of people and provides advice on when (or if ever) violence is appropriate.
Most importantly, it helps guide people towards making the most out of their freedom so they can live life to its fullest potential.
So embrace your inherent freedom and determine your own life – read The Ethics of Ambiguity and discover practical solutions for taking charge of your future!
It Takes Ambiguity To Embrace The Freedom Of Being Human
The idea of human existence being fundamentally ambiguous has been around for centuries.
Philosophers, theologians, and scientists have all tried to come up with a single definition of what it means to be human, but they are all inevitably left feeling unsatisfied.
That’s because humans do not fit into a single definition or identity; rather, our concept of ourselves is constantly changing.
Existentialism embraces this ambiguity by refusing to try to reduce humanity to one thing or another.
Instead, it focuses on the ever-evolving nature of humans as we struggle and strive for transformation in our lives.
By refusing to define any definite parameters about who we are, existentialism allows us freedom from fixed identity and enables us to become whatever we choose to be.
Existentialism: Embrace The Complexity Of Life And Think For Yourself
Existentialism is a branch of philosophy that views our existence as having no pre-determined purpose or absolute truth.
Instead, it encourages individuals to take responsibility for their actions and determine their own meaning and values in life.
This is in stark contrast to most moral doctrines which are often prescriptive and offer a ready-made blueprint of rules and values that can be applied to every situation.
Rather than try to deny the complexity of the situations we find ourselves in, existentialists believe that the best way to act ethically is by acknowledging this complexity and treating every situation as unique.
This means taking time to reflect on any decisions you make before acting on them, and understanding that there may not be one “right” answer in ethical dilemmas.
By emphasizing personal freedom over rigid rules, existentialists safeguard against dangerous and unethical behavior caused by blindly following ideas given by seemingly benevolent moral doctrines.
As such, instead of seeing life through a clear lens, they emphasize its ambiguity and contribute greatly towards greater responsibility among those who wish to lead an ethical life.
In De Beauvoir’S Moral Taxonomy Of People, Freedom Is The Key To Maturity And A Meaningful Life
As we progress through life, many of us come to realise that the values and moral codes that we were taught aren’t the only ones out there.
And while this newfound awareness gives us freedom and potential, most often it is not used to its full advantage.
The book ‘The Ethics of Ambiguity’ introduces different categories of people when it comes to understanding our freedom.
In de Beauvoir’s moral taxonomy, first we have the sub-man which is someone who has not come to terms with their freedom; they do not recognize the power it holds and rarely act in a meaningful way.
We then move onto the serious man – many will fall under this category; they strive forward towards goals they hold as good but underestimate or ignore their own subjectivity and free will in creating these goals – thus becoming unthinking followers.
The next type of person listed is the nihilist, who does recognise the subjectivity of values but let’s this become an inhibition rather than something positive; for them all projects are seen as arbitrary and worthless.
Finally, we come across the adventurer who is enlightened enough to understand their freedom and embraces it wholeheartedly by throwing themselves into pursuits – albeit sometimes at a cost of concerning themselves too much with themselves and not thinking about how their actions may affect others around them.
De Beauvoir argues that for humans to truly be free, it must go beyond selfish desires and place more thought upon those around us.
Hence, if each one of us learns to use our own freedom responsibly then real true liberation can become closer than ever before.
We Cannot Adopt A Disinterested Perspective In Politics Or Art Criticism
In “The Ethics of Ambiguity” it is famously stated that it’s impossible to adopt a completely disinterested perspective.
This idea applies not only to art criticism, but also to the world of politics.
In other words, our actions and inaction have consequences in the world.
When considering art or politics, we cannot naturally remove ourselves from our own subjective perspective – regardless of how hard we may try.
We all come into any new experience bearing our own beliefs and biases and these will likely influence our understanding and interpretations of whatever we’re presented with.
For example, imagine if a friend recommended watching a certain film or listening to an album that wasn’t your usual thing – yet you chose to approach it with an open mind.
Despite trying to detach your personal preferences, what you see or hear may inevitably be colored by those beliefs or biases which can prevent you from enjoying it for its own sake.
And while this might be relatively harmless in the realm of art criticism, it could potentially be far more damaging if taken on as political stance.
After all, taking a truly ‘disinterested’ point-of-view means looking past current happenings and viewing them through the lens of history – something which demands formidable commitment and the courage to act when necessary.
So yes – attempting ‘disinterest’ might offer comfortable detachment at first glance – but ultimately it’s nothing more than an evasion of responsibility and even complicity with whatever regime holds power during any given period in time.
It makes us no less responsible for what goes on around us in the world.
Existentialists See Oppression As The Result Of Inequality And A Violation Of Human Authority
We all have a duty to resist the forces of oppression wherever they present themselves.
From physical limitations such as natural disasters, to societal or political limits placed on our freedom by other people, these are things that should never be tolerated and we must take a stand against them.
Existentialists suggest that oppression is when one group of people deny another group their inalienable right to determine their own destiny and secure their own future.
This can take many forms including lack of education, exclusion from sources of income, control over political self-determination – the list goes on.
Such behaviors are completely unjustifiable; yet rulers attempt to legitimize them with claims to superiority or ‘the natural order’.
In these situations it is so important for us to recognize and fight against this kind of discrimination in whatever form it presents itself.
To do nothing would be a violation of our humanity and a betrayal of those who are less privileged than us – an act which we should never be complicit in.
We must ensure that everyone has the opportunity to shape their own future and choose their own fate, free from coercion or restraint.
Real People Should Always Come First Over Ideological Abstractions
Real people should always come before abstract ideas when it comes to matters of ethics.
This is a core principle espoused in the book The Ethics of Ambiguity.
As an example, the Portuguese dictator António Salazar is cited who, at great expense to the public, had all the country’s ancient ruined castles rebuilt instead of spending those funds on something more essential-like a children’s community.
This kind of prioritization entrenches oppression as it renders concrete individuals secondary to ideals like national culture and tradition.
Though we may find ourselves with conflicting values and interests, there must always be respect for our fellow human beings and their rights first over abstract concepts.
Popular regimes throughout history have used deceptively persuasive arguments for oppressing human beings in favor of some “higher value” or greater good.
Though there is room for competing interests to exist peacefully, real humans should always remain the priority so that they can make thoughtful decisions about their own lives.
After all, no matter how appealing these abstractions are in theory – they are powerless without people leading them.
The Necessity Of Violence In The Fight Against Oppression, And The Importance Of Maintaining Restraint
When it comes down to it, in some situations, violence is unfortunately a necessary reaction.
However, this should only ever be done in very specific circumstances.
It’s important to remember that if you use too much force or perpetuate oppression to further your own causes, you become no better than the oppressor.
As seen in John Dos Passos’ novel Adventures of a Young Man, there are countless difficult ethical dilemmas which require careful consideration and understanding.
In this case, the protagonist had to choose between making a martyr out of several miners who were sentenced to death or saving their lives through an appeal using the courts.
He eventually opted for the latter as it was clear that sacrificing them for abstract propaganda was not going to achieve anything beneficial and tangible.
Violence is often seen as a sign of power – however, if we use too much force or act indifferently towards real people when oppressing violence then our end intent will be lost.
The key message here is that violence should always be thought of as something of last resort when faced with oppression- and again, even then it should only ever be done for clear goals involving real people’s wellbeing.
Wrap Up
The theme of existentialism is woven throughout The Ethics of Ambiguity.
It encourages us to recognize our individuality and approach life with a unique perspective.
It sees humans as the source of all value, placing individual existence at the forefront rather than any political cause, moral doctrine or social institution.
With this in mind, the actionable advice from this book can be summarized as follows: commit to some existential housekeeping.
Reflect on your values and set achievable goals that will help you put those values into action.
Streamline your life by cutting out activities that don’t serve these objectives, while adding support structures such as a community of like-minded people who share those same goals.
Doing so will place you on the path to becoming the person you want to be.
