Some Famous Sartre Quotes and Their Explanation

Sapien
2 min readDec 13, 2022

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Jean-Paul Sartre was a French philosopher who is best known for his concept of “existence precedes essence” and his advocacy of individual freedom and responsibility. He was a highly influential thinker who wrote many influential books and essays, and his ideas continue to be studied and discussed by philosophers, scholars, and others. Some of the most famous quotes by Sartre include:

  • “Existence precedes essence.” This quote is often taken to mean that individuals have the freedom to determine their own essence or nature, and that their existence is not determined by external factors such as God, society, or biology.
  • “Freedom is what we do with what is done to us.” This quote is often seen as an expression of Sartre’s belief in the power of individuals to shape their own lives and to take responsibility for their actions and choices.
  • “Hell is other people.” This quote is often interpreted as a critique of the ways in which other people can limit and restrict our freedom and autonomy.
  • “We are our choices.” This quote highlights Sartre’s belief in the importance of individual freedom and responsibility, and the ways in which our choices and actions shape our identities and our lives.

Overall, these quotes by Sartre are examples of his thought-provoking and challenging ideas, and they continue to inspire debate and discussion among philosophers and others.

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